PATREON PREVIEW - Die, Workwear! Ryan Devens on How a Good Suit Is Actually Made

Derek and Peter sit down with Ryan Devens of San Francisco’s Tailor’s Keep to talk about what actually goes into making a bespoke suit.

Ryan explains how Tailor’s Keep developed its house cut, why fitting forward shoulders can require rebuilding an armhole and sleeve, and where the limits of made-to-measure end and bespoke begins. They also get into the realities of garment manufacturing today: why Tailor’s Keep moved its made-to-measure production from the United States to Asia, the difference between Chinese and Indian manufacturing, and why rebuilding a skilled tailoring industry in America is much harder than simply opening a factory.

They also discuss the post-pandemic return of tailoring, why clients are getting interested in craft again, the mistakes Ryan has made after more than a decade of fitting different bodies, and the fabrics he reaches for when making everything from summer suits to winter trousers and overcoats.

Plus: four-inch Ralph Lauren ties, pants splitting at weddings, Gap jeans, alligator longwings, and the problem with trying to automate craft.