I’ve decided to take some time and research some of the remaining American clothing companies, with specific concentration on local firms in New England. There aren’t many left, so its not going to be a long list, but there are enough worth mentioning to write a blog entry about. What once was a center for textile and garment manufacture, New England has become a home for empty mills and the few manufacturers left have had to specialize in something or be forced out like the rest. I’ll try not to lament on the milkman’s whistle too much, just to say that its a sad reminder to those of us who travel the highways and local roads once lined with busy mills. So, what has emerged is something uniquely and quintessentially New England. Known nowhere else in the world, it even has its own word; Trad. It means traditional American design. Its part Ivy League prep, part Boston banker, part suburban father, and part of all of us who live here.
We start with the last truly New England suit manufacturer.
Southwick
Southwick is a firm that was started in 1929 by two brothers who were recent immigrants to the United States. They started a small factory in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where their suits have been made ever since. Brooks Brothers has purchased the firm and due to the redevelopment of their mill into an urban revitalization project they are moving up river a few miles to their new home in Haverhill. Southwick makes suits and coats for Brooks Brothers, J. Press, The Andover Shop, and also makes suits under their own label. Their signature is the soft shoulder with minimal padding.
Southwick suits have been worn by presidents and potentates and are simple and elegant. They have a factory store in Lawrence that will be moving with them to Haverhill as of the first of the year and you can buy their clothes there at times at a discount. Southwick also has a made-to-measure program through retailers and can customize your suit to your specifications including materials used such as buttons, fabric, stitching, and most importantly the cut and fit of the suit. I’ve seen Southwick suits off-the-peg for between $500 and $1,000 for the basic two-piece and going up to the $1,500 range for higher-end suits, three-piece suits, and made to measure suits fit in the $1,200-$2,000 range as best I know. Certainly if you’ve got the money to spend, a worthwhile investment in your wardrobe that will last you the better part of your life.
Hardwick
Hardwick is a US suit maker based in Tennessee with a long history of making quality garments for men and women. Hardwick is a little easier to swallow price-wise at $250 for a coat and pants at the top of the line. Hardwick only makes suit separates and blazers and trousers, no complete suits cut from the same bolt. This philosophy works on the premise that if you are a difficult size, you can still find a suit that fits off the rack. Most times this is not a problem if you have a proper tailor who can alter your garments or you purchase something made-to-measure. The suits are slightly more boxy but still have that traditional soft look.
They aren’t quite up to the quality of Southwick, but for the price you can’t really complain. Their blazers run roughly $150 to $250 depending on the style and fabric used. Hardwick makes two lines of 100% wool suits and blazers and also a few lines of blended polyester and 100% polyester suits and coats. The polyester garments don’t even warrant mention. Stay away from any man-made fibres when possible. They will only let you down and make you look like an idiot. They do have a line of Harris Tweed blazers for under $300 which is a steal anywhere.
Haspel
Haspel has been making Seersucker suits and jackets for 1,000 years in the attempt to keep us cool in the hot southern summers. Not being from the south and not being hot, ever, I don’t have a huge call for Seersucker, Poplin, or Linen. I really like Seersucker and I have a blazer from Anderson Little in the fabric, but I never have liked linen for suits or coats and I’ve never had a Poplin suit. Seersucker has its limits, mainly its seasonal and if you can’t pull off the look, you can’t pull off the look. Its nice in the summer with a light sweater or a blue bow-tie and not much else, at least that’s my opinion. I do want to pick up a Seersucker suit for a summer wedding I plan on attending next year but I’m not in a huge rush. Pretty much all Haspel makes are these summer/spring suits and jackets and they are damn good at it. Clean lines and classic styling that looked good on Harry Truman in 1950 and will look good on you in 2008.
I’m not certain of the pricing on Haspel but I want to say that the last time I looked $250 could get you a Seersucker suit in any of the billion colors they make. If you are so bold as to wear Madras as the gentleman in the center is, you can look at $150 or so for a blazer.
Anderson Little
A former Fall River-based firm now located down in Florida. These coats are not manufactured by contract and manufacturing is overseen by the company president Scott Anderson (grandson of the founder). The blue blazer is the first garment they are producing and are 55% Poly and 45% Wool and I understand that they travel well and breath well. They cost $139 and you get them shipped free to your door. From what I understand, they will start introducing more garments if customers demand they do so. I’ve written about them before so you can search the archives for that entry. I’m too lazy to link it.
Now, there are three retailers that warrant some comment for the clothes that they contract and sell. J. Press has locations in Hartford, Cambridge, NY, and DC, and are a New England hallmark. They contract some work from Southwick and their clothes are simple, classic, and well made. Prices are really quite good as well. The Andover Shop is based in Andover and has another location in Cambridge and is the place you can get tweed and lots of it in Massachusetts. They contract work all over and some of their clothes are made in the USA, others in Italy or England mostly. $1,000 tweed jackets are out of my price-range and style pallet so I’ve not paid much attention to them until recently. Brooks Brothers is a nationwide chain with 200+ stores and is the standard for menswear in the country. They can often be used as the barometer for judging other smaller makers.
J.Press is a Cambridge land mark and has suits starting at $500 and working up to $1,500 or so. Sales are pretty good and they have a website that makes browsing easy.
The Andover Shop is a mens shop that specializes in tweed and heavy wool garments. They have suits and trousers and sweaters but it would seem like they play second fiddle to the exotic Harris tweed and other scratchy delights. Their prices range between $500 and $1,200 for coats and they have a nice catalogue on-line and in print with prices and descriptions. I particularly like their holiday collection (pictured right) but their offerings are slightly out of my price range. Its a gentlemanly look suited for the countryside of Yorkshire, not for a twenty-something city-dweller (by day at least).
I think it might be impossible to walk into a Brooks Brothers in a major city and walk out looking like a schlep. BB is clean and simple, no frills and no surprises, but you can always look like a senator when you shop there. They are currently having a sale on most 1818 suits through the end of the month. Two for $999, which might not sound like a good deal, but it is. It really is.
There are two major shoe manufacturers in the USA, Allen Edmonds and Alden, and one smaller maker, FootJoy. Aldens are handmade in Middleboro, Massachusetts and are of the highest quality, if not a bit frumpish in style. FootJoy shoes are mainly golf shoes but they have a line of dress and casual/dress shoes which are made in Fairhaven. All of these shoes can be re-crafted after 10 or 20 years and look as good as new and last another 20.
Allen Edmonds are the largest by far and have the biggest market share, they are like the Brooks Brothers of shoes, although Alden makes shoes for Brooks Brothers (a little confusing). They are good quality and reasonably priced in the $200 and up range. Sales, trunk specials, and seconds can be had in the $150 range. Styles change by season but there are always the mainstays in the line. Look down in any major city in the country and you’ll find about two dozen pairs within sight.
Alden shoes are something special. They are handmade locally and will last a lifetime. Alden uses Shell Cordovan leather on their Cordovan line and are extremely durable and weather resistant. Look up Shell Cordovan if you’ve never heard of it, I assure you it doesn’t mean burgundy. You can expect to pay $500 or more for a pair of Cordovan shoes and the rest of the line are in the $350 range. There is a sale page at a retailer in California where you can get calfskin leather Aldens for around $250.
I only mention FootJoy because I have a pair of the shoes below. They were on sale from $269 to just under $100 and they are the nicest shoes I own. They are handmade and have full leather soles and the softest calfskin uppers. FootJoy doesn’t make many dress shoe styles and these aren’t even available anymore but some of them are really quite nice, especially if you like loafers or slip-on shoes. I don’t care for them, but if you do Golflocker.com has a clearance section and a blem section that has a bunch of these beauties. Quite comfortable too, I’ve been wearing them for about 15 hours now and I feel like I could run a marathon.
Well, that is my two-cents on local and US made clothes and shoes. Check out Hamilton watches when you get a chance and especially if you are in the market for a good watch. They are the last American watch company and they make both US made and Swiss movement watches that are tops on quality. They have a ton of styles and are priced well. The US army has used their watches for decades. Good luck.
