A good alterations tailor isn’t just someone who can shorten pants or take in a jacket. They will quite literally shape your wardrobe. And hopefully you will form a relationship that will last years, if not decades.
There are plenty of dry cleaners in Toronto who offer alterations services and in a pinch any of them will do for simple jobs like hemming pants. But when it comes to having a jacket altered, you should work with someone who is an actual tailor. His knowledge of how to make a suit will allow him to fix one properly.
My own alterations tailor, with whom I’ve spent a number of years building a relationship, is close to retirement. He does exactly what I ask him, he does it well, and he does it at a very good price. But because of his age, I am feeling increasingly guilty about bringing something in for intense alterations. I realized it was time to find a “backup”, if you will.
The opportunity arrived with a 3 piece flannel suit from Kingpin’s Hideaway. Unlike most vintage clothes, it fit me extremely well. The waist was perfect, the vest long enough to cover the waistband and big enough so the buttons weren’t straining. But what sold me was the fit of the jacket: the shoulders were perfect. Not only were they an excellent width, they were neither too padded nor too natural. Plus they were slightly roped, a feature I’ve wanted in my wardrobe for years.
All that said, like any vintage suit, each piece needed some alterations. The man for whom the suit had been made in 1972 had shorter, thinner legs than mine – sitting down was rather constricting. He was also slightly barrel chested so there was some extra fabric under the arms of the vest and jacket. And the jacket was a bit too long.
I had read about Xavier on a few men’s style blogs and the reviews were similar: very hard to find and very good. He is certainly the most hidden tailor in Toronto. While his address is listed as 10 St. Mary’s, when you arrive, it is just a non-descript office building off of Yonge. No sign indicates you’re at the right place. In fact, you have to enter the lobby and check the old office listings board to find “Xavier Custom Tailors” – on the forth floor. He is in a relatively small office with no frills. There’s a desk, a work table, some racks of clothes in process and a back room which is used for storage and as a change-room.
Xavier was friendly and as we talked more and more about the suit he offered advice on what could or couldn’t be done. Even though I was concerned that shortening the jacket would disrupt the balance, he measured the placement of the pockets and assured me that taking a bit off the bottom wouldn’t be a problem. He pinned and chalked the rest of the suit and promised delivery in a couple of weeks at what I would call a standard cost – not too high, not too low. The results are spectacular.
The jacket, which I liked before, now feels custom-made. Xavier shortened it by about an inch without affecting the balance or shape. He also took away just the right amount of fabric under the arms – the drape is still there, but without any puckering.
The vest looks completely transformed. By taking in some fabric under the arms, the vest now shapes perfectly to my chest, while retaining that lovely pinch at the waist. (I forgot to ask for that missing button to be put in.)
The changes to the pants are somewhat subtler, but no less important. By letting out the legs below the thighs, and lengthening the bottoms, the pants now look and feel perfectly fitted. The entire suit, over 40 years old, feels reborn.
After picking up the suit and marvelling at Xavier’s work, I sat down with him for a chat. The first thing I found out was his full name, Anthony Xavier. Anthony trained to be a tailor in Trinidad as a way to ease his way to Canada as a skilled labourer. When he arrived in 1970, he was so good at his trade, and enjoyed it so much, he decided to take up tailoring full time. His first four years were spent in a clothing factory but in 1974 he partnered with his Trinidadian teacher to open a shop at Yonge and Bloor. Just over four years after that, in 1979, he went out on his own and hasn’t looked back since.
Anthony can and will make a full custom suit – adjusting set patterns and with two or more fittings – but 80% of his business is alterations. And most of that work is small “remodelling” as he calls it. That typically involves fitting suits tighter to the body, following the current trend. And Anthony is happy to help his customers follow trends. He’s well aware of the classics – he tells me my 3-piece suit reminds him of how he learned to make suits in the late 60s – but he wants his customers to feel contemporary in their clothes. And I will admit, Anthony is one of the very few tailors of his generation who are not only plugged into current men’s style trends, but wear them too – on each visit he’s been wearing a fitted shirt, slim pants and colourful brogues.
I am thrilled to have found not only a very skilled tailor, but yet another singular character in the Toronto tailoring world.
I typically expect to pay about $25 to have hems shortened or lengthened. More substantial work, like shortening a jacket or working on the shoulders, is more in the $100 range.
Thanks for the great advice Pedro!
I got a beautiful double breasted Coppley for 70% off and had to buy it even though it needed some major alterations.
Anthony did a fantastic job tightening and lengthening the pants and tapering the jacket, which also required taking apart the collar.
Anthony was happy to alter the suit however I asked, — but he was also willing to make suggestions and explain what should be done to best maintain the integrity of the suit.
I’ll be taking more clothes to him for sure!
I’m not sure if he has a buttonhole machine in his shop, and if he doesn’t, handmade buttonholes might be very expensive. Best to keep calling until you get a hold of him. Then let me know!
I’ve only recently started trying to find a tailor to work with, and your post (among other recommendations on the fora) helped me go to Anthony.
Apologies for dredging some old comments, but I thought I’d add my experience this week (re: surgeon’s cuffs). I dropped off a tuxedo for a variety of alterations, and asked about surgeon’s cuffs as the tuxedo is new and unaltered. They’re going to be done (as well as adding a lapel buttonhole, but he indicated someone else is doing it, so I expect that work is subbed out. I also believe they will be machined, not handsewn.
Hope that helps readers who come across this post in the future…
Cheers…
Thanks for the information, Dan, and do let us know how it goes.
DanJanuary 18, 2016 at 12:19 pm
I picked up the tuxedo this weekend, and spent a bit of time speaking with him about the buttonholes. He does, indeed, send them out to someone who specializes in doing them. They are machine done, and appear decent for that. I do think the hand-sewn look is tidier, with the hole cut first then sewn, vs. machining the stitching then opening the hole, but these are perfectly serviceable for my needs.
In speaking with him, he did look into getting a machine but said for the number of requests he gets for it, there wouldn’t be a payback on the cost of the machine (approaching $10K US new, plus a separate machine for the bar tack). I believe he *could* do them by hand, but also said that he would advise against that as it’s really something you would want a specialist to do, and I would agree there. He estimated the cost at around $30/hole.
Overall, I was happy with the work he did (a number of adjustments on a few pieces besides the tuxedo), and would gladly go to him again.
Pedro MendesJanuary 18, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Thanks so much for the update and extra information, Dan.
Wish I can share your positive experience. Went in reading other reviews that he’s one of the best in Toronto. Totally f up my $4k blazer. Needed to shorten the sleeve from the shoulder, which I know is a procedure that takes skills. Not to embarrass him but repeatedly asked him how confident is he with this procedure. He was confident and do it all the time.
Result? One side was perfect. The other…not even put on evenly. I can tell by the where the seams were jointed…one is matched perfectly and the other is off. Worse is it’s visible when it’s on the body. I should have asked him to fix, but I was afraid he would make a bigger mess.
If anyone knows a good tailor, please let me know because I have that jacket and some other jackets that need to be fixed.
John, I am very sorry to hear about your experience. However, I would encourage you to take the jacket back. I have had similar experiences with many tailors and craftspeople – they all make mistakes, and sometimes we have to ask for our concerns to be dealt with. I’m sure Anthony would rather try to fix the situation than have you disappointed. Let me know.
I am in the process of finding MY tailor and have visited Xavier Custom Tailors. I posted on http://www.blogto.com with this comment,
“I wouldn’t recommend the guy. When you walk into his office, he will continue with his work and ignore you for a while. Once he had a chance to walk his eyes up and down on you to determine if you have money and/or is worthy of his service then he will ask what you want. Once you interact with him, you will have this feeling that he is a male version of a gold digger. You have been warned. “
Tenor, I think this comment is rather unfair and personally biased. You are not comfortable with is workshop approach and that’s fair, but I do not think it is right to be negative if you have not had any work done. His approach is idiosyncratic, but that is true of every tailor I have ever met. They are craftspeople first and foremost, not salesmen. In terms of his rates, Anthony’s are comparable with other tailors in the city for similar work.
I went to Anthony with a Boss overcoat to have the back taken in. After a few minutes with him, I decided not to go ahead with the alteration because of the coat cut and the recommended works.
I felt the coat will be a disaster if I go forward.
I asked Anthony how much he charges for the time we’ve spent together (the time it took him to pin the back of my coat and details what he will do to the coat). He is very quick on the tongue and said he doesn’t charge but he will take Christmas gift (Christmas was long over and this is my first time seeing him so there is no established relationship for gift giving). I gave him $20 for a minute or so of his work. I am not sure about his skill level but he reminds me of a lawyer that charges his customers for paperclips and staples!
$20 bucks is pocket change. I am not impress with his character. He gives me the wrong vibe. As much as I respect a skillful tailor, I need someone who is approachable, honest, and have a good vibe so I can have a meaningful and trusting relationship with. I moved on to a better tailor of course and never look back.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have a good experience with Anthony, but this points to something I have always felt: a relationship with a tailor is a very personal thing. I have always found Anthony friendly, honest and approachable (even if he doesn’t look up from his work when you walk in). However, everyone has to find their own comfort level and fit (both physically and metaphorically).
18 Comments
AS
October 18, 2014 at 1:42 am
Pedro Mendes
October 18, 2014 at 8:22 pm
Savagereub
October 26, 2014 at 1:41 am
rob
November 6, 2014 at 9:37 pm
Pedro Mendes
November 7, 2014 at 1:32 am
Pedro Mendes
January 9, 2015 at 3:52 pm
Dan
December 29, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Pedro Mendes
December 29, 2015 at 7:03 pm
Dan
January 18, 2016 at 12:19 pm
Pedro Mendes
January 18, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Henry
March 2, 2015 at 9:22 pm
john clint
July 9, 2015 at 11:41 am
Pedro Mendes
July 9, 2015 at 11:45 am
FontsDownloadFree
August 19, 2015 at 5:28 pm
Tenor
December 30, 2015 at 8:59 pm
Pedro Mendes
December 30, 2015 at 10:47 pm
td
January 29, 2016 at 10:14 pm
Pedro Mendes
January 30, 2016 at 12:36 pm
Nice, but what’s not too high, not too low? Ballpark?
I typically expect to pay about $25 to have hems shortened or lengthened. More substantial work, like shortening a jacket or working on the shoulders, is more in the $100 range.
Thanks for the great advice Pedro!
I got a beautiful double breasted Coppley for 70% off and had to buy it even though it needed some major alterations.
Anthony did a fantastic job tightening and lengthening the pants and tapering the jacket, which also required taking apart the collar.
Anthony was happy to alter the suit however I asked, — but he was also willing to make suggestions and explain what should be done to best maintain the integrity of the suit.
I’ll be taking more clothes to him for sure!
Hello
Can Mr Xavier make surgeon’s cuff (working button cuffs)? I tried calling but no one pick up the phone. Thanks Rob
I’m not sure if he has a buttonhole machine in his shop, and if he doesn’t, handmade buttonholes might be very expensive. Best to keep calling until you get a hold of him. Then let me know!
Hi again Rob – just spoke with Anthony today and he confirmed that yes, he can do surgeon’s cuffs.
Hi Pedro,
I’ve only recently started trying to find a tailor to work with, and your post (among other recommendations on the fora) helped me go to Anthony.
Apologies for dredging some old comments, but I thought I’d add my experience this week (re: surgeon’s cuffs). I dropped off a tuxedo for a variety of alterations, and asked about surgeon’s cuffs as the tuxedo is new and unaltered. They’re going to be done (as well as adding a lapel buttonhole, but he indicated someone else is doing it, so I expect that work is subbed out. I also believe they will be machined, not handsewn.
Hope that helps readers who come across this post in the future…
Cheers…
Thanks for the information, Dan, and do let us know how it goes.
I picked up the tuxedo this weekend, and spent a bit of time speaking with him about the buttonholes. He does, indeed, send them out to someone who specializes in doing them. They are machine done, and appear decent for that. I do think the hand-sewn look is tidier, with the hole cut first then sewn, vs. machining the stitching then opening the hole, but these are perfectly serviceable for my needs.
In speaking with him, he did look into getting a machine but said for the number of requests he gets for it, there wouldn’t be a payback on the cost of the machine (approaching $10K US new, plus a separate machine for the bar tack). I believe he *could* do them by hand, but also said that he would advise against that as it’s really something you would want a specialist to do, and I would agree there. He estimated the cost at around $30/hole.
Overall, I was happy with the work he did (a number of adjustments on a few pieces besides the tuxedo), and would gladly go to him again.
Thanks so much for the update and extra information, Dan.
appreciate the endorsements so will take in a SC tomorrow for some work
Wish I can share your positive experience. Went in reading other reviews that he’s one of the best in Toronto. Totally f up my $4k blazer. Needed to shorten the sleeve from the shoulder, which I know is a procedure that takes skills. Not to embarrass him but repeatedly asked him how confident is he with this procedure. He was confident and do it all the time.
Result? One side was perfect. The other…not even put on evenly. I can tell by the where the seams were jointed…one is matched perfectly and the other is off. Worse is it’s visible when it’s on the body. I should have asked him to fix, but I was afraid he would make a bigger mess.
If anyone knows a good tailor, please let me know because I have that jacket and some other jackets that need to be fixed.
John, I am very sorry to hear about your experience. However, I would encourage you to take the jacket back. I have had similar experiences with many tailors and craftspeople – they all make mistakes, and sometimes we have to ask for our concerns to be dealt with. I’m sure Anthony would rather try to fix the situation than have you disappointed. Let me know.
In most people, this equates to having the suit jacket end at the bump on the pinky side on your wrist, where your arm meets your hand.
I am in the process of finding MY tailor and have visited Xavier Custom Tailors. I posted on http://www.blogto.com with this comment,
“I wouldn’t recommend the guy. When you walk into his office, he will continue with his work and ignore you for a while. Once he had a chance to walk his eyes up and down on you to determine if you have money and/or is worthy of his service then he will ask what you want. Once you interact with him, you will have this feeling that he is a male version of a gold digger. You have been warned. “
Tenor, I think this comment is rather unfair and personally biased. You are not comfortable with is workshop approach and that’s fair, but I do not think it is right to be negative if you have not had any work done. His approach is idiosyncratic, but that is true of every tailor I have ever met. They are craftspeople first and foremost, not salesmen. In terms of his rates, Anthony’s are comparable with other tailors in the city for similar work.
I went to Anthony with a Boss overcoat to have the back taken in. After a few minutes with him, I decided not to go ahead with the alteration because of the coat cut and the recommended works.
I felt the coat will be a disaster if I go forward.
I asked Anthony how much he charges for the time we’ve spent together (the time it took him to pin the back of my coat and details what he will do to the coat). He is very quick on the tongue and said he doesn’t charge but he will take Christmas gift (Christmas was long over and this is my first time seeing him so there is no established relationship for gift giving). I gave him $20 for a minute or so of his work. I am not sure about his skill level but he reminds me of a lawyer that charges his customers for paperclips and staples!
$20 bucks is pocket change. I am not impress with his character. He gives me the wrong vibe. As much as I respect a skillful tailor, I need someone who is approachable, honest, and have a good vibe so I can have a meaningful and trusting relationship with. I moved on to a better tailor of course and never look back.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have a good experience with Anthony, but this points to something I have always felt: a relationship with a tailor is a very personal thing. I have always found Anthony friendly, honest and approachable (even if he doesn’t look up from his work when you walk in). However, everyone has to find their own comfort level and fit (both physically and metaphorically).