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| Indochino February Collection - The Custom Suit Shop |
The custom suit shop - the look you want, the fit you need and the quality you deserve. A "fitting" slogan for Indochino's February Collection, released today. What is the look that Indochino thinks we want?
First of all, it is a rather small lineup, currently consisting of 9 new items - more precisely, 5 new suits, 1 new outerwear item and 3 new shirts, you can check it all out right here. It is not a huge new collection, so I think it's quite possible that some additional items are released over the next days and weeks. Especially as some items pictured above are not yet available on the website (double-breasted blazer, blue suit on the right - guy doesn't look to comfy in it though, cardigan on the guy on the left,...).
The trend for more expensive and higher quality fabrics that started with the Nouveau Collection in December 2010 continues with the February collection (no poly blends!). I have to say that I was a bit sceptical about the higher prices at first, but the reviews have all been very positive about the new fabrics. If you are really on a budget, you can still go for the more basic Indochino suits that are part of their constant collection. I have several of those and while the fabric is nothing to write home about, they are among my favourite suits.
The Decision Maker Suit for example (pictured below) is also described as a tweed suit (100% wool) in the description and if the fabric is anything like the Navy Walker Tweed Suit they had in an earlier collection (review here), then it's definitely worth thinking about it. By the way, this one has slanted pockets (as shown on the pic) by default, so don't forget to change that in the advanced options if you don't like it!
The Decision Maker Suit also the most affordable suit of the new ones, with 399$ before the use of any coupons. Should be a great alternative to the basic Navy Blue suit - certainly a worthy upgrade for only 50$ more. Oh yes and apropos coupons - Indochino's Groupon frenzy doesn't show any signs of slowing down and I'll do my best to inform you about active deals in the coupon section.
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| The Decision Maker Suit - 399$ |
But let's come to my two personal favourites. Two really exciting suits, in my opinion. There is the Associate 3-piece Tweed Suit. Yes, I said tweed - ok, still not Harris Tweed but the detailed fabric shots do look great, it's some kind of Glen Plaid I assume! Not sure if I dare ordering it with the peak lapels, but I will have troubles not shelling out some money for this one... By the way, no fancy linings or coloured collar felts this time around!
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| The Associate 3-piece Tweed Suit - $449 |
The other piece that stands out for me is The Diplomat Suit. This plaid tweed fabric suit is my second favourite item, a cool plaid, looks pretty high quality. Finally something different from pinstripe and solid colours!
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| The Diplomat Suit - 499$ |
As mentioned before, there is also a new outerwear item, The Perfectionist Coat (349$) and some new shirts. Let's not forget about the pinstripe addition (The Chairman 3-piece suit) either - just because it's not a favorite of mine doesn't mean it's not interesting for you. I could imagine more items beeing added (we didn't get any new ties, cufflinks, etc. yet).
Overall, I think we got some new suits that are really nice (I've mentioned my favourites) but the February Collection is surely no game-changer. No cardigans, no shoes - no special customization features. But the year just started, so there is still plenty of time!
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| Various new shirts with white collar - 99$ a piece |
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| The Chairman 3-piece Suit - 499$ |
Overall, I think we got some new suits that are really nice (I've mentioned my favourites) but the February Collection is surely no game-changer. No cardigans, no shoes - no special customization features. But the year just started, so there is still plenty of time!
A quick competition:
What are your thoughts on the new competition? Is there something among the new arrivals that you like or especially dislike?
Share your thoughts and if this article reaches at least 10 comments (meaningful ones!) by Friday 18th, I will give away my spare Indochino Groupon coupon worth 150$ to one of the commenters. If you for example go for the Decision Maker Suit, this corresponds to a discount of over 35% and you'll get the suit for 249$. Or you can just use it for shirts and ties, whatever you like. Good luck!
Update: jaredS won the competition, coupon code is on the way to you! Thank you everyone for participating - another competition will come soon!
Update: jaredS won the competition, coupon code is on the way to you! Thank you everyone for participating - another competition will come soon!
61 comments:
i was kind of hoping that based on the picture of a dude with a bag in the preview image, that they'd actually release some bags. i need to get a decent murse.
not overly impressed with the new lineup overall though, but the eternal charcoal suit looks nice.
I somehow think there is more to come, but I might be wrong...
Btw, the eternal charcoal suit was originally already part of the December Collection lineup and then the fabric reviews were very positive.
i've been quietly following indochino for about a year now and it's becoming harder and harder not to buy a suit.
I think 'the decision maker' or 'the diplomat' may be making their way into my closet.
Do have to say, I was looking forward to a Spring/Summer blazer to add to my little wardrobe. I don't think today's additions are anything special. (I liked the last addition where there was a fabric thickness increase and lots of pinstripes) Was curious to see how that cardigan was going to turn out...
Yeah the cardigans, I too hope we will see them soon. Was buying some Groupon codes mainly for that. I'm personally happy about the tweed and plaid options. There is a new pinstripe suit as well, by the way - didn't specifically mention it in the article.
It seems that they have made some changes to the girth of the models used too. Looks like they're trying to apeal to more than the skeletor looking hipsters of their earlier collections. That Navy Decision Maker is calling my name.
Really like "the associate".
Trying really hard not to buy it right now.
I really like the new collection. I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the Associate. Looks like great quality fabric, which seems to hang well (on the models, at least). I like the newer, higher quality stuff they are making. I hope their shirts start to follow suit (pun totally intended), as they have some nice-looking fabrics.
I ordered my first shirt from them recently. I've heard a few other people say some not great stuff about their shirts since. Are they really that bad?
I know you asked Peter, but in my personal opinion they are not bad at all. It's just that the perceived value is low, because we are used to get them for free with the coupons. It's true that they are a bit overpriced though if you just buy the shirt alone.
One image doesn't work for me. Are we talking abot the same one?
I didn't write about the pinstripe one in the article, but that's the new one I mean: http://www.indochino.com/product/The-Chairman-3-Piece-Suit
Personally, I'm annoyed at all the $400-500 suit options in the past few months. Sure, the material is great, but all the options seem way too stuffy for casual wear. What I would honestly like to see are extremely cheap unstructured summer suits sometime. (I'm something like a 31s, so custom is the only way for me to go). Also, I see that they took the Ultimate Gray out. Maybe they don't want that competing with the newer gray options. Pity, it's my favorite indochino.
I noticed too that the Ultimate Grey suit is gone, but I tend to think they will reintroduce it soon - it has always been part of their constant line-up. About summer suits - if I look back at 2010, their Linen Suit Collection was introduced in April, would make sense to do that again this year. At least I hope so :)
My biggest problem with Indochino suits isn't the price - I'm getting a fairly nicely made-to-measure suit with (often) good fabrics. What annoys me is that the past few collections have stuck with the seasonal suit. Now, I know it's the middle of winter - but I feel like they constantly oscillate between light weight and heavy weight suits. My last two Indochino suits were the herringbone flannel from a while back and the step above tweed - two great suits, but I can't justify paying the money for yet another tweed suit.
Honestly, I was going on just the reviews that I had read, as I have not received my first shirt yet. I had heard that they had gone down in quality. It hasn't stopped me from ordering one, I am just waiting for it to get shipped. I hope that my shirt stands up like yours have, Lorenz!
And you're right... I paid $3 for my shirt and a tie, so the perceived price of it is extremely low...
I don't want to praise them too much - their nominal price is too high I think. Let's see how they look like after a year, the oldest one is around 6 months now.
Thanks for the info on the Chicago Groupon. I just bought one. You haven't commented on the major change--delivery time raised from two weeks to six. Is this a change from Indochino's business model. Too bad if it is permenant, because fast turn-around was a major attraction and it disntinguished the company from the many MTM firms out there.
Judging from what I have read on your site, there is a real split among Indochino custormes (or perhaps just visitors here). On the one hand, there are people who freqeuntly wear suits in business, are familiar with business attire standards and know that $500 for a MTM suit (or any suit, after alterations) is a good deal. On the other hand, there are those who are attacted by the fashion forward ads and some of the non-busines products and styles and who may not want the traditional suitings and tailoring and who may be put off by the price.
As far as the suitings and shirtings, I continue to be disappointed. There is not a wide range to choose from beyond some basic suit offerings. The shirtings are even more limited. I would like to see a selection of whites and solid blues; there is only one white and no solid blue.
I had mentioned the delivery time in an article some days ago - it's not permanent, it's normal at this time of the year because of the Chinese New Year.
I didn't really find much I liked in the last collection, but this time I'm really happy about the plaid and the grey tweed suits. I guess it's hard to come up with something completely new every month - they certainly put themselves under quite a lot of pressure, because expectations are high... at the end it's hard or impossible to make everyone happy I guess. I personally think invention will be mostly outside of suits and shirts now - cardigans, shoes, bags - there are many options. For the suits it might just be good to continue focusing on quality control and (mis)interpretation of measurements, construction quality, etc.
Agree about the shirts, it doesn't matter much for me because I have more than enough (most of them non Indochino) shirts, but I always keep hoping for more white ones.
Agreed. The color/texture really grabbed my attention. Might have to order their tailoring kit to get my hands on it first, though.
I know what you mean... but my bank account thanks me for not buying a suit with every new collection ;)
Hey Lorenz,
Thanks for keeping this blog updated and current.
One important thing that I do like about the new February collection is that although the fabric is seasonal, the patterns that Indochino is choosing is more wearable at the office. Like you, the Diplomat design is my favorite but since I live in Southern California, I don't know if I'll get much use out of it during the summer since it is constructed of tweed fabric. If I do choose to purchase it, this will be my first tweed suit from Indochino.
How has your experience been with your Navy Walker Tweed suit? How thick is their fabric?
Like "The Associate", really love the color and I like three-piece suits. Why does the model photo look so bad for the Diplomat, though?
I just ordered it now, couldn't resist. My first 3-piece, hope the vest comes out alright. Orderd it with fabric back.
thanks for the kind words! I can imagine that those tweed suits are not quite perfect in the Californian sun! The Navy Walker Tweed fabric is quite sturdy and heavy, I enjoy it here in the winter but I don't think I'll wear it often in the summer.
I really like the cut of the diplomat but not the material
Great blog man! I really like The Associate 3-piece. Was thinking about getting the other gray 3-piece, but I think the Associate is much better.
Ooh, I don't even remember it being in the December collection. Eh, nothing really stands out from this new collection to me, then.
I just want a new murse. :(
From what I've heard from direct contact with them, the ultimate gray is only on a temporary hiatus and should be back in a couple of weeks. I really need a new summer suit so I am waiting for that to come back.
The tweed does look great. I hope the fabric is worth the price increase. The only thing I'm really hesitant on going full throttle for Indochino is the list of unhappy customers I have heard with their suits not fitting. I think I'm still going to take my chances and order my first Indochino suit soon. I'll probably make sure to have a tailor measure me (instead of the fiance) so at least I know the measurements are fairly correct.
Hi, I am recently engaged, and during my search for a suit; my very first and most important, was told to check out Indochino. I've been reading about them and have found your blog especially helpful and insightful. Your recent “Review Competition” and “Guide to Indocino's advanced Options and Customizations” was very helpful, especially to an individual new to suits, customization, and Indochino. I have been waiting for the new collection, and have to say, I am impressed. I am a huge fan of texture in fabric, and find the “tweed” fabric of this collection especially nice. I would love to see some out of studio photos of the fabrics. I am considering ordering the tailor kit including most of this collections fabrics. “The Decision-Maker Suit” and “The Diplomat Suit” are my favourites. I was also excited to see “The Eternal Charcoal Suit” as a new “regular” to the Indochino lineup. I would love a fabric swatch considering your positive review of it compared to their other Charcoal Suits. Keep up the good work, I will be waiting for more response to this new collection and any possible additions to it.
Lorenz, I was as well wondering about the longer delivery time of 4 to 6 weeks. I placed my recent order (the Ultimate Grey Suit) in January, just before the chinese-new-year-holidays and it will hopefully arrive at the end of this week. Therefore new orders should normaly be processed within two weeks as the holidays are over now, I think. Maybe Indochino has done some changes in production...
As stated earlier this will be my 5th suit from Indochino. I´m curious, if I will have to take it to the tailor again to do some minor modifications.
My next suit will definitely be the Analyst-Suit. The fabric looks nice. I also took a closer look at the Eternal Charcoal Suit, but I think it looks a bit, well, shimmering. Besides I´m not sure, if the heavy fabric will feel pleasant while wearing the suit. One of my earlier suits was the Dark Chocolate Business Suit, which is also made of a quite heavy fabric. It feels somehow stiff...
I tried to access the groupon-deal, posted on your blog - but it doesnt seem to work, when ordered from germany. Groupon is not accepting my visa, maybe due to the restriction of Groupon.com to USA, Canada and UK. Any ideas?
Some interesting choices in the new collection. I do like a couple of them, but I'm still waiting on a couple of shirts being remade before I make further orders (they're stuck in the 4-6 week shipping delay, even though they were ordered before that, sadly)
I am happy to see Indochino move into a slightly more expensive category, while taking their product to the next level. The suits are still a bargain, especially with a good coupon. People who are ordering a custom suite ( even if not quite a bespoke one) are probably willing to pay a bit more and get a lot more in return in terms of quality. I have quite a few suits from Indochino, and my last one from December collection was the best quality, even though it was also the most expensive.
Here, I personally like the Associate 3-piece Tweed Suit most of all, the material is unlike anything they offered before; it would look great by itself and give many mixing options.
Just look forward to a good coupon.
Ah, thanks for the reply.
I didn't pay full price anyway, I had a groupon. I can definitely see how constantly giving something away would impact the perceived value.
Tempted to buy one of their white collar 'banker' shirts to add to my collection, but the complaints about their general shirt quality is holding me back. The price tag is just asking to be paired with $150 coupon. What to do..
Stumbled upon Indochino and your site browsing SF. I have several OTR suits that I've tailored to fit as well as possible, but never really considered the possibility of "mail-order bespoke". Having read your reviews as well as the thread on SF, I think I'm going to have to take the plunge. Where else can I get a custom suit for $300-400? It's even sweeter with the coupon.
I read from several posters that the Indochino tailors will tweak the measurements you provide them. Is there an option to keep them from doing that? My suits always end up being tailored quite a bit. I have an athletic build, with very broad, square shoulders and a narrow waist. I usually buy 40-42R and tailor the hell out of the jacket, take in the pants, etc. I suppose I'll see how the first suit turns out. Can't hurt!
Oh, and "The Associate" is easily my favorite. It has a Wall Street yuppie flair to it, especially with the peak lapels.
I don't really think you can prevent them from interpreting, it's part of the process. But you always have the chance for a remake - just plan spending some time and patience on the suit!
I don't really know how long the New Year holidays/celebrations take in China, but i'm sure Indochino will switch back to their 2-week schedule as soon as they can! About the Groupon, unfortunately we can't access them from Europe, really a pity. Perhaps they come up with a Groupon Germany deal soon, would be perhaps worth suggesting to them, now that I think of it. Will keep you updated!
Even with many bad reviews, if you don't like it at all you can still get a full refund. Of course that also means having the costs of shipping the suit back and spending some time/patience on the whole thing, but for me it was really worth the try.
If you don't want to risk it, you can always wait for a coupon that gives you a shirt or two for free, but that could take a while. With a Groupon coupon you could get a shirt and a tie for 50$, that's worth it I think.
Well, as far as I know from my time in Beijing the new year holidays have endet - nevertheless delivery in 4 or 6 weeks is still ok for me. Companies like Tailor Store or You Tailor need up to six weeks just to deliver a simple shirt.
Thank you for your advice on Groupon. I will have to cancel the Deal. Maybe there will another good coupon in the next time. A Groupon-Deal for europe would be great, but there may be further problems as Groupon.de is only offering deals in germany...
I actually wonder how many people are postponing their purchase now and wait for a coupon...hopefully there will be one, it seems Indochino focuses all their marketing budget on Groupon.
The only thing you could try is ask someon if he wants to sell you a Groupon code (for example on Style Forum). Or you take a risk and wait if coupon codes show up again...
I think, I´ll give it a try and wait for a new coupon. In the last two years there have always been coupon codes showing up :-)
Right now, I´m curious, how my Ultimate Grey Suit will fit. Maybe i was lucky and got one of the last... ;-) I´ll keep you up to date.
I'm going to shoot them an email when I order my suit: "PLEASE CUT THE SUIT EXACTLY TO THE MEASUREMENTS PROVIDED."
I look forward to a very tailored suit. All my current OTR suits are cut pretty conservative.
First, thanks for your site. I am new to Indochino and find your posts very helpful. However, I am not sure yet how I feel about the product. I recently purchased the 3 piece grey suit. It arrived a couple of weeks ago and did not fit well. I have ordered a remake so I will reserve judgment until the remake arrives. One thing that I am not very impressed with is the suit material. I was hoping for a higher quality feel. Also, some of the stitching and buttons looks cheap. Now I realize that I paid less than 400 for a custom suit, so maybe I was expecting too much. I have to say that the fabrics shown in the new collection appear to have a greater richness. Assuming the remake fits me well I may just have to try for a second suit.
I think the Diplomat is where it's at.
The new collection screams executive. But we`re not seeing modern boxy executive, but something inspired from prohibition era when the rich simply walked around with thousands pocketed in their coats. The suiting, and especially the collar-style on the shirts seem to be heavily inspired by Nucky Thompson of Boardwalk Empire (move aside Mad Men). Despite my frustration with Indochino`s alteration practices, I have to say that I am continually impressed by Heikal's R&D work.
One question though, where are these fabled cardigans? I'm itching to grab a few.
Thank you for your blog and keeping us up-to-date on all things Indochino! I first discovered Indochino, I believe via a Facebook ad, early last fall. Coming from an advertising and marketing background, I was immediately impressed by their website and presentation. Being a smaller guy myself, I was so happy to find a place to buy an affordable, fitted suit! I own only a couple suits now, both cotton suits from Armani Exchange. It is so hard to find a 36S off the rack suit that fits like a suit jacket is supposed to fit!
Just beginning a new career after graduating college, I was anxious to earn enough to buy my first Indochino suit. First I purchased the Blue Madras Shirt because I loved the unique colors and pattern, and I thought I would put Indochino's made-to-measure abilities to the test. It fit very well, and I couldn't wait to order a navy suit to go with it. Unfortunately, just a couple months later I was let go due to reasons out of my control. So I had to put my suit purchase on hold for awhile :-(
I do love the offerings of this collection, much more than the Nouveau Collection (not a big fan of pin stripes). The Associate 3-piece is definitely my favorite. It looks very rich (at least from the pictures). I actually think I like it with the peak lapels, because it's kind of a statement piece. The Diplomat is really pretty as well. The plaid pattern is something different that you don't see too often. But it's still subtle enough that one can wear it and not feel like the Mad Hatter. The Decision-Maker looks like a nice quailty fabric. The other two suits don't interest me too much, personally.
Finally, I start working next week at a new company, and am hoping that soon I'll finally be able to purchase that suit I have been waiting to get these past few months. I was always planning on the Classic Navy suit to be my first. Do you think it would be better to spring the extra $50 towards the Decision-Maker because of the higher quality fabric? I had also planned on going for the pick stitching to give the rather plain suit a little extra detail to make things interesting. However, after reading your post on the advanced options, I'm a little hesitant. I know you said you thought it looked "ok," but I value your opinion and wonder if you think it would look better with or without? Thanks again for your help.
Jared, thanks for your comment! I think the Decision Maker suit is worth the extra 50$. I have the Classic Navy Blue with pick stitching and the fabric is ok, but a bit on the thin side + the pick stitching is just not that convincing. The Decision Maker seems to be a much nicer fabric, the color is more convincing too. Of course it's difficult to judge from the screen, but I really believe it'd be a better choice if you can afford the extra 50$.
Good luck in your new job!
Re the cardigans, you are not the only one! And the guy on the very left on their homepage is wearing one... I try to find out more, but they are being very secretive about it!
I think the 3-piece grey is the same material as the 2-piece ultimate grey that I have. You are right, the fabric is nothing to write home about, but it's solid. The fabrics from both the December and February Collections are def. an upgrade from their basic offerings, so I think you can expect some improvement on that side. Hope you remake will turn out fine!
I bought my first Indochino suit in January (The Ultimate Grey) which I really liked. The alterations that were required were a little perplexing, though.They took in the shoulders, but let out the hips of the jacket and the crotch of the pants. Of course at this stage, I don't know whether those were measuring errors or not. I'm very interested to see if the next suit can be worn out of the box.
I should point out that I'm a big guy. I wear a 50 Long. I'm an attorney, so I have a closet full of suits -- some which date back fifteen years. I've bought off the rack and I've done made to measure. My experience has always been that you probably need to spend at least $1000 to get a decent made to measure suit. Because of that experience, I was a little dubious about what Indochino was promising. I was prejudiced by the price tag -- I couldn't see how they could offer quality fabrics and a two-week turnaround for that price.
I appreciate the marketing strategy of the $75 alteration credit. I imagine that makes a pretty significant dent in Indochino's profit margins (especially if the suit was bought with a Groupon coupon). Requiring the alteration specifications to be entered into the system to receive the alterations credit is brilliant, though. If their system is relatively fool-proof, that means the next suit (or blazer or pants or whatever) should fit perfectly right out of the box. And while the alteration process was a pain in the ass, at the end of the day I had a perfectly-fitting suit with a really nice fabric for less than $400 (the shoulder alterations pushed my alteration bill to $115, but I decided to eat the extra $40 rather than wait a month or more for a remake). The amazing part is I had it all in less than four months. MTM easily takes 4-6 weeks with all of the fittings.
As for the new collection, I've always wanted a window-pane suit, but I liked the looks of the prominent pin stripes. My wife thinks "The Chairman" looks too "gangsta" (her exact words were "You'd look like one of those NFL commentators on Fox."). I think I'm going to try "The Diplomat." I can't wait to see if it will be ready to wear right out of the box.
Thanks man, I appreciate it! And I'll take your word on the pick stitching.
I'm happy to see Indochino is starting to see some positive light lately. In the past all their reviews have come across very poor or "inconsistant" from those that have tried them. It seems like lately they've improved their quality and consistancy so I am going to pull the trigger soon.
As far as the recent line-up, they seem ok. Maybe if I already had a few suits in my closet I'd opt for one of them but as it stands now, I only have one cheap Express suit so I need to build my collection!
Hi guys, it's already Friday the 18th here, we reached far more than 10 comments - thanks everyone :) The winner of the competition is jaredS, an email with the coupon code is on the way to you! Let me know if you received it :) Another competition will come up soon, so stay tuned everyone!
hey jaredS, congrats - you won the 150$ coupon! Email is on the way to you :)
Thanks man! Keep up the good reviews!
It's sometimes weird what they do. I had a similar issue with a suit I ordered y'day, I couldn't get the measurements for the vest right. They said it shoud be 28" and in my opinion it should be 23". Huge difference! I'm curious how it will come out...
Diplomat seems like a cool choice indeed, Chairman is too "gangsta" for me too, but I'm sure some poeple can pull it off convincingly!
Ultimate Grey is available again!
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