I’m wearing a corduroy suit today and these photos came to mind. They’re of Franzo Grande Stevens, found via the blog Italian Industrialists and Intellectuals Style.
I posted them on StyleForum a while ago and someone mentioned that the pants looked odd, as they were a few shades lighter than the jacket. I think now know why. The jacket and pants were probably made by two different tailors — not uncommon for bespoke customers who like the jacket silhouette of one tailor and the pants silhouette (or price) of another.
When Stevens had his jacket made, however, he didn’t specify the direction of the cloth. So, one tailor had the jacket made with the nap of the corduroy facing down (resulting in a darker shade), while the other tailor had the trousers made with the nap facing up (resulting in a slightly lighter shade). If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, take any pair of corduroy pants and fold them in half (like you would over a hanger). You’ll notice that one side of the trousers will be just a few tinges lighter in shade than the other.
So, perhaps worth reminding: if you have jackets and trousers made by two different tailors, specify the direction of the cloth. This is especially important for patterned fabrics, but it can be useful for something as subtle as corduroy. If this gets too confusing, have the pants made first and send them to your coatmaker. That way, things will actually match.
