INTRODUCING BB'S CURATED COLLECTION - SPRING 2014

THE ARMCHAIR TRAVELER

 This Samuelsohn suit, you see, took the long way to Seattle. (Say that ten times fast.) Since 1923 Samuelsohn has sourced wools from Italy and Great Britain, and rare silks and cashmeres from Asia. They then fashion them into garments in Montreal for a very particular - and particularly international - clientele. With full-canvas construction, hand-sewn details, durability and style, this suit will take you anywhere (and anywhere it can’t take you, a Samuelsohn all-season water-resistant 12-pocket travel blazer can. But that’s a story for another time). Pair this suit ($1395) with a shirt ($345) and tie ($165) from Giorgio Armani, the perfectionist whose “things” now include home furnishings, hotels, resorts, restaurants, cafés, clubs, fine jewelry, perfumes, flowers and yachts, started with a shirt and a tie. Perfect ones. Very much like the ones you see here, gracing this perfect plaid suit atop the perfectly cobbled shoe (Fratelli Rosetti, $575).

FINAL SALE DAYS - EXCELLENT SUITING SELECTION

Today begins our 60-75% Final Sale Days - 60-75% off all current season merchandise - and we have an especially great blowout suit selection. Timeless designs from Samuelsohn, Trussini, Armani, and more at 60% off or more - with an especially nice selection in 42R, 44R, and 46L. 

Don't miss out on the incredible deals - available for a short time only!

SAMUELSOHN CUSTOM TRUNK SHOW - A 20% SAVINGS

SAMUELSOHN at BUTCH BLUM

MADE TO MEASURE EVENT

FEBRUARY 3 - 8

ENDING TODAY!!! Enjoy this opportunity to select from a range of fabrics from Samuelsohn custom clothing for men with a 20% discount on MTM orders. 

For an appointment contact: promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com

or 206.622.5760

DEAL OF THE DAY - SAMUELSOHN

Samuelsohn - was $1675, NOW $799

Today's Deal Of The Day is a wardrobe MUST - a classic style with just enough flair for the fashion conscious. This particular suit is also a fabulous quality - an Italian Super 120's fabric designed specifically for its wrinkle-resistance and travelability.  Available in size 38R, 41R, 42R and 42L, 44R and 44L, and 46R - WHILE THEY LAST!

DOUG BALDWIN'S WILD RIDE

Doug in Samuelsohn MTM, accepting Marshawn Lynch's Sportsman of the Year award

Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times recently wrote an excellent article about Doug Baldwin, wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks as well as the face of Butch Blum's Made-to-Measure campaign. In it, Jenks examines why Doug is such an excellent player, as well as the various career choices Doug had to make to get where he's at - did you know Baldwin has a degree from Stanford, and was considering a career at Dropbox.com? 

A SAMUELSOHN CUSTOM EXPERIENCE

 This fabulous video from our friends at Samuelsohn details all the steps of a truly fit-intensive custom process, including what to expect from a custom fitting, detailing your custom garment, and performance features like wrinkle-resistant  fabrics and more!

DADS AND GRADS CUSTOM SUIT PROMO - ONE DAY ONLY

Create a beautiful new suit or sport coat from ANY of our custom MTM collections for Dad (or the first suit in your Grad's wardrobe) with a special one-day-only 20% discount, June 16 only! Made-to-Measure specialist Kent Rogers is taking 3 1.5 hour appointments that day for fitting, selecting fabric, and styling your new custom garment.

Please email promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com to RSVP. 

NEW MARKDOWNS FROM SAMUELSOHN

Assorted Samuelsohn sportcoats and suits in wool, silk, etc blends

We just received a huge shipment of Samuelsohn merchandise for immediate markdown! Each suit and sportcoat is marked down from their original $1295-1895 pricepoints between 20 and 40% off.

For those of you who haven't tried one of these excellent garments, Samuelsohn is a Canadian manufacturer based in Quebec, that produces a hand-finished, machine sewn garment similar in quality to Ermenegildo Zegna or Canali, but is priced anywhere from $500-1000 less at full retail.

SUIT CONSTRUCTION 101

We are often asked why our suiting costs what it does - particularly with the preponderance of "buy-one-get one free" mass market retailers. To answer that question, one needs to understand how a mass-market suit is constructed. The Discovery Channel video above takes you inside a typical American suit factory, and shows how mass-production churns out thousands of identical suits.

After you watch the video, consider the following:

Our Italian handmade suiting, like Sartoria Partenopea, requires many of these steps to be completed by hand, with a single needle and thimble. Automation is virtually nonexistent in these factories, and a garment can remain on a single tailor's worktable for multiple workdays, sometimes requiring over 24 hours worth of work.

Even our high quality machine-made suiting requires more steps than shown in the video. While some parts of the construction - like a pant's tab waist or the jacket's skirt pockets - are rapidly constructed by machine, companies like Coppley and Samuelsohn eschew glue-based 'fusing' to construct the chest pieces of the suit, preferring to loosely baste (a long, temporary stitch) in canvas pieces to give the suit its shape and fullness. The Samuelsohn factory takes construction a step further, hand-basting the chest pieces in order to ensure an individualized fit. The looser hand-stitches tend to conform to an individual's shape better than tighter machine stitches.

The next time you browse through Butch Blum's impeccably curated collection of suiting, stop and think about the steps it takes to create a suit worthy of hanging in our store, and of the incredible value of your investment.

MANNEQUIN MOMENTS PART II - GAULTIER AND JUVONEN

Outfits by Jean-Paul Gaultier, LBM 1911, and Samuelsohn

This installation took its colors from Peter Juvonen's fabulous abstract art, with tones of teal, salmon, acid yellow and royal blue. Our ladies are wearing Gaultier Soleil's fabulous printed chiffon tunics, which can be draped on the body multiple different ways and worn with different underpinnings to create different effects. During the day, wear them with a tank and leggings, at night, with a simple full slip.  Our gentlemen are similarly versatile - their "spezzato" (unconstructed) jackets perfect for chinos during the day and wool slacks for evening.

SAMUELSOHN DOUBLE-BREASTED WINDOWPANE

Super 150's wool and cashmere - Samuelsohn - $1395

It's no secret that double-breasted suits are making a slow comeback- an elegant choice for those who have need of a more tailored wardrobe. How then, to incorporate this style in a closet that's had nothing but single-breasted for years?

Try a double-breasted suit that's a little bit shorter in the jacket and a lot narrower in the shoulder than they were 10 years ago. Your jacket should cross the center of your palm so that you can curl your fingers underneath the skirt without rumpling it. For the very fashion conscious, try an inch shorter than that - about even with your thumb joint.   The shoulder caps should fit squarely on the edges of your shoulders without drooping over, yet not so tight that your tricep bulges out of the sleeve. 

A fabric like this wool/cashmere windowpane is an excellent alternative to stripes, as it flexes more easily into sport-coat territory. Tuck the pocket flaps in and pair with a slim pant in a clear-finish charcoal gray fabric.  Your shoe should also be slightly sportier - a suede oxford or perhaps a light colored nubuck. 

(detail)

SELECTED MTM JACKET CLOTHS ON SALE FROM SAMUELSOHN

Silk/linen sport coat - was $1335, now $1275 (for special order)

We love a great fitting sport jacket, and there's no better way to ensure the perfect mating of fabric and fit than a custom-made garment. Right now you can have your very own custom jacket from Samuelsohn - at a fantastic price point! Samuelsohn jackets are hand-finished (hand-sewn canvas, armholes, sleeves and details) and feature the finest British and Italian fabrics, in silk, linen, cashmere, and other fine fibers. See your sales associate about fabrics included in this promotion!

Silk/cashmere - was $1550, now $1395

NEW ARRIVALS FROM SAMUELSOHN

New arrivals for Spring 2013 from Samuelsohn have just hit the selling floor! Featuring hand-basted, full canvas construction and available in unusual styles like "featherweight" unconstructed or double-breasted, this collection from Montreal is an outstanding value for its price and quality.  Also available - the Samuelsohn MTM collection, featuring wool, silk, linen and cashmere fabrics from prestige Italian mills such as Colombo, Carlo Barbera, Loro Piana, and more.

CELEBRITY SIGHTING - GREG GUMBEL IN SAMUELSOHN

FINALLY, a sportscaster with great taste! In a field known for execrable styling decisions, we're so pleased with Greg Gumbel's MTM Samuelsohn suit, featuring a fitted shoulder, narrower lapel, and subtle pinstripe in a high quality wool. GREAT JOB, GREG!

WHY MADE TO MEASURE?

We often have clients ask us "why should I have a suit made for me? Isn't this one off the rack just as good? Well...yes, but it may not serve your needs in quite the same way. The following are four different kinds of guys who LOVE MTM suiting, and who knows? You may very well be one of them! 

1)The fit connoisseur.  The made-to-measure process is notable for offering an outstanding fit. Whether you're a 6'9 basketball player with shoulders that pitch forward and a particularly small waist, or a 5'9 guy who fits comfortably in an off-the-rack 40R, a MTM garment can offer a fit that's geared towards YOUR body. You may not be aware of the individual challenges your body can offer, but our MTM specialists are trained to see every detail, and will adjust your order accordingly. Once you've had a garment custom made for you, nothing feels quite the same.

2)The designer.  One of the most important MTM clients is a guy who can wear off the rack suiting, but chooses to wear something that expresses his individual personality. Details like ticket pockets, peak lapels, "storm tabs" or suede elbow patches, and even colorful linings (or no lining at all) can generally be added to your order for no extra charge. Life is in the details, and it's the little extras that make a custom garment truly satisfying.

3)The luxury enthusiast.  MTM fabric collections are notable for carrying fabrics that are too precious to order in large quantities. Superfine wools (anything using a Super 150 or higher yarn) and exotic fibers like vicuña, yangir, and guanaco are impractical to carry in store, but are easily available to those who can appreciate them. 

4)The guy who only has one suit. If you're only going to have one tailored garment in your wardrobe, shouldn't it be something you love to wear? A made-to-measure garment is a popular choice for a wedding, graduation, or other special event, and we encourage clients to choose fabrics they can incorporate into their regular wardrobe, even if they don't find themselves dressing in a full suit and tie often. Because of modern silhouettes and softer jacket construction, a MTM suit can be split up and used in different ways. The 3 piece suit you get married in could be a great sport coat with khakis, a cool vest with a pair of jeans, and a sharp dress pant to pair with a button-down and a sweater.

Come check out our latest Made-To-Measure offerings from Samuelsohn, Coppley, Sartoria Partenopea and more, and find out for yourself why a one-of-a-kind custom suit is one of the best wardrobe investments you can make.

MANNEQUIN MOMENTS

Outfits by Blumarine and Samuelsohn

SAMUELSOHN - MTM IDEAS FOR FALL

Left - Donegal tweed single-breasted jacket... Right - Yangir single-breasted jacket with storm-tab

 All of these photos are Made-To-Measure ideas from Samuelsohn's fall 2012 fabric set, which is full of innovative new fabrics including seasonal favorites such as velvet, tweed, cashmere flannel, and more.  The styling options are endless - double breasted jackets, slim or wide lapels, heavy shoulder and canvas or none at all - just tell us what you want your perfect garment to look like. With a price point between $1495 and $3595 (single-breasted coat and pant), you'll also find a significantly better value than the competition. For more info on Samuelsohn's production standards, click here. 

Left - Denim-blue cotton velvet dinner jacket....Right - Charcoal and burgundy windowpane plaid three-piece suit with lapel vest

SCENES FROM THE BALDWIN PARTY PT 2.

 Thanks so much to everyone who was able to make our party Tuesday night! As you can tell, we had an absolute BLAST! The food and the brews were delicious, Mr. Baldwin was a pleasure (and looked terrific in his Samuelsohn suit and Hamilton shirt) and everyone who came seemed to really enjoy themselves.

CHADWICK BOSEMAN IN SAMUELSOHN

Actor Chadwick Boseman, who is playing Jackie Robinson in the upcoming biopic "42," wore a midnight Samuelsohn shawl collared dinner jacket to the 10th annual Essence awards this year. It's an excellent example of an elegant evening look that's completely different - and of the options available with a great Made-To-Measure label.  Looking great, Chadwick!

CALLING ALL SPORTS FANS

You know him as #89 of the Seattle Seahawks, now you’ll have the chance to meet him as the new face of our Made-to-Measure campaign! Starting wide receiver, Doug Baldwin, will be joining us in store on Tuesday, October 23rd from 5-7pm! 

Enjoy autograph signings, photo opportunities--plus enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to a Seahawks home game against the Cardinals and a post-game meet and greet with Doug. To "kick-off" our new MTM campaign, we will be offering special incentives from Hamilton Shirts (20% off each custom shirt, 3 shirt minimum on new orders) and Samuelsohn suits (15% off any custom product).  While you shop MTM resources, enjoy 'better than ballpark' food from Urban Nomad, and sample Mac & Jack’s Brewery’s seasonal beers! 

This is an event you will NOT want to miss! Space is limited! RSVP ONLY at promotions@BUTCHBLUM.com or 206-622-5760