Ok - my bad. The way they make 90% of the jackets now a days is simply to glue (read - "fuse") the outerfabric to the inner liner. This has its advantages - primarily those regarding cost. Fusing a jacket requires less material and MUCH less hand labor than the alternative, which is free floating canvas. The way jackets used to be made, and are still made by some custom tailors and high end manufacturers is to hand sew in a layer of canvas or horsehair fabric between the layers. This also has its advantages - primarily those regarding quality. The fabric tailors and drapes better from the moment you put it on. It will retain its shape better. Perhaps most importantly - it will last the longest. A good canvas front jacket can last your whole life physique permitting. The primary reason that fused jackets dont last as long is because the glue breaks down over time - a process that is rapidly accelerated with dry cleaning. Ever see small bubbles on the lapel or throughout a jacket that has been repeatedly dry cleaned? That is from the fusing breaking down, and there is no remedy. The downside is there has not been a machine invented yet that can insert this canvas layer. All told, just by the canvas piece alone a jacket of this type has at least 300% more hand labor than a fused one.
Dont be fooled by labels. Top "designer" names will routinely fuse jackets and slap a $2,000 price tag on. For instance, about two years ago, I bought a Zegna suit from their "Z Zegna" line on Bluefly. I should have sent it immediately back when I saw it was fused and made in Mexico, but kept it since it fit so well. It was false economy. It has been cleaned only twice, and I now see bubbles forming on the lapel. It is now only a rainy day suit. I would have been much better off paying a couple extra hundred to get a Zegna Couture, Borrelli, Oxxford, etc., that would have lasted my whole life and looked way better from the moment I put it on.
I mentioned Mexico above - a good rule of thumb is where the garment is made. Listed below is in decending order of where I believe the best clothes are made -
England - they make almost everything the best. Their shoes and shirts have no peer.
Italy - They run the whole gamut here. Ive seen some stunning high quality stuff, and some crap. Caveat emptor.
Other European - Some nice stuff from Switzerland and Germany
USA - Fairly good quality.
Mexico/Pacific rim/China - Almost all crap. Really like 99%.
Yes, my gf does call me a metrosexual, but I am really into this stuff. The way I justfy the expenditures is to realize that clothes for me has gone from a necessity to a hobby. One of the few vices I allow myself, and you'd be surprised how much better you look driving a Jetta in a fine custom suit...
Hope this was helpful.
