# J. Hilburn Suit - is it worth $800?



## kosmo886 (Jan 15, 2010)

Hi All -

I am a longtime reader of the forum, but haven't posted much. I do not have a huge budget for my suits, but look for reasonable values. I have purchased a few Bironi suits in the past but am looking to step up my game. I have just had a consultation with a stylist from J. Hilburn. Their custom suits are $800. They say the fabric is from Italy and suits are assembled in Portugal. I have done a lot of research online to determine if this price is worth it, but haven't come up with a clear answer. Has anyone used J. Hilburn in the past for a suit? Is $800 a decent value for the quality of the product? Would I notice much of a difference over my Bironi suits which I get for $350 which includes all of the tailoring?

Any information or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## Faust (May 1, 2012)

kosmo886 said:


> Hi All -
> 
> I am a longtime reader of the forum, but haven't posted much. I do not have a huge budget for my suits, but look for reasonable values. I have purchased a few Bironi suits in the past but am looking to step up my game. I have just had a consultation with a stylist from J. Hilburn. Their custom suits are $800. They say the fabric is from Italy and suits are assembled in Portugal. I have done a lot of research online to determine if this price is worth it, but haven't come up with a clear answer. Has anyone used J. Hilburn in the past for a suit? Is $800 a decent value for the quality of the product? Would I notice much of a difference over my Bironi suits which I get for $350 which includes all of the tailoring?
> 
> Any information or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!


Although I have no personal experience with the company, here are a couple of observations and thoughts.

The company appears to use Italian fabrics, but there is little information regarding suit construction on their website. A little research revealed that their suits are made in Portugal and are half canvassed, but not with a floating canvas. SuitSupply offers a full canvas custom suit starting at $800.

A major drawback at this point would be the lack of information at the website. Just not a lot of details about fabric selection. :frown:

Just my two cents.


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## DJStyle (Dec 28, 2013)

Here are some tidbits of info on J. Hilburn that you might find helpful. The suit pieces are sold individually to give you the best possible fit (rather than having pants that are automatically 6" smaller than the jacket size as with any standard suit). Trousers are* made-to-measure *based on waist, hip and outseam measurements. You select from 5 styles (fits): Classic, Tailored, Euro, Euro Slim and Sport. The jackets are *personalized*. This means that the jackets are based on off-the-rack sizes (in the various styles/fits) but are available in one-inch increments for a more accurate fit. Custom sleeve length is also available as is working buttonholes on cuffs. You then personalize the jacket by selecting the lapel style, pocket style, vent location, number of buttons, lining color, etc. These garments are then produced specifically and solely for you in the factory in Portugal. This is the same factory that assembles many other high-end lines such as Burberry and Armani. There is a large selection of fabric to choose from - all premium quality wool from the top mills in Northern Italy including Revenge 140s. These suits are comparable to a $2000 Hugo Boss or Zegna suit that you'd find at Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus. One of the best features is that everything is done without you having to set foot outside of your office or home. (Although there are a few occasions where minor alterations might need to be done once the suit is received - if you are a guy that regularly needs special alterations then this probably will be the case with the J. Hilburn items too.) Lastly, the made-to-order items (including their *custom* shirts) are COMPLETELY RETURNABLE FOR A FULL REFUND if you don't absolutely love them and this applies FOR UP TO ONE YEAR AFTER ORDER. The ready-to-wear items are returnable for up to 90 days.

I've never heard of, nor can I locate, Bironi suits. If you mean Brioni, those typically sell for $4000-$6000 (you can Google it to see pricing from a myriad of retailers).


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## Faust (May 1, 2012)

DJStyle said:


> There is a large selection of fabric to choose from - all premium quality wool from the top mills in Northern Italy including Revenge 140s. .


DJStyle can you provide a source for your information?


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## alphadelta (Oct 2, 2007)

Having seen JH suits and sport coats first-hand, I would say "no." Their quality seemed to be average OTR at best. Their sales people are minimally trained and were not capable of answering some of my most basic questions. A better custom choice would go with an established traveling MTM tailor such as mytailor.com or similar. I would take an OTR HF suit on sale with a bit of tailoring for the same price.


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## StylinLa (Feb 15, 2009)

I am also confused by "Bironi" suits. Is this a locally sold brand that is riffing off the Brioni name. Brioni suits are wonderful and cost thousands. Am confused as to what suits you're currently buying for $350..


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## g3dahl (Aug 26, 2011)

I have a JH custom shirt that I am very happy with. I will order again when the opportunity arises. It definitely helps to know exactly what you want with regard to fit, but I have no complaints about the quality for the price. I looked at their other products when being measured for the shirt. What I saw was of very decent quality, if not top flight (but priced accordingly).

Remember the top three criteria, in order: fit, fabric, quality. One has the opportunity to get a very good fit at JH, and the fabrics are excellent. The quality isn't at the Brioni level, but that is quite a different price point.


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