Britex recently had a 30% markdown on almost their entire stock, and I popped in to see if any new remnants had appeared on the 4th floor. Although I didn’t end up taking home any of those, I did have a bit of luck downstairs. This deadstock wool flannel by Etro was already surprisingly inexpensive, and the sale brought it down even more. The damage? About $65 for 2 ½ yards. Not bad.
The fabric is quite classic – a small-scale tan and dark brown houndstooth in a nice mid-weight flannel. There are also small flecks of olive and rust interspersed in the pattern, probably just there to subtly say that this is from a mill that refuses to do anything completely ordinary. All in all, it is a very attractive and very wearable looking piece of fabric.
I’ve never had a sportcoat or suit made from my own material, so I’m pretty much flying by the seat of my pants on this one. However, this seemed like an inexpensive way to try it out. In my mind I’m picturing something like this – we’ll see what happens.
I do have some ideas about what tailors/companies might be good for turning this into a sportcoat, but I’d love to hear any suggestions from my readers. I’m entering unfamiliar territory here so please let me know if you have any good ideas!
