How do I choose a cloth and colour?

Start with where you'll wear it and how often. Navy and charcoal earn their keep first; patterns and lighter shades come later. I lay cloth in the light of the room you'll wear it in and we narrow from there — you don't need to know weaves.

What cloth is best for a Toronto winter?

A mid-weight worsted or a flannel around 11–13oz — warm, holds its press, and heavy enough not to crease on the drive downtown. I'll also cut the jacket with room for a proper overcoat on top.

What about summer suits?

High-twist fresco, linen or wool hopsack around 8oz — open weaves that breathe and travel. Linen creases by design; if that bothers you, we go fresco. Browse the cloth library and I'll point you to the coolest options.

Do you offer vegan or wool-free cloth?

Yes. I keep vegan suiting and shirtings — recycled and plant-based cloths that tailor and press well — for clients who want no wool. They're in the cloth library, tagged vegan.

What do the Super numbers (100s, 120s, 150s) mean?

They measure the fineness of the wool fibre — higher numbers are finer and softer, but also more delicate. A Super 150s feels beautiful and marks easily; a Super 110s is tougher for daily wear. Finer isn't always better; it depends how you'll use the suit.

Business · Business & Professional

The navy suit: why it's the one to own first

Updated July 2026 · by Sam Talkar

Business & Professional — Sam's Menswear

If you own one suit, make it navy. It works for the office, a wedding, an interview and a funeral, it flatters nearly every complexion, and it photographs better than black in daylight. Here’s how to choose the right one.

Why navy over black

Black reads as either a tuxedo or a waiter — it’s a formalwear colour pretending to be a business one, and under daylight it goes flat and dusty. Navy has depth; it looks intentional in a boardroom and correct at a wedding. Save black for actual black tie.

Which navy

Midnight / deep navy — the most versatile; nearly a black at night but alive in daylight. Start here.
Brighter navy — younger, sharper, great for weddings and summer; slightly less do-everything.

For a first suit, deep navy in a plain or subtle weave (a fine twill or birdseye) does the most jobs. Save pinstripes and checks for suit two and three.

The cloth

A mid-weight worsted around 10–11oz is the year-round workhorse — enough body to hold a press, not so heavy it can’t travel. For a winter-leaning wardrobe, a navy flannel adds warmth and depth. More on choosing cloth →

Three looks from one suit

Boardroom — white shirt, burgundy or navy tie, black shoes.
Wedding guest — light-blue or pink shirt, a textured tie, brown shoes, pocket square.
Smart casual — no tie, open collar, loafers; or wear the jacket alone over chinos.

One navy suit, cut to you, quietly does the work of three. Design yours →