Remember when, way back in 2012, Abercrombie & Fitch annoyed the hell out of persnickety Brits by setting up shop on Savile Row? Good on you if you completely forgot the mortifying details of that quaint little brouhaha (though the GQ archives aren’t as amnesiac). At the time, the move did seem a little unusual: What right did the American big-box brand have to claim the same zip code as the monarchy’s preferred tailors?
Abercrombie closed the doors of its Savile Row location less than a decade later, but today, we’ve finally got an answer to the question in the most 2024 form possible: a new line of wildly affordable linen suits.
To be clear, these are not bespoke-level suits; no master cutters toiled under dim lighting to attach the sleeves to the armholes, or ensure the lapels looked just-so. Frankly, they’re not even linen suits, at least not entirely—there’s plenty of the flaxy fabric in the mix, but it’s augmented by a blend of viscose, polyester, and cotton.
What they are, though, is delicious catnip for fellas who can’t quit the brand’s knit polos, cropped tees, or baggy jeans, a gutsy new entrant into the sub-$500 suiting arena that seems poised to dominate the spring wedding circuit. Call it another win for the mall brand renaissance or a bulwark in the arms race between A&F’s counterparts at J.Crew and Banana Republic: we’re just calling it the latest move in Abercrombie’s Slutty Boy Summer playbook.
How do Abercrombie’s affordable suits stack up against the stalwarts of the genre? I figured you might ask, so I tried ‘em on myself. I’m 5’9″ and 150 pounds, and went with a size 36 jacket and pants with a 28-inch waist and 30-inch inseam. The jacket looked like it fit perfectly, but it felt a little snugger than I anticipated; if you’re still cutting the winter bulk, I’d suggest sizing up and having a tailor—I hear Savile Row employs a few?—adjust it accordingly. Ditto the pants, which looked promising in the box but landed a few inches higher than I would’ve liked, leaving my ankles a wee bit exposed. (Sorry, EmRata.) If you prefer pants with a healthier break, order a longer inseam and get ‘em hemmed before you hit the dance floor.
Okay, so it’s not quite Savile Row-level quality—few suits are. But before our mates across the pond get their starched briefs in a twist, consider the context these suits were designed for. You think it’s a coincidence they landed just as those RSVPs started piling up in your inbox? When the vows are exchanged and the bubbly starts flowing, I’ll be sequestered by the bar, not even remotely stressed about spilling Aperol down the front of my $300 suit.
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