One of the things that was drilled into me while growing up was that if you wanted to be a well-dressed person, your best ally is to have an excellent tailor. Not only to alter or mend clothes but also make them for you if need be. That can be prohibitively expensive here but in places like India, Turkey or Hong Kong, it's what everyone does. And in this day and age of everything made in China, finding a decent, well-trained tailor is getting more difficult all the time.
So when I recently found a brand new, unused Aquascutum navy blue trench coat at my local Frip-prix, I knew who I had to look for. These coats usually go for $2000 retail at places like Holt Renfrew or Ogilvy's and while the coat was way too big for me, I just couldn't let such a rare find get away. I came to Natale Tailleur and the elderly Milanese gentleman here did his magic. He altered the coat to fit me without once compromising on the integrity of the quality of the coat. You could tell his workmanship was Old School Milan. He charged me $50 total.
Coat Retail:$2000
Coat cost at Frip-Prix $35
Coat Alterations:$50
Total savings for a high-end luxury overcoat: $1915