Custom clothier Ivan, with about ten years in the trade, walks through the three sport coats he reaches for most, the fabrics and construction behind them, and the template he now uses for almost every commission.
Watch the full walkthrough to see each jacket up close, hear why he chose the cloth and construction, and pick up the finishing details he repeats across the collection.
Why This Video Is Worth Watching
Ivan pulls out his three most-worn jackets and explains what makes each one a keeper, from a cream wool-silk he can wear nearly year-round to a Prince of Wales flannel built for deep winter. Along the way he shares the small, deliberate details that shape the whole collection: the one buttonhole he adds color to and the one he never touches, the hidden strap he works into every vent, and why he stopped fussing over linings.
He also owns up to the jackets he barely wears and why, then shows the three cloths he is itching to turn into his next commissions. It is a quick look at how a working clothier actually thinks about building a wardrobe, not just buying one.
Whatever I end up getting has to go with everything else in my wardrobe. It is not just a standalone piece.
Ivan, Custom Clothier
Why a Versatile Template Beats Chasing Statement Pieces
Across the collection, the same choices keep showing up. This is the shorthand he now applies to almost every order.
- Versatility first. If a piece does not work with what he already owns, he does not order it.
- Buttons by garment. Two-button sport coats, three-button suits, a three-roll-two on his favorites.
- Pockets by formality. Patch pockets on sport coats, flat pockets plus a ticket pocket on dressier jackets.
- Soft shoulders. No padding, often a spalla camicia.
- Quarter lining by default. It keeps a jacket wearable across more of the year. Full lining only for warmth.
- One small signature. A colored thread on the final cuff buttonhole, never the lapel.
- A vent that behaves. A small strap keeps the vent from flapping and holds the hips and back in shape.
- No overthinking linings. He picks one he likes and ignores matching.
Can One Suit Do It All?
Highlights from this Video
"I love this jacket because it falls into those fall colors. I can layer a brown, navy, or green sweater underneath."
Why the cream wool-silk earns its keep: it layers across seasons instead of sitting idle in summer.
"I don't change the lapel buttonhole. It's like a target or a bullseye, the first thing you see."
Why he adds a colored thread to the cuff buttonhole but leaves the lapel alone.
"I add the strap so you don't get that flap over the vent. It keeps the hips and back looking really nice."
A small vent detail he builds into every jacket, his own and his clients’.
"With linings, I don't worry about matching. If I like it, that's what I'm going to put in it."
His low-stress approach to lining, and the advice he gives clients.
Figure out your likes and dislikes, then build a template for your own garments when you go custom.
Ivan, Custom Clothier
Ask the Expert
What is a three-roll-two jacket?
A jacket cut with three front buttons and buttonholes but pressed so the lapel rolls to the middle button, leaving the top button tucked into the fold. You fasten only the middle button, so it wears like a two-button with a softer lapel line. More on jacket anatomy.
What does quarter-lined mean, and why choose it?
A quarter-lined jacket carries lining in only part of the body, leaving much of the interior open. It is lighter and cooler than a fully lined jacket, which is why he treats it as a versatile default and saves full lining for cold-weather pieces.
Full canvas, half canvas, or unstructured?
Canvas is the inner layer that helps a jacket hold its shape and mold to you over time. Full canvas runs the length of the front for the most structure, half canvas covers the chest and lapel area, and an unstructured jacket skips it for a soft, lightweight feel. He uses all three depending on the job. See the canvas explanation.
Is a windowpane the same as Prince of Wales or glen check?
Not quite. A windowpane is a simple grid of single lines. A glen check (called Prince of Wales when it carries a colored overcheck) is a more complex mix of small and large checks. His flannel layers a light-blue windowpane over a glen check base, which is why it reads as Prince of Wales. Background on the pattern.
What is the difference between a sport coat and a suit jacket?
A sport coat is an odd jacket, meant to be worn with non-matching trousers, and is usually more textured and less structured. A suit jacket is smoother, more formal, and paired with matching trousers. Here is a fuller comparison.
Why change only the cuff buttonhole thread and not the lapel?
A colored thread on the final cuff buttonhole is a quiet detail you notice up close, especially when he gestures. A colored lapel buttonhole sits front and center and pulls the eye immediately, so he leaves it matching.
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