Test: Louis Purple, quality tailoring at an affordable price

You may have already passed by the Louis Purple store, 37 avenue des Ternes , wondering about the low prices offered by the brand.

When I discovered the brand, I was very surprised to see very well- cut pieces in such beautiful materials.

I have always been very sensitive to well-defined sartorial universes, like SuitSupply which sells a lot thanks to its relaxed image and its very inspiring looks. I like to see that in a boutique, elegance is within everyone's reach , both in price and in approach. This is exactly what you find at Louis Purple.

The history of the Louis Purple brand: how to practice such low prices?

Louis Purple is not just a clothing brand, it belongs to a large French group, which has been producing suits for brands around the world for 20 years.

Today, the group works with more than 200 clients, in 32 different countries and produces a staggering one million suits per year .

As you will have understood, the group adapts to the demands of its customers by offering as many details as possible, with a very strong industrialization power.

Louis Purple is the end of the chain of a vertically integrated company: it enjoys this manufacturing flexibility and applies it judiciously in its offer. It is therefore difficult to compete with this unbeatable quality/price ratio (I will talk about it later), especially during sales periods.

Where are Louis Purple products made?

For over 20 years, the group has expanded in Romania and Ukraine, where it has only increased its know-how by pushing the details ever further. It is possible to find finishes or hand-passages that you normally only find at great tailors.

The half-measure offer at Louis Purple

More and more of you want to try tailoring, and that's not to displease me! I'm the first to say that it's difficult to find a brand in France offering half-measure clothing that's not too expensive and has a soul , a real one.

The choice of fabrics, cuts, shoulders, lapels and other details at French tailors are sometimes too limited, especially when the price is affordable. I even wondered why buy a half-measure suit when I could very well choose a perfect one ready-to-wear and have it altered a few times.

In half-measure, it is essential that the client feels that his suit is unique, that it suits him completely.

As a reminder : in half-measure, we adapt an existing pattern to the client's morphology, unlike large-measure which constructs a pattern exclusive to the client. If you want to know more, Valéry details it very well in his Blandin & Delloye test .

The half-measure offer at Louis Purple is simple:

• For a semi-canvassed two-piece suit, expect to pay between 499 and 699 euros depending on the fabrics available in store,

• The three-piece suit starts at 659 euros,

• For a traditional (or "complete") interfacing , just add 150 euros.

As with all tailors, the biggest price variations depend on the fabric selected.

Fabrics offered in store

Louis Purple works with the world's largest spinning mills ; there is almost nothing to limit your choice. To name a few: Vitale Barberis Canonico, Reda, Dormeuil, Cerruti and many others.

You are free to choose your fabric from the 800 available in the workshop. Julien and Mathias will guide you towards the most suitable fabric depending on the assembly you choose. On order, you will have the choice from more than 1,500 fabrics.

Allow an average of three weeks from the first fitting to delivery of the costume for fabric available in the workshop , four for fabric ordered directly by the brand from the spinner.

It is even possible to bring your own fabric coupon, you will only pay for the method.

How to behave when taking a measurement?

Even though Mathias and Julien from the Louis Purple boutique will advise you very well, there are a few rules to respect and not forget when taking your measurements.

During the first appointment , talk to your contact in store. Know that he is there to help you and make you as happy as possible, so confide in him, project yourself, take it as a project. Tell him about the suits you already have in your wardrobe, their fabrics, their buttoning, their cuts... Anything that can make the advisor's work easier.

After selecting the fabric, here comes the long-awaited moment of taking measurements, the one that will allow a suit to be adapted to your body shape. The most important advice here: relax .

A man's first instinct when putting on a jacket is to stand stiff as a board. Unless that's how you stand on a daily basis, you should take your measurements in the most natural posture possible, otherwise you risk ending up with creases in your back and chest once you get to the office.

When pinning the jacket, keep talking to the person taking your measurements, the slightest feeling can help them satisfy you as best as possible.

When pinning your pants, place them at the waist yourself . You are the one who will be wearing them all day long, it would be a shame to end up with a waist that is too low or too high.

During the second appointment , you try on the suit for the first time. You can finally get an idea of ​​the final result. Once again, let us know if you feel any discomfort. A retoucher, based in Paris, will take care of the final adjustments.

At the last appointment, you are supposed to collect your suit. Pass the suit one last time, this is where you validate the adjustments you have requested. If the suit is still stiff and folds a little on the chest for example, know that this is normal (especially on semi-canvassed / canvassed), you need to wear it three to four times before it adapts to your body.

Let yourself be guided, these meetings are not an exact science. It is above all a human exchange!

Louis Purple Half-Measure Three-Piece Suit Review

I thought long and hard about my suit. My wardrobe contains three double-breasted suits, three single-breasted suits, vests and blazers, but I didn't have a three-piece suit.

I like this retro side of the three-piece suit : it is easy to wear, very elegant, especially very comfortable socially (the waistcoat clearly does the silhouette a favor) and brings a lot of confidence .

The choice of fabric

It all starts with an inspiration! I recently watched The Wolf of Wall Street and I was clearly obsessed with Matthew Mc Conaughey and Leonardo Di Caprio's chalk stripes in the movie. The famous banker suit .

The chalk stripe , a typically English pattern, remains quite discreet unlike the tennis stripe , coarser. Be sure to choose stripes that are spaced far enough apart (at least 2 cm).

I turned to a Reda wool, Super 110's of 300 g , soft to the touch.

I was afraid that the flannel would be too heavy and that I wouldn't be able to wear it during the warmer weather ahead. To my surprise, the wool is still breathable and lightweight.

Choosing the jacket assembly

Even though the pattern I chose is very English, I wanted to have a certain ease in the shoulders, for my jacket to fall as naturally as possible and, above all, to retain a certain lightness. So I opted for semi-canvassed, which for me is the perfect compromise between comfort and good fit.

The choice of the shoulder

My biggest worry when I go to the tailor. I once came away from a half-measure store with Power Ranger shoulders stuffed with padding. because there was simply only one shoulder choice...

It is true that for some people, heavy padding can be a lifesaver, and add structure. For me, I have a straight shoulder line, so I like to have a supple, natural shoulder.

At Louis Purple, you have the choice between a structured shoulder and a natural one (with Neapolitan inspirations). I'll let you guess which one is mine 😉

Judge for yourself the freedom of movement.

The choice of reverses

After the shoulder, this is the most important choice. It's what you see first .

It all depends on what you like. Personally, I hate the micro-lapels that are still invading the big brands, our eyes are too used to them. You only have to go to England or Italy to realize that a good width of lapel scares only the French.

To accompany you towards the end of this famous "Slimane era "I opted for 10cm sport lapels. For me, a lapel is never too wide, but that's just my opinion!

I am really happy with these lapels. I usually go for wide notched lapels but the sport lapels are much more versatile. The roll is also well done, it gives volume and build.

The choice of the vest

Florian and I are used to wearing mismatched and straight waistcoats. They allow you to easily enhance an outfit and stand out (rare are the men who adopt the waistcoat).

So straight? crossed? Lapel? It all depends on your desires and tastes, but know that a waistcoat should be chosen close to the body , nothing more unpleasant than a loose waistcoat under a jacket.

I went for a shawl collar crossover model. On this type of fabric, you can afford a plunging neckline without the risk of overdoing it, the shirt and tie are well highlighted .

Little sprezzatura tip: the vest is a good way to make the tie pop. With the ends held tightly between the shirt and the vest, shape your tie as you like.

Avoid wearing a plunging neckline vest without a tie, it remains a perilous exercise.

The choice of details and supplies

For the rest, let yourself be guided and trust your instinct. For my part, I chose:

• A ticket pocket, another very English detail.

• Marbled brown horn buttons, quite discreet.

• Reinforcement half-moons, which you will find on each pocket corner.

• High slits, for a lot of comfort. Especially if you have a butt, high slits will allow more ease , especially when you put your hands in your pockets.

• As for the buttonholes, they are open, of course.

I didn't photograph the inside of the jacket but you should know that it is possible to choose a full lining, a semi-lining (no lining in the back), or an unlined jacket.

The more viscose, the easier it is to put on the jacket. Again, it's just a matter of taste and comfort.

Details of the Louis Purple pants

Pants are just as important as the jacket. Lots of details are offered to you at Louis Purple , feel free as a bird.

I didn't choose clips so that I could also wear the pants in more casual outfits (with a sweater and white sneakers for example), but it's an option offered by the brand.

And the customization doesn't stop there, take a look:

• A tightening tab, functional and aesthetic . I find that it is the type of detail that easily dresses up a pair of pants.

• A gusset pocket that, just like the drawstring tab, dresses up a pair of pants. It has the same use as the ticket pocket of a pair of jeans, that is to say to store a few coins (unless you are a fan of pocket watches).

• Finally, I chose 5 cm cuffs (which are not too high, for once).

The pants fit perfectly, no need for a belt to support them. In terms of fit, it's exactly what I was looking for: comfort while maintaining a nice taper.

My opinion on the Louis Purple semi-canvassed suit

I am really very happy with this suit. Once again, I am impressed by the flexibility of the offer between the choice of fabrics, the finishes... I have worn it six times since delivery. The interlining has relaxed , the fall is less rigid than during the first fitting.

With the fabric and the vest, my suit cost 699 euros. It's hard to find a better quality/price ratio on the market.

Testing the Louis Purple ready-to-wear offer

The Alfredo Rodina unstructured wool jacket

I didn't know the Alfredo Rodina spinning mill, I just know that it is based not far from the province of Biella , in Italy.

I was immediately drawn to the luminous side of the material. Indeed, in winter, it is rare to see such sunny wools in ready-to-wear.

The heat-sealed construction allows for a fluid drape , it is impossible to make an unstructured jacket with an interfacing. It is in this particular case that a good heat-sealing is appropriate.

I felt very comfortable from the first wears, the lightness of the construction gives the impression of wearing nothing.

As for the details and finishes, no surprises. As with the half-measure, you have:

• A light and flexible shoulder , you feel great freedom of movement. However, even if you lack build, the shoulder holds well.

• A generous lapel, but not too much. 7.5 cm is, for me, the width that will reconcile everyone. Tone-on-tone stitching is also present to reinforce the sports jacket side.

• A beautiful barchetta, with the patterns still aligned.

• Patch pockets to accentuate the casual look.

• And open buttonholes.

• As for the interior, as with all lightweight models, there is no lining except for a piece at the shoulders to hold the jacket up a little. So you can see everything that is happening inside: the fact of not placing a lining implies perfect finishes. Here, everything is clean and braided.

• Even though the jacket is not lined, you are entitled to a few pockets, including a pen pocket.

• Finally, a salt shaker is there to prevent the wool from being damaged by perspiration.

My opinion on the Louis Purple unstructured jacket

This jacket is comfortable from the first wear, that's really what I remember most in this test. At 349 euros, you get yourself an effective product, which adapts to many body types.

Please note that many of the jackets and suits are available in store, with different assemblies, ranging from iron-on to traditional canvassed. For the latter, prices do not exceed 699 euros in ready-to-wear.

It is also easy to pair. Whether with chinos, jeans or even more formal trousers, it is difficult to make stylistic mistakes.

Louis Purple beige cotton and elastane chinos

I like semi-slim cuts for this type of pants , this implies impeccable comfort. Thanks to the 2% elastane!

As for the feel, cotton has a fluffy side that feels nice when worn.

The most interesting thing about this piece is the finishes and features , which are surprising for this price range:

• The contracted English, and a clean and braided interior. I salute the attention to detail with the small cashmere pattern.

• The "V" of ease at the back of the chinos, accompanied by its stopping point. You can have a serving of prosciutto and fungi pizza.

• The ticket pocket.

• Customizable pocket bags, another nice detail that only the wearer can know.

My opinion on the Louis Purple chinos

For 89 euros, you get all the finishing touches you need on a pair of chinos so that they don't fall apart in your hands after a year.

I like its comfort and versatility. To wear as much with tassel loafers (like here) as with sneakers.

The cutaway collar chambray shirt

Personally, it's a type of collar that I love. I've seen a lot of them at Pitti and it's true that in France, cut from chambray, you simply can't find them.

It's a really impressive collar and you won't risk having a collar gap.

As for the material, the chambray comes from Türkiye. It is pleasant to the touch and naturally supple, but ultimately remains quite basic given the price of the shirt.

I opted for a slim fit cut (long enough to be worn inside the pants). Note that there are darts and will allow you to release a few centimeters at the bust.

We're off for the last inspection of the article! For the details and finishes, we find:

• Buttons sewn in a cross,

• Reinforcement swallows,

• And gathers on the wrist.

My opinion on the chambray shirt with cutaway collar

Of course, Turkish chambray doesn't have the cachet that Italian chambray might have, but quite frankly, for 69 euros, you get a nice shirt, well cut, with an imposing collar.

My opinion on Louis Purple

Used to SuitSupply and home deliveries, I was really happy to finally find a brand with Italian influences in Paris. I think very clearly that it is the best quality / price / style ratio on tailoring in France.

For Parisians, don't hesitate to take a look around the store, there is no shortage of choice. The outfit I tested will only give you a small idea, there really is something for everyone.

Aside from the large selection of suits and jackets, you will find shoes made in Naples (which often arrive white and are carefully patinated by Julien in the shop), fine knitwear to slip under jackets, casual down jackets (with or without sleeves), and a selection of shirts that will make heads turn.

If you can't go to the store, an e-shop seems to be in the pipeline, so be patient!

And for the record, given that I really loved the brand's Italian influences, and its Q/P ratio, a joint project between BonneGueule and Louis Purple is underway but I won't tell you more, you will be informed in the coming weeks 😉