ISO custom-makers of Inverness capes

[Parker Gabriel]

The desired pricing for the Inverness cape sought is relatively modest--not higher in United States dollars (USD$) than three hundred (300) in all.
This can then be paid by hire-and-purchase installments.
PRIMARY consideration is here being given to those whose incomes are fixed, as is that of this user.

[KD Burke]

Sir, I believe your expectations are too grand for your budget. Producing an Inverness cape requires several hours of skilled labor plus materials. No artisan worthy of the name will work for less than their time is worth.

The least expensive woolen Inverness cape I am aware of is in the neighborhood of $200. It is mass produced, imported, NOT customizable, and available in only gray tweed.

[Todd Bradshaw]

At some point, I think you have to get real, and no amount of bold, capitalized or italic text changes that fact. The vast majority of those who make custom, one-off products are small businesses. I spent thirty five years building fancy custom sails for boats as such a business and there is unfortunately no way I could have done it without being promptly paid in full when the job was done and the goods were delivered. I have to pay my suppliers for the materials I use, in full and within about 30 days. If I'm lucky, I can get the project done, delivered and paid for within that window. Otherwise, that money comes straight out of my bank account until the customer gets around to paying for the product. When I go to the grocery store, I have to pay on the spot for the food I am buying, so prompt payment for the work that I have done is a priority.

In some cases, this might also require a fairly substantial pre-production deposit to make sure that the customer was actually serious about the job before any materials were purchased or any work begun. This is how you protect yourself as much as you can when you are in a custom shop, bespoke goods situation, like it or not. The fact that you want a custom-built garment is great, but asking the tailor to finance the project is in most cases likely to be a deal-breaker and something that a small custom shop just can't afford to do.

Paying with a credit card might be one way to handle the financial part, where the garment maker gets prompt payment for his or her work and you can make payments as you see fit to the credit card company. Another option would be to make payments to yourself, saving the money until you have enough to order and pay for the cape, but asking the tailor to build a custom garment and finance it until you can pay for it is not very realistic.

[Steve Ashton]

As a maker of custom/bespoke clothing perhaps I can attempt to add some hard reality to this topic.

Sir, may I suggest that you inquire with some fabric stores in your area on the per yard cost of the fabrics that are similar to what you wish your inverness design to be made from.

Then multiply that per yard cost by the amount needed to construct an inverness. (almost 10 yards)
Add the cost of the thread to stitch the seams and whatever fasteners you like.

I am fairly confidant that the cost of the materials alone will exceed your stated budget.

Then inquire with any garment shops in your area of their hourly wage.
Or if you prefer use your own hourly wage?

Then multiply that hourly wage by the number of hours needed to complete a project like this. (20-30 man-hours)

Again, I am fairly certain that you will have exceeded your stated budget - in labor cost alone.

To give you some real world numbers - for the last inverness made in my shop, the cost in just materials and labor was $1285.00. To that, a retail shop would have to add a percentage of their overhead for machine maintenance, insurance, keeping the lights on and the water running.

At a minimum, for one-off, custom design and sewing, most shops would ask for an up-front deposit equal to the cost of the materials with payment in full on delivery. This is not an unreasonable standard in the industry.

Perhaps you would be able to get a recommendation for a home-based amateur with a love of sewing through your local High School, Community College or Trade School with a fashion design curriculum. Perhaps a young person, who is talented, but still trying to establish their name in the fashion design industry.

Perhaps you could widen your search to include websites and social media on general sewing/dressmaking. There are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of amateur sewers who may be able and willing to meet your requirements.

[Highland Logan]

The desired pricing for the Inverness cape sought is relatively modest--not higher in United States dollars (USD$) than three hundred (300) in all.
This can then be paid by hire-and-purchase installments.
PRIMARY consideration is here being given to those whose incomes are fixed, as is that of this user.

Being as what you want a non-regulation regulation, you need to remember, this isn't like building a Colonial blaster.

Frank