Moleskin Gentlemen’s waistcoat. From Hoff the Tailors.

Hoff the Tailors in Saarbrücken, south-west Germany, have made this single-breasted waistcoat out of moleskin in heavy 400 g/sq. m. quality. Moleskin has been used both front and back (most tailors economize with lining material for the back). Back adjustable belt with buckle.

From head to toe.

In this chapter you will find a range of high-quality clothing - not high-fashion, but not unfashionable either - simply timeless clothing far removed from and unaffected by short-lived trends. Our first concern here is always the fabric and its quality. Our methods are always the same: we look for the »classic« fabric for each item of clothing, then we find the best British or continental manufacturer of that fabric, and finally the most skilful clothing manufacturer. In other words, we are trying to reintroduce more British and European content into our clothing range - as opposed to the current trends in the industry, trends which we think have not only undermined quality but have virtually wiped out a sector of industry which has shaped so much of our industrial and cultural history.

Size guides:
Ladieswear and menswear

Ladieswear

Normal size (1,68 m +/-) 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 Bust (cm) 84 88 92 96 100 104 110 Waist (cm) 68 72 76 80 84 88 94,5 Hips (cm) 94 97 100 103 106 109 114

Menswear

Normal size 38 40 42 44 46 Height (cm) 174 177 180 182 184 Chest (cm) 96 100 104 108 112 Waist (cm) 84 88 92 96 102

Ladieswear

Normal size (1,68 m +/-) 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 Bust (cm) 84 88 92 96 100 104 110 Waist (cm) 68 72 76 80 84 88 94,5 Hips (cm) 94 97 100 103 106 109 114

Menswear

Normal size 38 40 42 44 46 Height (cm) 174 177 180 182 184 Chest (cm) 96 100 104 108 112 Waist (cm) 84 88 92 96 102

Heavy but soft:
the Manchester fustians.

The most famous fustians were the corduroys, or cord, and moleskin, both created by weaving very fine yarns with an extra-strong warp and an unusually high proportion of weft. The result is a fabric whose rich texture distinguishes it from other textiles, also known as »cord,« but which have been thinned down beyond recognition.

Manchester.

Manchester is associated by many with the very birth of the industrial revolution and the harsh working conditions of the early factories. Yet the dark satanic mills were also the cradle of the cotton industry which boomed in Manchester in the second half of the 19th century - so much so that it became known as Cottonopolis, as cotton was then Britain's largest single export.
Many great technical achievements in the textile world first saw the light of day in or around Manchester. Among them were the legendary coarse twilled cotton fabrics known as Manchester cord or Manchester velvet, collectively known as »fustians« and which were still in widespread use only 30 years ago.

Moleskin.

Moleskin, or English leather, is another heavy cotton fabric from Manchester.
Moleskin is produced using very strong warp and high density woven weft (up to 400 threads per inch). It is only made on special looms of which only a few remain. In 12 purely mechanical work stages, the finished cloth is then sueded and napped to create that inimitable softness and texture for which genuine moleskin was once so famous. Genuine moleskin is therefore a rare combination of softness and toughness. The material is so called due to its resemblance to the soft pelt of a mole. Once frequently used to make trousers, skirts and shirts, this material is now relatively rare. Brisbane Moss produces both a light and heavy grade sateen weave moleskin. It is the heavy variety that Hiltl use to make our comfortable, tough men's trousers, that Tailor Hoff in Saarbruecken uses for our waistcoat and that Regent in Bavaria uses for our casual jacket.