A Collection of Sartorial Excellence is a small,
private exposition of some of the finest men's and women's clothing,
furnishings, and accessories available. Over the years, Sartorial
Excellence has become the focal point and annual gathering of
top-quality clothing afficionados, industry insiders, many of the
makers and artisans whose work is on display ... as well as friends
who first met at one of the previous annual Collections.
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Sartorial Excellence began as an in-person supplement
to the various online clothing fora at which artisans and experts could augment the
ongoing online discussions with hands-on demonstrations. Early on,
attendees and members of various men's forums were given the opportunity
to select their choices for the "Best of the Best", the precursor to the
annual Sartorial Excellence Awards.
In an effort to enhance the
educational nature of the event, the 2008 show introduced seminar-style
intensive break-out sessions in response to many frequently discussed topics. The
syllabus of basic seminar subjects offered at each Annual Collection appears
below. Additional topic intensives are added at each Collection.

Jon Green and Andy Gilchrist discuss
top-quality pants construction |
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Alexander Kabbaz shows new micromodal
undershirt shirt to Oxxford's
Spencer Hays while clothing
maven Mark Seitelman looks on |
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A Sampling of Typical Sartorial Excellence Seminars |
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Friday • 9:00am 90 Minutes Cost: $95 -
Limited Space
Master's Technique: Elements of Shirt Fitting
Proper Adjustment of the Shirt Pattern for Individual Fit
A Hands-on Real-time Demonstration
Alexander Kabbaz, Bespoke Shirtmaker
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Saturday • 10:00am 90 Minutes Cost: $150 -
Limited Space
Master's Technique: Drafting a Bespoke Shirt Pattern
Cutting Matched-Pattern Shirts & Construction Q&A
A Hands-on Real-time Demonstration
Alexander Kabbaz, Bespoke Shirtmaker
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Friday • 10:30am 45 Minutes Free
The Basics: Proper Shirt Ironing
Staff, Kabbaz-Kelly Custom Clothiers |
Saturday • 11:30am 45 Minutes Free
The Basics: Proper Shirt Ironing
Staff, Kabbaz-Kelly Custom Clothiers |
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Friday • 12:30pm 45 Minutes Free
The Basics and Beyond: Does Your Shirt Fit?
Alexander Kabbaz, Bespoke Shirtmaker |
Saturday • 12:30 60 Minutes Free
Beyond the Basics: Properly Fitting Your Shoes
and Shoe Construction Q&A
Perry Ercolino, Bespoke Shoemaker |
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Friday • 2:00pm 45 Minutes Free
The Basics: Correctly Sewing a Button - Hands On
Joelle Kelly, Kabbaz-Kelly Custom Clothiers |
Saturday • 1:30pm 45 Minutes Free
The Basics: Correctly Sewing a Button - Hands On
Joelle Kelly, Kabbaz-Kelly Custom Clothiers |
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Friday • 3:30pm 45 Minutes Free
Beyond The Basics: Color Coordination
Alexander Kabbaz & Joelle Kelly,
Furnishings & Accessories Designers, CustomShirt1.com |
Saturday • 3:00pm 60 Minutes
Free
Beyond the Basics: A Shoe Compendium
The Makers - A Style & Quality Comparison + Q&A
John Cusey, Shoe Expert |
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Friday • 5:00pm 45 Minutes Free
The Basics and Beyond: Proper Suit Fitting
Jon Green, Fine Custom Clothier |
Saturday • 4:30pm 45 Minutes Free
Beyond The Basics: Color Coordination
Alexander Kabbaz & Joelle Kelly,
Furnishings & Accessories Designers, CustomShirt1.com |
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Caveat Emptor: Ongoing, Free Discussions:
More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About: Socks
More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About: Underwear
More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About: Neckties
More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About: Shirtings |
Saturday • 5:30pm 45 Minutes Free
The Basics: Proper Shirt Ironing
Staff, Kabbaz-Kelly Custom Clothiers |
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Outtakes
from the Past Decade of Sartorial Excellence |
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Bruce Boyer hosting a wide-ranging seminar
at the 2008 Collection of Sartorial Excellence |
Attendance at each Annual Collection of
Sartorial Excellence is limited by the capacity of the venue.
Previous attendees are notified automatically. Should you have not
previously attended and wish to be notified of ticket availability,
please join our mailing list here. Tickets sell out quickly.
The Raffle. Each exhibiting
maker or sponsor provides an item or two for the Sartorial Excellence
raffle. Examples from previous shows are shown
here. Each advance ticket holder will receive one raffle
entry when they sign in at the reception desk. Any attendee making a
purchase from an exhibitor at the event will receive one additional
raffle entry for each purchase made.
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Ed Hayes, counselor extraordinaire and
renowned bespoke dresser, offers a lesson in Pocket Square Folding to Gary Seward |

All C.S.E.Attendees will receive Alexander
Kabbaz's
Collar Rendering System while supplies last
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In one of the earliest C.S.E. seminars,
writers Bruce Boyer and Michael
Anton accompany shoe expert John Cusey and bespoke shirtmaker
Mathew Mathew in the Expert's Panel Discussion and Q&A |
Annual Collection of Sartorial
Excellence
Each exhibiting maker or sponsor donates an item or two for the
Sartorial Excellence raffle.
A Sampling of Typical Annual
RAFFLE PRIZES
Grand Prize
Donated by
LuxuryClothing.com - Valued at $4000+
His and Hers Mega-Package: An Entire Week of
the World's Finest Underwear and Lingerie
A Most Exclusive package consisting of a special assortment of seven men's shirts, seven women's
tops,
seven men's briefs or boxers, seven women's panties, a women's Cotton pajama,
and a men's Filo di Scozia cotton pajama**
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First Prize
Donated by Kabbaz-Kelly Fine Custom Clothiers - Valued at $3000+
Three Kabbaz-Kelly Made-to-Measure Woman's or Man's Shirts of Choice
Choose from a selection of more than 3000 top-quality Swiss and Italian fabrics made in any style of dress shirt ***
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Second Prize
Donated by Kabbaz-Kelly Fine Custom Clothiers - Valued at $1000+
One Kabbaz-Kelly Made-to-Measure Woman's or Man's Shirts of Choice
Choose from a selection of more than 3000 top-quality Swiss and Italian fabrics made in any style of dress shirt ***
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Third Prize
Donated by Marcoliani-Milano and
LuxuryClothing.com - Valued at $600+
His or Hers Mega-Package: An Entire Week of Luxury Socks!
An exclusive assortment of Men's or Women's Cashmere, Merino, Cotton ... a complete array of
ten fabulous pairs
of assorted Dress, Casual, Super-Luxury, and Sport socks for Him or for Her **
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Fourth Prize
Donated by Kabbaz-Kelly
and LuxuryClothing.com - Valued at $385
A Kabbaz-Kelly Sea Island Polo Shirt or Two
Women's Cesare Paciotti Tops
For Her: Choice of Two Cesare Paciotti Superfine Micromodal Fashion
Tops **
-OR-
For Him: Kabbaz-Kelly's Incomparable Sea Island Polo Shirt **
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Fifth Prize
Donated by RVR and
LuxuryClothing.com - Valued at $395
24kt. Gold and Navy Silk Necktie
Beautiful and exclusive Made-in-Italy of 24kt Gold and Navy Silk yarns, Basketweave Necktie - a Unique Conversation Piece!
*
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Sixth Prize
Donated by American Sember Trading Corp. - Valued at $300+
His or Hers Ultrafine Swiss Shirtings

From Alumo of Switzerland, the world's finest shirting mill, a shirt-length cut of the latest
Blue Striped 2x2 200s broadcloth
and shirt-length cut of the Salvatore Triplo 3x3 160s broadcloth in
White. *
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Seventh Prize
Donated by Alpo Guanti and CustomShirt1.com - Valued at $200+
His or Hers Package: Italian Lambskin Cabretta Gloves

Beautiful and exclusive Made-in-Italy, luscious, soft Lambskin Cabretta lined
with Exquisite Rabbit Fur **
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Eighth thru Twelfth Prizes
Donated by LuxuryClothing.com - Valued at $250+ each
Exclusive Grab-Bags of Italian Men's or Women's (Winner's Choice) Socks
Each Including Eight Pairs of dress and casual luxury socks by
Bresciani 1970, Kabbaz-Kelly, and Marcoliani-Milano ...
on premises and ready to be taken home. No peeking!*
* Single asterisk items will be at the event and can be taken home if the winner is present
** These items will be shipped to the winner on the Wednesday following the event
*** These items are custom-made and will be shipped to the winner 8-12 weeks after the event
Photos shown are stock examples for illustrative purposes only. Actual prizes vary from the photos.
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L. to R. AskAndy's Andy Gilchrist, bespoke
shirtmaker Alexander Kabbaz, and menswear scribe Bruce Boyer at the Collection of Sartorial Excellence |

Shirtmaker Kabbaz explains various details
of bespoke shirt construction at the 2007 event. |

Guest perusing the latest Women's lingerie line at C.S.E. 2008. Special
for the next Sartorial Excellence ... meet our Women's
models. |

Two Younger Generations of the Kabbaz Family - Damien, left, and Conrad, right, assist with the C.S.E. |

The "Shoe Table" is always a hit of the show ... this time by Master Shoemaker Perry Ercolino who ... |

... as always, offered an in-depth educational shoe making seminar par excellence. |

StyleForum Moderator Steve Brinkman at
C.S.E. 2004 |

AskAndy Member CuffThis checks out the
antique links at C.S.E. 2006 |

Jon Green explains suit details to
Departures Magazine's Mark Van De Walle |

Superstar Attorney Ed Hayes selecting
shoes at C.S.E. 2006 |

Jon Green's seminar on Construction Techniques and Suit Fitting holds the audience spellbound. |

AskAndyMember Eric Levy gives an impromptu
lesson in The Fine Art of Dressing Well. |
A Sincere Welcome From:
Your Collection of Sartorial Excellence Producers |
And One of Our Sponsors, Andy Gilchrist,
Founder, AskAndyAboutClothes.com |

Alexander Kabbaz |

Joelle Kelly |

Andy Glchrist and His WealthTV
Co-Host |
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We Look Forward to Having You as our
Guests - See You at the next C.S.E! |
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