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Suitsupply La Spalla Review | Is Suitsupply’s Top Suit Worth It?

Suitsupply La Spalla Review - Close Up

So Many Fits, So Little Time

Last month Suitsupply surprised us by releasing a massive global outlet. It had some terrific prices from older collections for up to 70% off and it was an excellent opportunity for me to refresh my wardrobe and review different fits. Today I will present you a Review of the Suitsupply La Spalla, Suitsupply’s most expensive line!

A wonderful navy checked suit from Luxurious Fabric and a Full Canvas. It made me wonder however, is it worth your money at full price or not?

Join me so we can nitpick through everything and find out.

The Suitsupply La…Lazio?

The La Spalla was always Suitsupply’s most expensive Read-to-Wear (RTW) option along with the seasonal Jort Suits. It sported features like Full-Canvas, S150 Fabrics, Pleated Shoulders and a tailored slim fit. In a stealthy move not so long ago, Suitsupply phased out the name “La Spalla” and instead it is now part of the Lazio. A very strange move for me since the Lazio was entry level and never associated with luxury.

Suitsupply La Spalla
The La Spalla is Suitsupply’s RTW Full Canvas High End Suit Line

While I advise you to refer to my very detailed Guide about Suitsupply’s Fits, here are some of the trademark features of the “Lazio” La Spalla:

  • Full Canvas
  • Luxurious Fabrics (S150, Cashmere/Silk Blends)
  • La Spalla Camicia Shoulders
  • Slim Fit
  • Side Adjusters (or Belt Loops)
  • Handstitched Details
  • $999 Price Tag

The specs are certainly nice but immediately pose a question. Should you (and are you willing to) spend a thousand dollars on a RTW Suit? You will know by the end of this article.

Today’s Contender

I always wanted a blue overcheck suit after covering the basics. It had to be navy, subtle yet powerful and distinctive. Immediately when I spotted this in the outlet I knew I had to pull the trigger even though I resisted for a few days. It was actually 50% off at around $400 and exactly what I was looking for.

Suit Specifications La Spalla

I can already tell you that I wouldn’t pay full price for this right now though. That’s because at full price I would (personally, and I stress personally) choose to go custom instead.

  • Brand: Suitsupply
  • Model: Lazio La Spalla
  • Color: Navy
  • Pattern: Blue Check
  • Construction: Full Canvas
  • Fabric Quality: S130 Wool
  • Mill: Colombo
  • Fit: Slim
  • Shoulders: La Spalla Camicia Napoletana
  • Lining: Fully Lined Cupro
  • Style: Single Breasted
  • Pockets: Flap
  • Lapels: Notch
  • Trousers: Side Adjusters & Brace Buttons
  • Turn Up: 5 cm
  • Size: 38R (48 in Europe)
  • Outlet Price: $400

Nice beefy specs for a RTW Suit. I won’t lie that I love how this suit looks so much!

Delivery & Unboxing

To be fair to Suitsupply, the response from the outlet was great with people buying things left and right. Actually in Canada they had to refund many orders since they ran out of stock. Suitsupply uses UPS in Europe to ship and it is really annoying since in Sweden they just toss the box outside your door and leave. It’s a safe country, but at least make the effort to knock or call the provided phone number.

The suit arrived in the classic suit bag and a big flat cardboard box after a few days time. Nothing special to see there apart from the fact that it was nicely folder and looked in great condition.

Worth mentioning is the fact that the other suits arrived in a big box tossed on top of each other like ragdolls. Not a pretty sight but I guess that’s outlet life right? I might search around and see if I have a picture to show you.

As for the hanger, it’s a higher quality red one that they also use in the MTM garments and is super strong and durable.

First Impressions

The suit is gorgeous and I could tell immediately it was what I wanted. What did surprise me however was the fact that it has a very slight flannel-ish texture to it. It looked silky smooth in the pictures which goes on to show how hard it can be to gauge the fabric online.

Suitsupply La Spalla Suit
Actually showcased this for the first time in the Apposta Article

I quickly scanned it head to toe for imperfections or any red flags but couldn’t find any. The overcheck was lovely and I already knew the fit would be good since I tried the La Spalla during my stint as an employee. One of the perks of working there and trying on everything is knowledge of what alterations I need to do.

For me, it was evident that hemming the pants and shortening the sleeves would be sufficient.

Quality Of The Suitsupply La Spalla

Now it is time to take a deeper look at each component of the suit. From the fabric to the collar and trousers there’s always something to discuss.

The S130 Colombo Fabric

As aforementioned the slight texture of the fabric surprised me. It comes from one of the most reputable mills in the world which is Colombo. Interestingly enough, Colombo usually makes cashmere blends and high end fabrics but this is pure wool S130.

Colombo S130 Wool Fabric

While it is great to touch, I found it quite prone to collecting dirt, hair and having a constant need for a sticky lint roller. Certainly luxurious but not the best one I have ever laid my hands on.

The checks are gorgeous and subtle and there is a small puppytooth pattern if you look really close.

Tip: For those unaware, S130 refers to how fine the fibers are. The higher the “S” count, the higher the luxury and price at a loss of durability.

The Lapels

The La Spalla came with Wider Notch Lapels which suit the model pretty well. I haven’t measured it exactly but it’s certainly wider than the standard models. They do have a nice lapel roll to them and a Milanese buttonhole which is a step up from the lower end.

La Spalla Suit
Wider Notch Lapels for a stronger look

I personally think they compliment the suit very well.

Hand-Stitched Collar

Not so many pay much attention to the collar honestly. Part of the La Spalla Review however is looking at areas often neglected. After all the collar and the collar felt is one way to identify a lower quality suit.

The felt is rather soft but I am not so experienced to understand or see a visible difference of the hand-stitched collar. I do think it’s a bit of a buzz work such as the “Real Horn Buttons” and “Functioning Buttonholes”.

La Spalla Camicia Napoletana

Oh how they love these words. My trainer Gustav loved to say that word and pretended to have an Italian accent. I won’t bother with this however as this is not groundhog day so I will just call them pleated shoulders.

La Spalla Camicia Shoulders
La Spalla Camicia Shoulders

I was not a fan before but they are actually really nice which is a sign that my taste evolves. Certainly not for everyone but for those that enjoy unconstructed natural shoulders (like me) it’s wonderful. On the other hand this is often viewed critically by many as they don’t consider it “businessy“. I call that rubbish and say go for it. If you don’t get that job or won’t close that deal because your shoulders have no padding then there’s something wrong with this world.

Buttons & Stitching

I briefly touched upon this before but I am happy to report everything is good. Buttons feel nice and sturdy, however as it’s customary with Suitsupply their sewing leaves much to be desired. Now that I think about it, I only had one come off just once but they do feel loose. On this particular model everything seems fine.

La Spalla Buttons
From Sienna & Above you get this red stitching on the last button

The overall stitching is flawless on my piece but being an outlet item I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you find the odd imperfection here and there.

I checked all the seams in the jacket and trousers of course and must admit I am impressed. I never noticed before the way they sew the buttonholes on the La Spalla. Nice touch.

Lining & Interior

Nothing too fancy here compared to the other models. I find it rather interesting that Suitsupply does not use Bemberg for their lining as that could be an improvement. Truth is though, I do not know much about lining apart than that polyester is terrible. As a user I never found any problem with the cupro lining however.

Suitsupply Lining
Suitsupply uses Cupro lining in all their suits

Inside you will find plenty of side pockets and the classic tag with all the information about your suit. I must admit I can feel the difference on the chest area compared to the half-canvas as it feels significantly heavier for the uninitiated.

The La Spalla Trousers

These come with side adjusters which I love and if I remember correctly had no turn up. They sport the classic buzz words such as zip fly, after dinner split and also include stitched brace buttons. I did add a 5 cm cuff since it felt right for this suit.

Cuff and Grain Wingtips
Here paired with a Carlos Santos Grain Wingtip from The Noble Shoe

Inside you will find two inner buttons to fasten your trousers on a separate strip of fabric. The sewing of the buttonholes is cheaper than the exterior. Not that it matters, but details.

La Spalla Double Button Pants

There are no pleats on these ones and they are borderline mid-rise leaning towards low-rise. A huge disappointment for me to figure it out for their trousers. Honestly..that’s about it.

Let’s Talk About The Fit

The Lazio La Spalla is a slim fit but I don’t find it as constrictive as the original Lazio. Suitsupply suffers greatly from the modernization and ridiculous demand for slimmer cuts. Their trousers are like spandex tubes for many average people and if your hips don’t lie, good luck fitting in them.

Napoli and Sienna are the only ones more forgiving with more space in both the jacket and the trousers. Regardless I am rather lucky that the 38R fits me perfectly well.

Suitsupply La Spalla Fit
Suitsupply La Spalla Review | A pretty good fit with minimal alterations

I enjoy how the shoulders drape and while button height can be a topic of fiery discussion I like it on me. The jacket feels just the right length too and the fabric hugs my waist just about right. I must admit that sometimes the Full Canvas feels substantial and carries more weight to it.

The rise of the pants leaves much to your desire unfortunately as it leans depressingly towards low rise. You will see how evident it is when I review the Sienna. I feel I often have to pull the pants so high up that my crotch is uncomfortable. If you are one of those that prefer mid to high rise, I suggest you stay away from Suitsupply RTW.

Any Alterations?

While the fit is spot on there are always two things I always need to remedy. Sleeve length and trouser length. I usually need to shorten the sleeves 1.5 cm and hem the pants around 9.5 cm.

La Spalla fit waist
Pretty nice fit on the body for a RTW Garment

The waist sits rather well on the trousers just above the hip bones while you can see the jacket is not too tight or too loose. I have slanted shoulders which means one cuff will always show more as is evident on some pictures, although on some of them I had the shirt cuffs looser to test the difference.

Otherwise I am pretty happy as it is.

Tip: In the New Suitsupply MTM (or Custom Made Plus/Custom Made from Scratch) they now use the Lazio La Spalla as the basis for your suit.

Suitsupply La Spalla Review: Buy Or Not?

For the most part of the Review you just heard me praise the Suitsupply La Spalla. Luxury fabrics, a nice cut and good features plus a full canvas construction for just under $1000. Would I recommend it?

The answer is probably no. For $1000 at least in Sweden, I can create a custom MTM garment based on the La Spalla fit with a tailor that I know is excellent (Ted). Bear in mind that a lot of things can go wrong with MTM and you could also spend that money elsewhere in a custom tailor.

My affinity towards custom made is evident but the diminishing returns after a certain point make me more picky. In my 6 months in the store I never sold (or saw one sold) a single La Spalla or Jort Suit. How could I justify selling a RTW suit when they could buy a cheaper custom one?

Suit and Phone
Suit and Phone | The life of a businessman

On the other hand I believe the La Spalla can be great value for those that hate shopping, money is not an issue and are short on time. An added bonus is for those that get a good fit from RTW suits like me. It goes without say that if you can get these for 50-70% or even 30% off in some cases it is a superb deal. Some of the fabrics can be quite exclusive so it can be an added incentive to buy one.

Must say one more time that I love this suit and how it looks though. I received many compliments about it. Thanks mom.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion about how I view high end RTW Suits and my good experiences with Made to Measure. I am sure many people can get joy and find value in La Spalla.

Conclusions

And we are finally at the end of the Suitsupply La Spalla Review. A fantastic suit with disappointing trouser rise that shows the limitations of the RTW industry geared towards the average individual. Is it worth your money at full price? Probably not but then again, that is my personal opinion. These suits often come with S150 up to S170 fabrics that are not durable enough for frequent use. If it was me I would buy custom, or two great suits instead. Then again for $400 this was a steal.

I’d like to know what you think. If you have any experience with the La Spalla, tips or things to share please do in the comments down below. I might not be an expert but I aim to move away from ready-made suiting to more exclusive tailoring.

If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing! Don’t forget to Subscribe to support this little blog and check out the new YouTube Channel!

Thank you for reading,

Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy

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Comments (6)

Another great post. Thank you. I always appreciate someone who hasn’t joined the bandwagon of skinny suits!

Kostas Mandilaris

Thanks George,

A nice modern fit is fine, but those skinny spandex fits most companies promote is too much.

Another exhaustive and useful post, as usual! Can you please provide more info with regard to the other components of the outfits shown (ties, shirts,…)? Another point: SS outlet was open for all countries? It seemed that it was open for certain EU countries, didn’t it?

Kostas Mandilaris

Hey Panagioti!

Hope all is good! Sure thing! The outlet is open for selective countries. Until now it used to be only Canada and USA in America and Belgium/Netherlands in the EU (with a few exceptions). This time, they opened it up in many more countries (for example Sweden for the first time). If you ever want to, you can change country to Sweden and browse the items. Shoot me an email and I can proxy for you 🙂

As for the items worn here:
Button Down Shirt: Apposta
Yellow Pocket Square: Granqvist Sweden
Blue Pocket Square: Granqvist Sweden
Brown Dotted Tie: Suitsupply
Red/Blue Regimental Tie: Brother Sverige (Nothing Special)
Shoes: Carlos Santos for The Noble Shoe

Thank you for your response Kosta! And for your offer, hopefully the outlet will be opened on a regular basis! The combinations are nice indeed, perhaps a more formal shirt collar would work even better with this suit…

The review was absolutely on point, please come up with more reviews on another custom brand.

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