
There are two main reasons people use mohair for tailoring today. One is for eveningwear, when they want something with a little more sharpness and lustre; the other, less common, is as an alternative to high-twist wools in the summer.
And there’s a third, increasingly rare, which is to be deliberately influenced by Mod style. When mohair/wool suits first became popular in the 1960s they were worn by varieties of younger people, but Mods made them their own.
The look had a revival in the 1980s, and when I was growing up in the 1990s it was brought back again by Ozwald Boateng. I owned a purple Boateng suit at the age of 17, bought attractively cheap in Bicester Village. It was sharp and exciting, but I confess I barely wore it.
Mohair’s two key properties as regards tailoring are its two-tone sheen and a particular combination of lightness and sharpness. If you were a club-goer in the 1960s, or a jazz musician on stage, the first made it exotic and the second practical.
Made from the hair of the Angora goat (not to be confused with ‘Angora’, the wool from the rabbit of the same name), mohair is a strong for its weight, warm for its weight, crease-resistant and naturally elastic.
It also takes dye well, which is one reason suits were often made in vivid colours. In fact that association is, I think, just as important as the sheen when it comes to why people are put off by mohair. Open the Standeven ‘SummerStrand’ book and your eye is caught by teal, burgundy and peach alongside black and grey. It can be hard to shake that.
Summer tailoring
Let’s return to the main uses for mohair today, and so why you might consider using it.
First, mohair’s lightness and ability to hold its shape make it an effective alternative to high-twist suitings. John Hitchcock, the ex-head cutter at Anderson & Sheppard, used to wear mohair-mix suits in the summer to great effect.
“They were cut in a classic manner, softly tailored with wider trousers,” one contemporary remembers. “Made like that, a mohair suit was very different to the tighter-fitting Mod suits, or Boateng’s long nineties jackets. It showed me how they could be elegant.”
In some parts of the world, tailors also find they’re popular because high-twist wools like Fresco can be so matte and dry, with a pronounced texture from the thicker yarn. There are less rustic high-twists of course, like Ascot or Crispaire, but there’s also a correlative reduction in sharpness and breathability.
“I find customers in south-east Asia often prefer mohair mixes because they’re sleeker than high-twists,” one English tailor tells me. “They have a little shine and are similar in some ways to the superfine wools they associate with luxury.”
High and low mohair content
This brings us onto the amount of mohair in a fabric, as the proportions make a big difference. A little mohair is usually a performance enhancer; mostly mohair creates a real look.
When mohair was developed as a suiting in England in the 1960s, it was by using it in the weft with wool in the warp. The mohair content was high as result, with William Halstead in England the first to find a way to weave it effectively, without too many of its natural flaws. The most famous brand though became Tonik, sold by Dormeuil, which used a thicker yarn (three-ply twist) and was almost more like a Fresco in texture.
After that, the most popular mix for a long time was 87/13 wool/mohair – Burberry used it famously for many years, and it settled down to become the industry standard. Today the market tends to split in two: mixes around half mohair or more (often referred to as British mohairs) and ones with around 5-15% (more commercial and more European).
The second type adds a little of mohair’s properties without making it a mohair cloth. It’s basically a worsted wool with slightly more crispness and lightness. The first, on the other hand, is really mohair: this is where you see its naturally uneven texture, quite similar to slubby linen. You also see the two-tone lustre, which becomes apparent as the material moves and folds.
The other major difference between mohairs is weight. Older mohairs were 11-13oz and up; today most are around 8oz, with the greater emphasis on coolness. That, the amount of mohair, and some production techniques that are no long possible (eg flyer-spun) are what make vintage mohair more characterful.
Dinner jackets
It shouldn’t be surprising that mohair became popular for evening wear – the combination of crispness (for a sharp look), lightness (to stay cool indoors) and sheen (for a bit of glamour) were perfect.
Gianni Agnelli is often referenced here, though personally I’m not a big fan of the blue colour, satin lapels or undone style of his dinner jacket (above). Black tie is one of those areas where you really shouldn’t be too sloppy or undone. That waist should be covered if nothing else.
I had a dinner suit made by Richard Anderson in a mohair cloth back in 2014 (below). It was a high mohair content – 40/60 I think – and very sharp. In retrospect though it wasn’t really what I wanted. The sheen was a bit too much and I didn’t like the crispiness. Today I’d use a barathea, as deep and matte as possible.
Structured English tailors used to like mohair because they could get a very sharp waist on a jacket. When your priority is a square shoulder and as slim a waist as possible, mohair’s ability to hold a shape is perfect. It’s my purely personal preference to favour something more soft and draped.
However, one of the reasons I wanted to write this article was that I am having a black mohair suit made with J Mueser – 70/30 wool/mohair, Dugdale’s – that is intended to not be black tie, but rather a sharp, slightly rock ‘n’ roll evening option. Two button, belt loops, very sharp. I’ll cover that later in the year.
Bunches
These are a few of the main bunches and what they offer. I’ve focused on the ones I know personally, but most of the options should be covered.
Standeven is the merchant arm of William Halstead, probably still the best-known English mill for mohair. They certainly have the biggest range, with five varying bunches. They break down as:
– British Mohair – The higher percentage bunch, as British mohair historically was – a mohair weft with a worsted-wool warp. Plains and other suiting patterns, 8 and 9 ounce. The close-up of cloth higher up is from this bunch.
– Carnival – The other high-percentage bunch, with a particular focus on colour. Fabrics are piece-dyed to get a really vibrant range
– Cape Town – The vintage-feeling bunch, more like Tonik. Basically from being a two or three-ply, giving it a drier feel. Think Michael Caine in Get Carter (below).
– Summer Strand – The lower percentage bunch, along with Festival. Around 6% mohair, with classic suitings alongside lots of colours
Most big mills/merchants have mohair in their collections, if only as part of a ceremonial range. Italians like Loro Piana and Ariston for example. Four others with standalone bunches though are:
Mohair, Dormeuil – This contains just two colours of the original Tonik quality (black and midnight blue) and the rest are a range of mohair/wool mixes, often with a touch of lycra. The bunch ‘Tonik Wool’ is just their high-twist wool range.
Cape Kid, Harrisons – Traditional English mohair in the 40/60 mix, 8oz. A lot of shades of blue, charcoal and black, with patterns such as glen checks and pin stripes for variation, rather than colours.
English Mohair, Holland & Sherry – Lower percentage, with 80% Super 100s wool and 20% mohair. All plains in a variety of colours, rather than adding patterns.
Mohair, Drapers – The main outlet for VBC mohair, in a mohair mix between the previous two at 71/29. All plains, with a big variation in dark colours rather than more vibrant tones.
Intrigued by the black Mueser suit! Sounds cool. What shirt/tie/knits will be your first pairings do you expect?
I think the things I’d try first would be:
– Cream shirts, cream knits
– Black knit, though might be too harsh
– Denim
I too like the sound of that suit.
For people with smaller wardrobes, do you think it is possible to style a tuxedo to get a “a sharp, slightly rock ‘n’ roll evening “look, maybe for wearing out when there is no dress code? Could something like David Taube’s look at your Christmas cocktail party be a starting point?
Since I don’t have much call to dress in black tie, I sometimes wonder if I could get other uses out of my dinner jacket.
I like doing that with my velvet jacket Ian, but it is harder with things that are obviously black tie
I see.
I think the sheer flamboyance of that jacket means it is a bit “rock ‘n’ roll” even when everything else is standard black tie.
Changing the trousers helps too, which I don’t think I should do with a standard matching dinner suit-about 15 years ago a lot of celebrities were wearing regular tux jackets (not velvet) with jeans, and it didn’t look good. It was the silk-covered lapels that really stood out.
As someone who does this a lot, doing so is not going to fall into the parameters of “permanent style” but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t do it, you just need to be a bit more GQ about it in terms of mindset. It requires the sort of power dressing approach women often undertake with “power clashing” of patterns or radical silhouette of cross formal combinations; I don’t think it works to just about be in black tie, you have to make it obvious it’s a choice and not from not knowing better or being sloppy or trying to get away with less; it definitely only works in a more casual environment where in doing this you’re the most dressed, not the least. So how I do it: In the model of Ralph Lauren doing blue jeans and a tux jacket, but making it very me, I will sometimes do mid rise black or ivory denim, with a matching color of sharp merino knitwear under the jacket, typically a thin roll neck. Black Chelsea boots with a sharper last also give the look some more obvious rock-star connotation, or a black leather combat boot (one that doesn’t have nylon panels or anything). If that doesn’t suit your fancy, a nice tucked in fitted white or black tee shirt with the full tuxedo 2pc, and dressy sneakers (as in common projects, not as in cole haans with sneaker soles), is a little more rooted in 2010 trends, but I don’t see it as less cool just because of that if everything fits immaculately and you do it well. Dressy socks, Jewelry, a black neckerchief or thin dressy silk scarf, helps add to the vibe and makes it less basic then that 2010 look which is often completely stripped back. Basically, make it your own, and own it. I like dressing like this for a nice brunch as much as I do for non-black tie eveningwear, but that’s a matter of personal style, not permanent style.
Great points. I guess asking for permission to do it isn’t very “rock n roll”!
Your points about immaculate fit and dressing up, rather than down, are well made.
Perhaps the most rock and roll thing is to ask no one, but I do think its important to stop and ask yourself, and your foundational knowledge and self guiding principles for dressing. That way it is still you, and right by your own standards. That’s how you stop it from being cosplay. You can get away with more than you’d think if the fit of each piece is spot on, the materials are luxe, the colors play nice, and you ere on the side of being slightly overdressed (in terms of smartness, not number of items and accessories, of course). Tackling all of that normally consumes 95% of most men’s bandwidth for dressing, and in that, it typically means their wardrobes are capsule-esq collections of very conservative pieces that because of that already expended bandwidth, yield only tried and true conservative combinations, often out of fear of straying across invisible lines. I find though, that if all your pieces individually fit those criteria to start, you can afford yourself more bandwidth for including the odd Avant Garde designer or vintage piece or picking the stranger combinations, in terms of color, in terms of layering, in terms of proportion, in terms of high-low or mismatched combination. I think how we’re seeing Simon experiment with casual black suiting, with mismatched belt v shoe combos, and with a bit more playfulness in general lately, seems indicative of a wider shift in conservative dressing vs knowing mold breaking (for those who have already spent the time and money building that trusted foundation.) The way I approach permanent style, as someone who currently works in custom suiting but also has a high fashion womenswear background, where weird/new/trending xyz is king, is to use permanent style as a foundation, and a checklist, so that I can take calculated risks knowing I have the break-fall foundation of “the rules” to support those oxymoronic choices. It’s the old adage of you need to learn the rules to break them, and I think you also need to have the navy blazer to then knowingly pick the black one, understanding it’s out of place, and creating a context where either it isn’t, or it’s obviously a playful derision of the classic.
Just a small correction if I may. The original “Tonik”, produced by Dormeuil, was made from wool gathered from sheep in Patagonia, and not from goat wool as suggested in your article.
I don’t believe that’s right Peter – I checked with Dormeuil and they confirmed that when it was first produced in 1957 it was a mix of alpaca kid mohair (59&) and wool (41%), in the three-ply twist. There was always wool in the mix, usually for the whole of the warp, to stabilise it
Interesting. No Alpacas in Patagonia.
Hi Simon
It seems you and Peter are both half right on this point. The Dormeuil Tonik no longer uses Alpaca and seemingly hasn’t for a while. They take all their wool from sheep now.
On the point of mix for a DJ, I’ve always gone for 80/20. This gives you the lustre of mohair without loosing the softness you need in a dinner suit.
Thanks Martin, yes I was only talking about what was used originally. There are other processes which mean mohair can’t be made in the same way as it used to be, most particularly being flyer-spun, but also dyeing. There are also sustainability concerns about it which is one reason some stay away from it, or try to create more sustainable versions.
OK. I suppose the confusion arose because you said “made from the hair of the Angora goat”, suggesting it is made from it today, as opposed to you now saying that this is what it was made from originally.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Hi Martin. No, sorry I’m talking about both. The hair of the Angora goat is still used by everyone – that’s mohair.
But, the confusion may arise because pretty much all mohair cloth contains both mohair and wool in some mix. So at any stage wool from one animal might be used alongside mohair from the goat.
And, Dormeuil have largely replaced their Tonik offering today with something called Tonik Wool which is just a high-twist pure wool. It is kind of misnamed really.
And for clarification for everyone, because I regularly meet with Andrea who is the Dormeuil rep for the USA, and he told me about this bunch about 2 weeks ago, the “Tonik Wool” which as Simon said is basically a high twist bunch and is 100% wool, IS sheep’s wool exclusively from patagonia that is “fully traceable” according to them; however that bunch has nothing to do with the prior blends or bunches that also bare the Tonik name. They’re calling it Tonik because they want to leverage the sentimental capital of that name and think it can be used for the same sorts of purposes. That may be where that sentiment about Patagonia got introduced to our friend in the comments above.
Until a few years ago Dormeuil also had a bunch called Tonik 2000, which was sold as a modern recreation of the original. With a weight of 12 oz / 340 g and 30% mohair that wasn’t perhaps quite true. Nevertheless, a jacket that I got made of it tailored very well. It has a matte look look, but when the sun comes out the very dark burgundy colour turns into a warm red. However, the substantial fabric doesn’t perhaps wear as cool as I had hoped. It was indeed suggested as a summer alternative by my British tailor
Thanks Burt, yes they told me this is being worked on again too. The biggest aim with the bunch was to make something more sustainable, and that’s not possible with the original quality, so it had to be different. Good to hear your experiences – I haven’t seen it
AS always,great to see another guide.
Is this what I see our newsreaders on telly wearing generally or own more formal or solemn occasions, exquisite looking suits, probably tailored in Savile Row in dark navy or a more vivid blue … or black which seem to have a certain sheen??
In Summer trousers or even a suit, what do you prefer … standard Matt high twist fresco type fabric or one of the mohair types?
I doubt it Lindsay, I think it’s more likely to be a superfine wool
I prefer high-twist wools, not mohair
Interesting indeed.
I do need to have another study on superfine wools and thanks for that link.
I also prefer high-twist wools!
Many thanks
Lindsay
Hi Simon,
As Gianni Agnelli has been mentioned in this post, what is your opinion of his style?
Do you think his status as a handsome billionaire has somewhat influenced peoples opinion of his style, notwithstanding the fact that he wore excellent suits from Caracini?
I, personally could never see the wearing of the watch over the shirtsleeve as stylish , but could just about accept theheavy boots with suits and undone buttons on a button down shirt as quirky/esoteric/sprezzatura
Kindest Regards
Stephen
Hey Stephen,
Good point, perhaps it’s worth a post at some point. My general opinion is that yes, he was very stylish, but people focus too much on the slightly silly quirks, when the fact is that if he wasn’t very well dressed in other ways, he could never get away with those quirks. I’d take more from his overall style, and those quirks with a good pinch of salt. Something to consider but may well not be you
An excellent opinion Simon
Kindest Regards
Stephen
I think even more so than studying his style and trying to copy any of it, the parts worth copying included, understanding that simple principle: that if you are immaculately dressed and perceived as effortlessly put together, you can get away with quirkiness, or a button left undone that implies an actual lack of full effort. However, as the differentiator between the peacocks vs the agnellis of the world, that quirkiness only works if its authentic and original, that undone button or split tails on a tie, a loose watch, an odd choice of shoe, only works if it says something about you that is specific to you, rather than an attempt at being agnelli or someone else for that matter. I think those things specific to you are worth finding and developing though. Though the oxymoronic forced aloofness is almost always transparent to the exact bunch of observers you are probably trying hardest to impress. Of course, you can also get away with more if you’re a well known billionaire in Italy or are photographed watching the Ferrari team you own, from a yacht in Monaco; so if that’s the case for any readers, feel free to take more liberties. 😉
Nicely put, yes
One note on the watch over the sleeve thing – I’ve read and heard from several sources that Agnelli had a skin contact issue with certain metals, hence wearing it that way. On the other hand, I’ve also heard that this was due to the prevailing Italian tailoring style of the time of having shirt cuffs cut close the wrist – which seems odd given his access and ability customize anything he wanted.
Thanks, Simon, excellent post.
AandS recommended mohair to me — I think the exact quote was “put a little mohair in it” — as opposed to a fresco.
I did not realize Standeven was the king of mohair so I will explore that.
I had been looking at https://www.batemanogden.co.uk/Products/Mohair/2 , but the website does not specifiy the percentage of mohair.
I had also looked at https://www.hfwltd.com/search “mohair” and came up with a lot of Italian fabrics, more jacketing than suiting.
Good suggestion from A & S
I don’t know if this is something that’s noted often, but it I think it’s really nice to see references to your articles from 15 years ago. It shows a great deal of consistency in ideals even with the evolution of styles, and this blog. Really establishes the staying power and relevance of PS. Good work, Simon.
Thanks Zawaad
Love the Get Carter reference – awesome film and gives new meaning to ‘battle suit’!
Out of interest Simon, I would have assumed that was a worsted wool – what gives away the Mohair, just that little bit sharper in silhouette or the sheen (which I can’t really see TBH)?
Yes, exactly. But it might well be a low mohair count – going back to those two rough categories I mentioned. In that case it adds a touch of sharpness and lightness, but it isn’t that much of a look in the suit overall
I have an extremely clear childhood memory of being mesmerized by an Ozwald Boateng billboard featuring a very dark skinned man (probably Boateng himself, in retrospect) in a vibrant dark orange suit (probably mohair, in retrospect)
Chester Barrie’s factory in Crewe, long gone sadly, made RTW and MTM suits for other Savile Row tailors such as Ozwald Boateng and Huntsman. It was worth making a special journey to visit the factory shop, a few minutes walk from the railway station, which offered fantastic discounts.
Hi Simon,
Just FYI you have two % signs after “5-15” in the 3rd para, final sentence of the “High and low mohair content” section
Thanks Tom
With so many houses and tailors you’ve worked with, what guides your decisions these days on who’s going to make something that you have an idea for?
Did you see the articles earlier this year on who were my favourite tailors Christopher? That answered this question pretty much
Wait, how has no one mentioned Benny and The Jets? On a sincere note, its lyrics were how I (and I suspect many) first heard of a “mohair suit”, and I feel as if the song must have cemented the fabric’s candy-colored reputation in public imagination.
The phrase “men in mohair suits” was at one point part of the unofficial political lexicon in Ireland. It wasn’t exactly complimentary…
hi simon:
I’m looking forward to seeing you at the pop-up in new york next friday 18 october and being fitted for a MTO rifugio suede overshirt. as i will be making the trip in from the suburbs, will I need an appointment? many thanks and travel safe. best,
Hey Howie,
No, no need to make an appointment, don’t worry Lucas and I will both be there so there will always be someone there to help you and take measurements
I had a pair of black wool/Mohair (forget the ratios) trousers made up from Dormeuil cloth for the summer on the recommendation of my tailor. The year before I had had some wool/linen mix made up ll and they weren’t as cool as I had expected and so I took her advice and ordered them. They are a little bigger and roomier than usual and the crispness lets them stand off my legs a little more and seem to be a lil just a tad more airy. All of this is vital in hot, humid Asian summers. This is all part of long term plan for lightweight black and white or grey check jacket and white shirt for work and then an all black summer look for the evening (can’t think where I got the inspiration from…) . Have yet to find the right cloth for a jacket but the search goes on.
I love the 6/2 double breasted suit made for me by Kent & Haste in William Halstead light camel mohair. It remains perfectly crisp and cool in the summertime. Sorry for not wearing a proper shirt and tie here!
I have a suit with a mohair wool combination. I’d have to check to see the exact percentage. It’s ready-to-wear, a shade lighter than navy and well cut for me despite being RTW. Great suit, loved it, wore it quite a bit and admittedly, virtually I’ve used it several times as an interview suit over the years. That being said, I have another high twist suit in a similar cut that I’ve probably worn just as much. I find the mohair suit has almost retained its crispness to a fault. And while it has aged, it almost looks more tired than my high twist or other suits. I love the suit but it hardly comes out anymore because it just feels like it looks so tired (and not in a good English country house charming way) and hasn’t aged well. I’d be curious about other readers’ experiences. Understandably this wouldn’t be an issue with a tux.
I would like to chime in on the topic of sheen. I have a light grey mohair suit in the making due to having the luck of getting a hold of a vintage Tonik fabric length. I had the first fitting and the sheen seems very subdued, however having also recently gone for a heavier but also shinier Irish linen from
Dudgale, I now think that matte is by far the most versatile and elegant fabric for me.
Coincidentally I have just commissioned a black mohair suit from Elia Caliendo. Can’t remember the exact cloth but it was 60 mohair / 40 wool and I think from Standeven. It was surprisingly matte for such a high mohair content. The suit will be for funerals and evening events when I want to dress a bit more ‘fashion’ than normal.
I am a big fan of mohair across the spectrum of choices. Notably, I have a number things in the ( increasingly rare ) heavier weight, higher mohair percentage cloths. There is for sure a bit of a “shine element” but this can be much overstated. I think often people would not really notice that unless it was pointed out.Mohair is a fantastic fabric : light, very hard wearing, breathable and keeps its shape pretty well. I strongly urge people to put the mod suit thing behind them and consider it for their next suit. None of my dinner jackets are in mohair. I dont love it for evening wear precisely because it is quite a hard fibre and I prefer something more yielding in the evening.
I’ve always been interested in wool/mohair blend suits specifically in 70/30 or 70/25 blend around 9 or 10 oz. but I’m not sure if they’re right for me. I assume they cost more than a tropical wool suit, aren’t nearly as timeless and versatile in comparison and don’t drape as well.
Whether they cost more depends on the tropical wool – that varies a bit. But no, they fall down on those aspects and have some other benefits as mentioned in the piece
Hi Simon, does a heavy 60/40 mohair (say 400g) really not drape well? I’d read that it did e.g. here: https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/mohair-fabric-guide/
So it depends how you think about drape. It won’t flow in the same way that a wool will – think about actually drapes, curtains, how they fall. Mohair makes it stiffer so it doesn’t strictly speaking drape. It has great shape, but it’s a sharper less flexible shape.
Hope that helps
Many thanks Simon! Can I ask then what would be some of the ‘drapiest’ suiting/jacketing fabrics? Are they mostly worsted wools?
Yes they often are. The fabric needs some good body and flexibility but not too dense. Tweeds and linens often aren’t the best
What is “flyer-spun” and why is that “production technique…no long possible”? Thanks!
I won’t try and describe the process because I don’t think I would get it right, but it’s a method of spinning yarn and I believe it’s no longer possible any more because the machines don’t exist