The Coat Route: Craft, Luxury, & Obsession on the Trail of a $50,000 Coat,New

In todays world of fast fashion, is there a place for a handcrafted $50,000 coat?When journalist Meg Lukens Noonan learned of an unthinkably expensive, entirely handcrafted overcoat that a fourthgeneration tailor had made for one of his longtime clients, she set off on an adventure to understand its provenance, and from that impulse unspooled rich and colorful stories about its components, the centuriesold bespoke industry and its traditions, and the master craftsmen whose trade is an art form.In The Coat Route, Noonan pieces together the creation of the coat in question, tracing its elements to their farflung sources, from the remote mountains of Peru, where villagers shear vicunaswhose soft fleece is more coveted and rare than the finest cashmereto the fabulous Florentine headquarters of Stefano Ricci, the worlds greatest silk designer; from the familyowned French fabric house Dormeuil, founded in 1842, which drapes kings, presidents, and movie stars to the 150yearold English buttonmaking firm that creates the ne plus ultra of fasteners out of Indian waterbuffalo horn and the workshop of the master hand engraver who makes the eighteenkarat gold plaque that hangs inside the coats collar. We meet the dapper soninlaw of an Australian wine baron who commissions the coats creation, and we come to know John Cutler, one of the top bespoke tailors in the world, who works his magic with scissors and thread out of his Sydney shop, redolent of cedar and English wool.Featuring a cast of offbeat, obsessed, and wildly entertaining characters, The Coat Route presents a rich tapestry of local masters, individual artisans, and familyowned companies that have stood against the tide of mass consumerism. As Noonan comes to realize, these craftsmen, some of whom find themselves on the brink of retirement with no obvious successors, have increasing reason to believe that their way is the best waybest for their customers, best for the environment, and best for the quality of life of all involved. The Coat Route is a love song to things of lasting value.Praise for The Coat RouteA spirited tour of fashion history . . . The Coat Route compels us to remember that behind every garment is a deep history and a pair of human handswhether those hands stitched the dresss hem or pulled a lever that stringed together that $30 musthave jacket.The Wall Street JournalDelightful . . . The Coat Route celebrates those who work with their hands, creating something beautiful and lasting.The Seattle Times[Meg Lukens Noonans] exploration of the business of fashion is fascinating and thorough, and her examination of bespoke goods redefines the words luxury and obsession.The Daily BeastTraditions of bespoke tailoring (and other related crafts) are skirting the edge of extinction. Noonans delightful story makes us hope they endure.Publishers WeeklyA fabulous story, brilliantly told . . . I couldnt have enjoyed it more.Bill BrysonAs captivating as any mystery or thriller, The Coat Route demystifies the rarefied universe of bespoke tailoring and provides a lens into the culture that covets it. It educates and inspires. I couldnt put it down!Tim Gunn