Jean-Manuel Moreau, Paris

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Perhaps the most striking thing about Jean-Manuel Moreau’s operation in Paris is how long it’s been around.

Most shops we cover track their origins back 10 or 12 years. It’s in this period that stores like Trunk, The Armoury, Anderson & Sheppard Haberdashery and many other independents have been founded. As well as countless brands.

Basically, Jean-Manuel pre-dates #menswear.

He started 18 years ago, as a made-to-measure shirt operation out of a small showroom. Two years later he added tailoring, working with Orazio Luciano in Naples, becoming one of the first to offer their product.

JM was prescient there too, anticipating by several years the Neapolitan vogue. “For a while I was the only one offering it in Paris, and it took a lot of explanation,” he says. “The shirt shoulder, the pleats in the top of the sleeve – most customers hadn’t seen it before.”

He has a similarly long relationship with Domenico Mazzarelli in Puglia for shirts.

Today, Jean-Manuel has a bigger operation, in a brand-new shop.

He moved in 2019, to a quiet street around the corner from Avenue Montaigne. It’s an open, light-filled space, with the back half sectioned off for appointments.

The larger store also gives him more room to exhibit the casual wear he’s increasingly been adding. There are nice long-sleeved polo shirts, sahariana jackets from 100 Hands, and both ready-made and MTM blousons from Sartoria Melina. Plus the Mazzarelli shirt range.

My impression has always been that Parisian men are less likely to dress up, or to spend money on clothing, and Jean-Manuel backs this up. “People still wear suits for fun and special occasions, but for business it’s almost obsolete,” he says.

“So we offer more and more options for wearing good clothes casually: a sports jacket with chinos, or a polo shirt and safari jacket. There’s still a real gap there for quality, because many men don’t know how to wear this style, or where to get the best product.”

Jean-Manuel has a particularly strong reputation for customer service.

I asked several friends in Paris about their impressions or experience, and the level of care was mentioned time and again.

“He will stop at nothing to make sure the customer is happy, and takes a genuine interest in everyone,” commented one. “I’ve been buying clothing from him for 10 years, and the thing that keeps me coming back most is that confidence that he will make sure I get what I want,” said another.

The shop used to do more trunk shows with visiting artisans, but those have been cut back for this reason: it was too hard to guarantee the product.

Jean-Manuel also works in his own way with Orazio Luciano.

So although Orazio makes up a completed suit in the same way it would with anyone else, JM uses his own worksop for all alterations. This gives him greater control, as well as speed.

“I want to be very involved in the process, and this is the only way to do it,” he says. “It also means I can make small changes very easily, like the sleeve lining or different buttons.”

The model Jean-Manuel offers is also slightly different to standard Orazio. It is longer, more roomy in the body, and has a lower gorge. The buttoning point is a little lower, and the quarters rather open. In general, it's more conservative and less Neapolitan.

“That started right at the beginning, when I needed something that was more approachable for the French customer,” he says. “We made it cleaner, perhaps more English. And now it is our standard – it’s a very specific model that we maintain at the Orazio factory.”

Friends in Paris also commented on Jean-Manuel’s style, which while very classic, often incorporates strong colour.

He wears quite a lot of royal blue, for example, and sometimes paler shoes. That means some of the accessories in the shop, and colours of shirts or shoes, are a little bright for me – but at the same time, I would also look to him for ideas on how to wear colour effectively.

One French reader commented that this sophistication was something that particularly set Jean-Manuel apart from the many, cheaper MTM houses that have sprung up in Paris in recent years.

I was initially interested in Jean-Manuel because the made-to-measure tailoring was recommended to me.

It is also quite accessible to readers, as he travels frequently to Geneva, regularly to New York (5/6 times a year) and occasionally to London and Brussels (2/3 times a year). He has several large clients in Africa too.

So when I went to the store last year, I commissioned a cream-linen suit, to replace the Kent Haste & Lachter one I had made years ago. Same linen, just a very different style and make.

The pictures here were taken when I picked up the suit (after two fittings) in Paris. Below is Nicholas, who has been working with Jean-Manuel for over 10 years (and actually recently became a partner in the business).

Coverage of the suit will come later, with a focus specifically on reviewing it and comparing to other made-to-measure.

For the moment, I can certainly recommend Jean-Manuel, his shop and whole team to anyone visiting Paris.

I'm also interested to see how his offering develops in the coming years, given the more casual options he's adding. And I'm keen to try the shoes of Gian Luca Bocache from Bocache Salvucci Calzolai in Rome (below).

Bocache makes bespoke shoes, visiting the JMM shop once a month at least, as well as often travelling with him to New York. The bespoke starts at €2000, and JMM also carries some as RTW in the shop, made to the same standard.

Photography: Alex Natt @adnatt, or Jean-Manuel Moreau

Jean-Manuel Moreau's made-to-measure suits start at €2400, and jackets €1800. 
Made-to-measure shirts start at €240.

Many thanks to Jean-Manuel and the whole team for their hospitality during my different visits. 

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Nick Inkster

Wow.

I would give JM 10/10 for the style of his jackets and shirt collars. Haven’t seen anything like this for a while.

I look forward to seeing the finished linen suit.

Nick

Looking forward to seeing the full suit! I certainly think it does make sense (if budget is at all an issue) considering MTM for tailoring that by it’s nature will be worn less frequently, I have an Anglo-Italian db suit in tobacco w. bill and am very happy with it. Also given that I don’t wear it as often as say a navy wool suit it wouldn’t have made sense to go bespoke. What is the price for JMM? Also regarding parisians, I was last there in September and it actually struck me that more men seemed to wear ties (I am not commenting on the quality of tailoring here, I mean look at Macron…) than in London, so it is surprising that he says that the suit is basically gone.

On a side note, do you plan to cover Lutays at some point (I know they are meant to be at the next pop-up) my main question, to be honest is the price, for unstructured garments it seems very high… that being said I do like the look of the Ace model.

Ian A

Yes, I wish Boris Johnson would learn from Macron. Even if Johnson went to a city or suburban bespoke tailor it would be an improvement.

Burt

Very informative and well-written, thank you.

Mr. Moureau seems to know precisely what he wants. Both with regard to his style and to customer service. That last thing is something other clothing companies (also bespoke) could learn something of. It is time consuming to follow up but in the end rewarding.
Very informative and well-written, thank you.

Prince Florizel of Bohemia

Dear Simon,

This is not directly related to the text but rather to one of the pictures. Jean-Manuel appears to wear navy (probably bright navy) trousers at one of the pictures with a gunc lub jacket. Odd navy trousers are reappearing subject on this blog. Do you think that the outfit in question works and if so, and if not, why? Thank you.

David G

Do you think the GC comes over as grey? It doesn’t to me, and I think it is as good an example as I have seen of why blue odd trousers can work so well.

What is most evident from the photos, though, is that this is a man who has style. It’s not a question of what colour top goes which what colour bottom, but more that he knows how to wear clothes.

They actually fit properly, they don’t make him look trussed up, and the cut (pretty similar in all the pics) actually suits him so well. So when you get to that point, all you then really have to do it play with the fabrics.

This gentleman can teach everybody on this site some really worthwhile lessons.

David

I agree that J.M. Moreau’s views on style might make for good reading.

Prince Florizel of Bohemia

Dear Simon, thank you for your intersting answer. I apologize for double posting my comment. As long time reader, I’m aware of the moderation policy. Something went wrong when I posted it for the first time and I din’t see the box.

François B

To give my own review as a customer for 5 years, JMM offer is outstanding. The quality of advice and client care is almost perfect (especially with Nicolas). The price range can be considered as high compare to most of others Parisian MTM offer, but they do not compete in the same league. They still offer Ambrosi range (I received my last trousers yesterday) and it really helps that they do alteration in house to gain time and have a consistent product.

Paul F

Not to mention that their alteration tailor is truly VERY, VERY good.

Paul F

I am very happy to see Jean-Manuel being featured on PS. It is highly deserved. The whole team is knowledgeable, charming and helpful. I couldn’t but recommend them.
I’ve ordered from many different makers. Yet, half of my wardrobe comes from Jean-Manuel. There is a good reason for that. Consistency, excellent customer service and great style from Jean-Manuel and Nicolas. It’s one thing to be good at advising people, it’s yet another when you’re an inspiration yourself, which Jean-Manuel most certainly is, for many people, including myself.
His use of the lighter or brighter color palette is refreshing and he carries it with great poise and charisma.
Thank you Simon for shedding light on one of Europe’s best menswear stylists.

Paul

A very interesting post Simon. I shy away from Neapolitan sports jackets as I really dislike short jackets but this may well be a solution. Is there a good range of cloth available?

Robin

Is the profit margin for tailors on MTM the same as bespoke or different ?
(Just interested in the business model of each ).

Also with MTM shouldn’t we see more accessible pricing as a great deal of automation enters the market?

Robin

You mention Suit Supply which is interesting ….. I have a utmost respect for what they do in menswear , possibly the best on the high street given that they do in-house alterations .
But their online MTM I would question …. MTM surely needs to be a personal experience involving being expertly measured.

I think PS readers Ould welcome your insight into Suit Supply MTM as a comparator of the other MTM you are looking to critique in the furture.

Paul F

Just to clarify, Jean-Manuel Moreau is definitely the most reasonable Orazio Luciano retailer worldwide. It’s actually not far from being 1000 EUR cheaper for a suit than some of the other retailers.

Herve

Salut Simon!

Good that you write of JMM. He is very soigné.

I am too gourmand to fit his clothes but many of my friends have him as their tailoring. The shop is closed but so is Paris in the moment, hope to open again in these days!

Good courage

PP

Very nice style—and close to what permanent style actually means! However, don’t you think that almost all trousers are far too short? I mean, they would benefit stylistically if they were 1-2 cm longer.

PP

Definitely classic enough. I was just wondering if your choice would be 1-2 cm longer.

Robin

On the subject of MTM my understanding is that you can make alterations ‘on the block’ to get a better fit for the customer .
Is it the case that essentially all MTM is working within the same scope around fit (I.e. by how much it can change on the block) or can some MTM do more then others?

Note : I’m not talking here about MTM differences between some houses that do hand finish compared to others that do machine finish …. I’m asking particularly around measurements and cut .

Roger Seegobin

Simon, I have enjoyed reading this post, very smart photos showing beautiful fitted garments.
Looking forward to seeing the linen suit, I am such a sucker for linen items.
Roger.

Anonymous

To be honest I didn’t liked your cord Orazio Luciano jacket, but the peaces of JM look incredible.

Would you say the fit is as good as bespoke?

Is the Orazio Luciano Model from JM still on the slimmer side of Neapolitans or more in the middle like Dalcuore?

How long does the commission of a suit take?

How do his MTM shirts compare to Simone Abbrachi MTM?

Scott

That was an interesting comment about Parisian men not wearing suits much any more. For some reason I thought that they still wore suits a lot and had not succumbed to the casual craze. I always have a soft spot for Paris as I got engaged there. Excellent article.

Jai Kharbanda

I had some shirts made by JMM when I was last in Paris for a weekend some months ago and kick myself for not having known about him when living there a year ago. The shirts have yet to arrive but I can certainly corroborate all the comments on their service. I didn’t deal with JM directly but with Nicholas. He was so warm and welcoming to both myself and my other half that I’d look past the inconvenience of travelling to Paris for additional fittings or garments.

Jason

Interesting.
As I said on a previous post, I had Anglo-Italian to me a MTM three seasons, births, deaths and marriages suit and am extremely happy with it. They did a great job – it’s super elegant and the service was first class.
Ironically, I’ll stick to bespoke for my irregular purchases of casual suits (cord, linen etc..) but simply can’t justify it on a cost per wear basis for a more formal suit.
Other posters mention this and it would be great if you could do a head to head review of the better MTM offers ?

Jason

For me, it’s natural.
From time to time I attend a wedding, a christening or sadly a funeral or alternatively I have a rare social event that requires the proverbial ‘Cary Grant’ suit – this is where MTM comes in – the £ per wear just don’t justify bespoke.
Conversely, I wear Corduroy and Linen suits a lot and will continue with bespoke.

Naush Malik

Also had a very good experience with JMM and Nicholas. Was measured out in the store and had my suit delivered to me in Dubai in just a few weeks

Naush Malik

I should point out that the attention to detail during the fitting process was impressive, and significantly more assuring than during a couple of bespoke commissions on Savile Row.

Ian A

Simon what happened to your Kent Haste & Lachter suit? Has it worn out?

Matt H

I rate JMM’s style very highly. He consistently puts together outfits which I would rate as flawless.

Interesting that the label reads JMM per Orazio Luciano. Normally it would be the other way around. How much work is done in the store?

Anonymous

You make a moderately big thing about how long the shop has been open in comparison to the other nornally covered here. I am wondering what your views are of the alternatives were at the time (especially as most shops will be less old than your blog)?

Were they a trailblaizer that saw an opportunity before the rest did or is it more that their peers of that the time have failed to keep up and fallen away or taken a different approach?

Rupesh

Hi Simon,

Is there an e-mail address where JMM can reached or other contact details.

Thanks

Rupesh

U.S.K

Leaving the endless praise JM and his team deserve for their professionalism and diligence…
What has always struck home with me since I walked into their previous humble store 5 years ago was the kindness and humility expressed to what would seem a very “small” customer. We started our partnership with a plain white MTM shirt and today I sport several well-made garments from them. Nicholas and JM respect everyone, regardless whether you are a millionaire or a student starting out in the Sartorial adventure. Situated in one of the most exclusive districts of Paris, it can be daunting to some on a budget to even think about JM. However, I vouch for their fairness in pricing and with the time the spend to get your wishes fulfilled and with their level of patience – I can only recommend others to place their full faith in this magic trio!

JB

Looking forward to the review. Their own block of OL sounds and looks more flattering based on their instagram (and indeed the sneak peak they posted of you a while back).
Based on your cream linen trousers, they seem to cut a nice pattern on those too.

Al

This man has the finest taste I’ve seen in a while. His use of colors is outstanding and “modern”. I suggest an article on “how to dress like Jean Manuel Moreau” soon.

George

Great article, Simon.
What I don’t understand is the difference in prices, comparing to some other providers.
Take for instance Cad&the Dandy. Apparently a bespoke offer, yet cheaper than JMM, which is MTM.
C&td – a suit starting at 1200 pound.
JMM – 2400 Euro.
How to explain the difference?
Personal style? Quality of advice?
Quality of the garment? Ability to measure that results in a better fit?

Thanks.