Customer review - Josianne Morel

Photo by Scott Sebring

Earlier this year I got to meet a number of my clients when I attended the Gallifrey One convention. We had the chance to get together for a unique photo-shoot with five of the Ten Coats I had made!

One of the group, Josianne Morel (see left, seated), is one of my more unusual clients – a woman who cross dresses as Ten.

Here is her review of the coat she commissioned from me.

Photo by Minh Doan

This whole adventure started early this summer when I discovered Doctor Who. At first, I didn’t want to cosplay The Doctor, as I am a woman and that I really don’t have the same body structure as David Tenant, but I soon figured out that I loved the character way too much not give it a go.

So I started to look around for others who had done the outfit before. A few names popped up: Magnoli’s tailoring shop, Baron Boutique, etc. When I started to enquire about the trench coat, one name kept popping up over and over again: Steve Ricks. A lot of fans and costumers were telling me that he was making the best replicas of Tennant’s trench coat out there.

Photo by Minh Doan

Photo by Minh Doan

By then, I wanted to make the best possible replica of the outfit as I possibly could. I wasn’t certain if I wanted to buy the suit or make it. The choice was pretty much taken from me when Magnoli’s Tailoring shop told me they would not make me a suit because I was a woman. So, I decided to buy their fabric and give it a go myself. But, I didn’t want to tackle the coat. So, I went and took a look at Steven’s web site and was impressed with it, so I promptly sent him an email inquiring as to how I could order a coat from him since I knew the suit would give me a handful. The first thing that amazed me was his customer’s service. He answered me within the hour. And that speed continued through out the whole process.

Photo by Minh Doan

He first sent me fabric and lining samples. I was impressed with the presentation. I settle on the most accurate fabric and lining, the brown Malabar and stripped lining.

Photo by Minh Doan

Photo by Minh Doan

It needs to be said that I have been more or less looking for a unique trench coat for the better part of 12 years. Nothing seemed to catch my eyes in the stores, and if I found one that I really like, it was not fitted for me at all. So when I received my Timelord Trench coat, I was overjoyed. The first things I notice were the fit and the weight of the coat. The fit was very nearly perfect and the coat had a very nice weight to it. At first I though the waist line was ½ inch to low, but I decided that it wasn’t all that bad since I would wear it most of the time open and I closed it, it fell at the right place. The length was perfect for me, ankle length. Then, I started to look at the workmanship. I was awed at his skills. My gut feeling had been right; he had been the right guy for the job. All the money and all the waiting time had been more then worth it. This was the trench coat I had been looking for all of these years! And the fact that I am a woman didn’t bother him at all. He adjusted his pattern to fit my figure.

Photo by Minh Doan

Photo by Minh Doan

I have not had my coat for long, but it is now my new everyday coat. To my surprise, it is quite warm too. I could wear it most of winter time with a wool shirt underneath.

I would not hesitate to recommend Steve to anyone, man or woman. His communication is excellent and his workmanship is second to none. Even if the price is steep, the quality of his work is more then worth the price. The coat you will get is the coat M. David Tennant wore as the Doctor, period.

Photo by Minh Doan

Action photos by Minh Doan © 2010