by Max Donos Sometimes in sewing, the right project simply needs to wait for the right moment.
They say opportunity favours the prepared—and this linen safari suit was a project two years in the making. What began as an outfit concept for my oldest son’s summer work wardrobe ultimately took on a life of its own, complete with a dramatic African backdrop!
The initial inspiration for this project stemmed from a sharp, vintage Tom Ford safari jacket paired with generously cut, relaxed trousers—a silhouette that perfectly balances structured menswear with summer ease.
To achieve that classic, laid-back utility look, we needed a textile with equal parts body and breathability. As always, my go-to Fabricville store in Gatineau came through. Their seasonal selection of natural linens and linen blends is second to none. For this ensemble, we settled on a light khaki linen-cotton blend. It has that rich tactile texture characteristic of pure linen, but the cotton content adds structural stability and cuts down on excessive creasing—ideal for crisp tailored details.
For the foundation, I turned to a trusted staple in my pattern library: Burda Style Magazine (No. 128, 04/2014) for the jacket structure, paired with a reliable Burda pants block I’ve successfully modified in previous tailored builds.
As with most of my high-fashion inspired creations, pattern modifications were key:
I completed all the pattern alterations, cut out the fashion fabric and interfacing, and began initial assembly. And then… life happened. The cut pieces were carefully put on pause, tucked away in the studio for over two years.
The sudden catalyst to finally finish the suit came with an unexpected summer trip to a hot, vibrant destination: Egypt.
With a travel deadline looming, the sewing engine went into overdrive! The remaining assembly took roughly four broken days of intense studio work—attaching structural interfacing, perfecting topstitching on the khaki linen, and completing the final fit adjustments.
Once we landed in Cairo, we held an impromptu fitting session. All the men in the family gave the suit a try, but the unanimous verdict was clear: Dad was rocking the silhouette best! Naturally, the task of modeling the finished piece fell on me.
We photographed the suit against the breathtaking backdrop of the historic Pasha Ismail Palace. Built specifically to welcome Empress Eugénie and composer Giuseppe Verdi (who famously premiered his opera Aida in these very gardens) for the inauguration of the Suez Canal, the palace today forms part of the Cairo Marriott Hotel.
Standing amidst the nineteenth-century arches and lush gardens in the scorching Cairo heat, the suit felt completely in its element. The khaki linen-cotton blend proved its worth instantly—casual enough to feel entirely effortless, yet tailored meticulously enough to look distinguished and put together.
