Why
should I consider purchasing a
custom suit instead of just going
to a department store and buying
one?
Principal
reasons to purchase custom suits
are; fit, selection, quality,
and professional service. Rather
than buy whatever fashion dictates
in a given season, a custom suit
is designed from the ground up
to flatter the individual with
styles that are suited to their
personal shapes, tastes, and needs.
Many clients who can fit an off
the rack suit very well still
choose custom in order to have
a much broader range of fabrics
to choose from, and to control
the detail features of design
to suit their own tastes.
What
creates quality in a suit?
Obviously
fabric is the most visible part
of a suit, so using top quality
materials is important. But what's
inside a suit creates the soul
of the garment. A custom suit
really shows why it's an investment
after its been worn for years.
Canvas interlinings are often
used in place of the fusible interfacing
which dominates the suit world
today, allowing the coat to shape
to the owner. Bemberg linings
guarantee the longest wear, with
the most luxurious feel. Timeless
styling helps guarantee the investment
doesn't become obsolete in short
order. And perhaps most important
is the concept of leaving good
outlet, so that a garment can
be modified to fit if the customer
changes size.
The
tailored clothing industry measures
quality by counting the number
of intermediate pressing operations,
and the number of hand sewing
steps that are associated with
the garment. Modern tailors usually
offer at least a few different
grades, matched to the quality
of the material, to achieve cost
efficiency for the customer. For
more detailed answers to this
question, go to our Good, Better,
Best page.
What
defines a custom suit?
A
custom suit is one that is not
created until the customer has
placed an order, and then is built
to his specifications, both in
fit dimensions, and in style,
from a pattern that can then be
used again for repeat orders.
A true custom suit will be able
to account for different shoulder
and posture attitudes, and will
be cut one at a time, and then
be fitted to check for the accuracy
of the process. Hand made garments
have normal deviations from one
another, and no two are ever exactly
the same. Each will have its own
personality, shaped by the tailor
and customer working together.
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What's
it cost to have a suit made?
There
is a range based on fabric, and
grade of construction. A moderately
priced 2 piece custom suit will
range from $900 to $1100. This range
might be considered a starter custom
suit, well suited to the young man
beginning his professional wardrobe.
In this category there is less hand-work
but still delivers a true custom
fitted gament. A top line custom
suit, using fabrics from Zegna,
Loro Piana, Barberis, Holland and
Sherry and many of the top mills
will fall between $1400- $2500.
A suit using rare and exotic fibres
like cashmere, mink or vicuna will
range from $3,500-$10,000.
How
long does it take to have one made?
Usually
the process takes from 4 to 8 weeks,
based on where the fabric is coming
from, and seasonal demand. Smart
buyers place orders for spring summer
wardrobes in January, and for fall
wardrobes in July, giving the tailors
plenty of time to be ready. About
90% of our suits are completed within
4-5 weeks
What
is meant by "Made to Measure"?
What
is the "made to measure" industry?
It's the shops and factories where
custom orders from tailors all over
the world are placed to be cut,
sewn, and then delivered back to
tailors to try on their customers.
The benefits to such a system are
substantial. Just like in a traditional
"full custom" suit, made in the
work rooms of master tailors, a
pattern is produced that is individually
created for one specific customer.
The success of the garment is based
on the measurements, observational
skills, and artistic creation of
the designer who is taking the order,
as well as the quality level of
the made to measure house that is
building the garment. This should
not be confused with "special order"
garments, offered by retailers and
department stores. Special order
suits usually allow variations in
just a few places from a stock model
suit carried by the retailer. You
can sometimes change the sleeve
length, or order the pants in a
different size than the suit might
normally carry, but there is no
unique pattern created and little
style variation you can request
with a special order |
What
is the difference between a "made-to-measure
suit" and one that is "full custom"?
The
primary difference in the two processes
are that a made to measure suit
usually arrives for it's first fitting
(or try-on) at a stage of almost
95% completion. Usually, the suit
can arrive sometimes without the
sleeves of the garment being finished
for length, and the front buttonholes
of the coat might be left off till
the fitting to allow some latitude
in the final placement, although
the roll of the lapel will have
already been determined. Sometimes,
the pant bottoms are also left unfinished,
so that the customer can have the
hem set with the exact shoes he
will be wearing. After making final
adjustments, the garment should
be measured and the alterations
recorded, so that on subsequent
orders, the pattern will be corrected,
and over time, a refinement of design
and preferences are created. Some
made to measure sellers are so confident
and understand the systems of their
makers so well, that they will sometimes
try to deliver the suits with out
a fitting In contrast, the fitting
process that takes place with full
custom usually involves several
fittings to create the final garment.
At the first stages, the custom
will witness what is called the
basted fitting, or try-on garment.
At this early stage in production,
a garment is just loosely stitched
together (so that is can be disassembled
after the fitting), without lapels,
and sometimes without sleeves to
check the balance and hang of the
body. At the next fitting, sleeves
are checked for proper hang, basted
initially then carefully resewn.
Experienced tailors are a necessity
at every stage to work with this
skillfully crafted garment. After
multiple fittings, you have a garment
that is sculpted around the wearer. |
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