Life & Style | People

Q&A with Matthew Mueller of Knot Standard

Matthew Mueller is the founder and owner of Knot Standard, an online clothing company that hand-makes bespoke suits. Their mission, they say, is to make you proud of the way you look. Mueller, an American based in Dubai, tells us what Knot Standard brings to the bespoke table and whether their global service can give Savile Row a run for its money.

By Craig Hawes, Features Editor, Alpha magazine
Published: 10:37 October 29, 2012

Image Credit: Supplied picture
Matthew believes that one suit every man should own is a tuxedo.

What does Knot Standard bring to Dubai’s already crowded tailoring scene?
Knot Standard makes creating a high-end custom suit an easy process. Anyone who has made a suit in Dubai has a horror story of mistakes, endless fittings, or even being cheated by fake fabric – we’re here to change that, and not just in Dubai. Just like the best tailors in town, our suits are all bespoke – but you can order online from anywhere in the world just as easily as in our offices.

To what extent can your clients customize their suits? Are they simply getting a standard template cut to their measurements, or do they have a say in all the details, such as number of vents, buttons, size of lapels etc.
Every suit we make is cut from scratch to your pattern, and yours alone – nothing is made to measure. Since it’s also put together by hand, our clients can customize literally any aspect of the suit. We limit the options to make it easier for first-time clients to digest, but it’s great to watch people step out of their comfort zone and make the suit truly theirs.

How long will it take for my suit to get made?
We construct and ship our shirts to your door in 3-4 weeks.

The process of getting a suit made with Knot Standard seems a bit faceless and impersonal. Do your clients have face-to-face access to a local Knot Standard representative if they need one?
Absolutely – we have local representatives in about 15 markets right now, and of course our offices in Dubai, New York City, and Washington DC. We are expanding every day, adding individual Bespoke Advisors and Certified Tailoring Partners in cities to measure up our clients in person, help them design their perfect creation, and ensure that everything fits perfectly.

The tailors on London’s Savile Row are regarded as the standard bearers for the suit-making industry. How close to that top-level of bespoke tailoring is Knot Standard?
The top tailors in London, New York, and Hong Kong are at the pinnacle of the craft, and are truly artists who can take months and thousands of dollars to produce the perfect suit. Knot Standard, by comparison, is the Ambassador of bespoke tailoring to people that haven’t had the pleasure of making a truly custom suit before. We use the same high-end Italian fabrics, and cater to professionals that buy designer suits – they deserve to have their suit created just for them, not made to be bought off-the-rack.

If a man only owns one suit, what kind of suit should that be?
A tuxedo – when you need one, there is simply no alternative.

Do you think formal menswear is making a comeback?
Types of style always move in cycles – to stand out from the crowd, a man has to be unique and well put together. More formal pairings – a great jacket, French cuffs, a three-piece suit – are making a comeback because they’re tried-and-true, but set you apart from the more casual style that was popular in the last few years. The style of formalwear is always evolving, though – which is why we’re seeing less structure in formal wear, like soft shoulders on jackets and simple, clean patterns.

QUICK QUESTIONS

If I wasn’t doing this I would be…a pilot
A person who has had a big influence on my life: My grandfather, maker of a perfect dirty martini
A fictional character after my own heart: Tony Stark
A word or expression that I use a lot: “Believe it or not…”
Stuff I always travel with: My wife