Is a bespoke suit any different from a tailored one or even an off-the-peg suit?
Tailoring has traditionally been done by hand. Even after the industrial revolution, the majority of work involving tailored suits was done in the same way.
However, with increased use of machinery, ready-made clothes rapidly entered the clothing scene. Tailoring has since evolved into two different forms. The traditional way of tailoring came to be known as bespoke, derived from the words be speak. It’s the act of demanding a suit keeping in mind the person’s lifestyle needs and measurements, made out of a fabric of their choice.
Mass production over the past few decades has allowed for a custom suit to be made with a fabric of choice but with minimal or no handiwork. Fewer stock measurements are taken and then compared to a precut pattern, and this benchmark pattern is then adjusted to fit the person ordering it in the best possible manner. Machinery is used to limit the amount of manual work and intervention to minimise costs.
Bespoke tailoring involves an in-depth first session with an experienced tailor at the time of commissioning your suit. It includes choosing a fabric, discussing the purpose of the suit, the pocket and lapel styles and lifestyle preferences down to the minutest detail.
The session also includes taking a set of 50 unique measurements, along with a notation of different nuances of your body as no two people are alike.
A bespoke suit serves as a true companion in life and serves its purpose loyally for the plentiful years to come.
