Bespoke Suits

THE "B" Word

A Common Branding Lure.

BESPOKE

Bespoke derives from the verb Bespeak (to speak for).

The word itself dates back to 1583 and defined as goods,

especially clothing made to order.

HISTORY

During the 1700s tailors would keep their materials

on their premises and when customers would specifically

ask for a fabric it was considered "spoken for" ,

hence bespoken for.  

The term "bespoke" as applied to suit making is understood

to have originated on Savile Row, in the 1800s.  After the

Industrial Revolution "bespoke" became a description for specially

commissioned products vs. mass-produced, ready-made products.

Until recently, very few knew about bespoke unless you were

ultra wealthy.  It used to be an underground market but

since so many brands use the term

interchangeably with Custom or Made-To-Measure 

(Su Misura) the term "bespoke" has become more mainstream.  

Even though "bespoke" is an over used word present day,

 the true meaning of bespoke remain a rare one-of-one offering.

 It is not for everyone but rather for those who appreciate

the very highest of quality and willing to go through great

lengths to acquire what they desire. To better understand

bespoke as it relates to suit making, we must first understand

there are different methods of suit manufacturing.

METHODS

 

Ready-To-Wear

Standard size garments are often referred as Off-The-Rack.

 This type of clothing is mainly offered in retail stores.  

Off-The-Rack garments are mass-produced which is

the most popular and efficient manufacturing method

used by most clothing brands today. 

 

Made-To-Measure

The next level of garment making is Made to Measure.

  This method is considered the most common among

custom tailored garments as it is made affordable

to a broader audience.   These types of custom garments

are created from a pre-existing block pattern.

Any size adjustments are made after the garment is

finished. This limits the ability to achieve a superior

fit since the pattern is already finalized.

CUSTOM TAILORING 

Custom tailoring is a step above Made To Measure

yet inferior to bespoke tailoring. Similar to bespoke,

custom tailoring uses an original pattern during the

suit making process, unlike MTM tailoring.

One main difference between custom and bespoke

is the fitting process. In custom tailoring, garments

are immediately produced as with MTM tailoring.

Excluding measurements, all fittings are completed

with a suit in its already finished stage. Again

this limits the ability to achieve a superior fit since

the pattern is already finalized. At this stage you are

limited to minor alterations. Usually 2 to 3 fittings are

provided with this custom tailoring method. It is

essentially an economy version of Bespoke.

Bespoke Tailoring

Bespoke refers to clothing made from an original pattern

with a series of fittings in the unfinished stage.  

The bespoke tailoring method places a heavy focus

on the pattern making process by which a suit is created. 

Bespoke Suits are never offered online hence it is a

service not a point of sale purchase. You should expect at

least 3 - 4 fittings at a minimum along with a baste fitting.  

During your first fitting fabrics and style options are

discussed as with all other custom tailoring methods.

Your tailor will record at least 30 different measurements

as well as note your posture variables in order to

start drafting an original pattern. During your first fitting,

a baste or muslin garment will be used to test the pattern,

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not a finished suit - it should

be an unfinished suit in it's skeleton-stage.   This is probably

the most important aspect of the bespoke tailoring.  

 It is during this stage pattern adjustments will be made to

accommodate you with a perfect fit.  This advance level of

pattern-making is what distinguishes bespoke from, custom

and made to measure. Bespoke is about placing layer upon layers

of pattern adjustments to achieve a fit that is superior to any

other form of garment making as with couture dressmaking.  

The pattern is tested at the basted stage as many times as

needed prior to finishing a bespoke suit vs. tailoring a finished

suit after-the-fact.  There are so many aspects of what can

and can not be altered without compromising the integrity

of a finished suit - but that is beyond the scope of this article.