My Made-to-Measure Suit Experience at Suitsupply
I couldn’t go bespoke, but I couldn’t bring myself to go off the rack, either. These exact thoughts echoed in my mind repeatedly when I went for my first proper suit last summer. It’s hard to say what is and what isn’t a proper suit. At that time and now, I consider ‘proper’ to mean a couple of things:
Not mass-produced
It has the fundamental correct style overall and in detail
That might be vague to some people, but it was as clear as the summer night sky to me. I just wanted something that was properly mine, made for me, as it were. Thankfully, that’s what made-to-measure (MTM) is all about.
What’s the difference between bespoke and made-to-measure?
Made-to-measure involves choosing a set of pre-made fabrics (up to 200 usually). You have up to 20 measurements taken in one fitting and various design choices on the details. That information is sent to a factory off-site (sometimes abroad) to have the suit made to your measurements and styling and then you receive your final product. The final suit is often one that is available ready-to-wear from the brand, but this one is made to your measurements and style choices.
Cost: from £700 - £1200
Bespoke tailoring is very similar but much more expansive (and expensive): you can craft a completely unique fabric with a master tailor and the supplier or choose from a broader range (up to 3,000 sometimes). You may have more measurements taken and you can completely customise any feature of the garments (e.g. build specific type pockets on the inside of your jacket depending on your occupational needs). The suit is crafted on-site and may involve two or more fittings along the journey before it is finally handed to you.
Cost: from £1,500 - £15,000
Where I decided to go for my MTM suit
At this point, that was all I knew about what I wanted (plus some extra styling details), but I certainly needed the help. I would not and could not sort this out for myself. In this case, going to Suitsupply in London was my only option.
There are some excellent MTM services online too, but it’s all rather useless if you don’t know your measurements and don’t have the skills to measure yourself correctly. Not least, to also understand how measurements dictate nuance in the fitting.
With my holiday booked off work and train ticket bought, I made my way to London, not with a fury cat as Whittington did, but with a firm belief that I would return in high spirits.
I was asked to make an appointment when I walked in so that somebody could be available in half an hour to guide me and consult.
After a quick espresso break in The Service (a menswear-themed coffee shop) situated in the middle of Savile Row, I went back into the store to get started.
What happened next?
Next, I was greeted by my style consultant, Jorge, who was impeccably helpful from the start. First, we went downstairs to see the 'rack' of suits available, but it was soon apparent that for my size and fit, it would have to be custom-made, as planned.
Going back upstairs and towards the back of the store, there is a dedicated area of consultations where whole shelves of 'books' sit in which you can look and choose various fabrics available.
The most important thing to start with was my reasons for having a suit. Fortunately, I knew exactly what I wanted and why I wanted it. This made the process much easier.
Choosing the fabric was not so difficult because although there are many shades of e.g. Navy, there are really only a handful of fabrics that match the texture and exact shade that was better for me, plus the fabrics actually available to order.
Measuring Up
Next, we slipped on a jacket and then trousers to really nail the fit. Everyone's measurements are individual to them, and this bit is really important to get your money's worth.
What I liked most about this experience was that my consultant and another store expert were quite firm in advising me NOT to have something in a particular way.
Naturally, because I am a slim and not a tall guy, I edge towards very slim fits, and they did accommodate for that, but there is a limit to how slim I could go; otherwise, the whole aesthetic will look, as they put it, 'too high street'.
I agreed that I definitely wanted to avoid that.
My made-to-measure suit from Suitsupply
Here are the details of my navy made-to-measure suit:
Four-season weight
Single-breasted
s130
Two button
Peak lapel
Double vents
Flapped pockets
Side-adjusters
If you want to learn in more detail about what your first essential suit and other wardrobe must-haves should be like and why you can read more in my book The Modern Gentleman’s Handbook of Style.
I was very happy with how the suit turned out. Suitsupply have numerous stores in America too, and while I can’t speak for the experience over there, I can confirm that the experience on Vigo Street, London was more than satisfactory and I would recommend to others (this is not a sponsored post).
The whole experience was a magnificent first step into tailoring. I often buy items ready-to-wear and simply get my local tailor to make alterations – a practice I preach for its affordability and convenience. A proper made-to-measure experience, however, is the next level.
To be sure it is quality MTM, you can’t be fooled by the marketing or customer service – while all of that is very important – the quality of the cloth, the time dedicated to your personal fitting, and transparency about how and where your garment will be made is fundamental to good MTM.
I can confidently look back and say I would happily do it again. As they say, once you get the sartorial bug, it’s the point of no return.
