In an age where terms like "bespoke" and "custom" are used interchangeably—and often incorrectly—understanding what truly sets a bespoke suit apart has become essential. Bespoke tailoring represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship, tradition, and individuality. But how can you be sure your suit is genuinely bespoke or that your tailor is the real deal? Here are the five fundamentals of bespoke tailoring to help you distinguish true bespoke from imitators.
1. Individual Personal Pattern
A genuine bespoke suit starts with a blank slate—your personal pattern. Unlike ready-to-wear or made-to-measure garments, which rely on standardized templates, bespoke tailoring involves drafting a unique pattern from scratch. This pattern is designed specifically for your body, considering every nuance of your posture, proportions, and fit preferences.
How to Spot the Difference: Ask your tailor if they draft individual patterns for each client. Genuine bespoke tailors will retain your pattern for future adjustments or additional garments. If your "bespoke" suit is made from an existing template with minor adjustments, it's likely not bespoke.
2. Multiple In-Person Fittings
Fit is the cornerstone of bespoke tailoring, and achieving it requires a meticulous process. Every bespoke client should receive at least two fittings: a skeleton baste fitting and a forward fitting. These fittings occur at various stages of construction to refine the garment's balance, drape, and overall fit.
What to Expect:
Skeleton Baste Fitting: The garment is loosely assembled with large stitches, allowing significant adjustments.
Forward Fitting: The refined suit is closer to completion, with minor tweaks ensuring perfection.
If your tailor delivers a finished suit after a single measurement session, you're likely dealing with a made-to-measure or custom service—not bespoke.
3. Crafted by Skilled Artisans
A hallmark of bespoke tailoring is the craftsmanship of skilled artisans. Genuine bespoke suits are hand-cut, hand-stitched, and hand-finished by experienced tailors. These professionals dedicate hours—often 80 or more—to creating a single suit.
How to Verify:
Meet the tailor or observe their workroom. An actual bespoke tailor will be proud to show their workspace and discuss the process.
Look for hand-finishing details like functional buttonholes, pick stitching, and floating canvas construction.
The saying "Don't trust, verify" applies here. Transparency is crucial in identifying whether you're dealing with a true artisan or a production line operation.
4. Made Using Traditional Techniques
Bespoke tailoring is deeply rooted in tradition. Techniques like hand-sewn buttonholes, floating interlinings, and full-canvas construction have been honed over centuries and remain unmatched in quality.
What to Ask:
Does the suit feature a floating canvas, or is it fused? Floating canvases provide superior structure and flexibility, while fused suits—common in ready-to-wear—use glued linings that compromise longevity.
Are the chest canvas, collar and lapels padded and shaped by hand?
Are buttonholes hand-stitched? Machine-made buttonholes lack the sophistication and elegance of their hand-sewn counterparts.
Traditional techniques are time-intensive, resulting in a garment of unparalleled quality and longevity.
5. Premium Cost
Quality comes at a price. A genuine bespoke suit is an investment, reflecting the skill, time, and materials involved. If a suit is marketed as "bespoke" but comes with a bargain price tag, it's worth questioning the authenticity of the service.
What to Consider:
Labour Costs: True bespoke requires hundreds of hours of skilled labour, reflected in the price.
Materials: Bespoke suits often use premium fabrics from prestigious mills, adding to the cost.
While bespoke tailoring is an investment, it delivers unmatched fit, comfort, and durability value. A bespoke suit is more than a garment; it's a lifelong companion.
Why It Matters
Understanding these five fundamentals ensures you get what you pay for and supports the integrity of the tailoring craft. Bespoke tailoring is more than a label—it's a commitment to tradition, quality, and personalization.
The next time you consider investing in a bespoke suit, remember: an authentic bespoke experience goes beyond appearances. It's about the story, skill, and soul behind every stitch.
Allan David