Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in Volume III of B.H. Magazine. For access to future issues, subscribe here.
Last September, in an essay entitled How I Lost (and Found) My Style, Cathy Horyn offered a lengthy dissection of her relationship to clothing and how this had evolved over the course of a 40-year career.
At 67, the former Chief Fashion Critic for The New York Times wrote that the humble black suit (made, in this case, by Proenza Schouler) was what she most desired to wear – even after a lifetime spent covering the world’s most beautiful haute couture.
“The big revelation to me was how comfortable [my suit] is,” writes Horyn. “I feel like I could go for a jog in it. The jacket is so light and soft, I have the childish urge to ball it up and throw it into the air. That’s not something you can do with most luxury ready-to-wear.” Right on, Cathy.
For much of the 20th century, the prevailing attitude towards having a suit made (often reinforced by our popular culture) was that it was expensive, slightly oddball behaviour – a throwback to a time when off-the-rack apparel, of decent price and quality, wasn’t readily available.
Those criticisms aren’t necessarily unfounded, however, they don’t tell the whole story. Commissioning a bespoke suit is a niche and costly exercise; but for those who are interested in how things are made, or seek to become more confident in their own skin, it’s a process that remains uniquely gratifying.
Let’s begin with the fundamental stuff: fit. Regardless of the specific process you prefer when it comes to ordering custom suiting (bespoke, made-to-measure, or some hybrid thereof), the finished product is made to flatter the wearer’s physique more than anything you’ll find off-the-rack.
In Australia, most custom-tailoring firms achieve this superior fit by utilising the aforementioned made-to-measure (MTM) model. This basically consists of a ‘block’, which is drawn up using a range of standardised measurements, plus whatever house style the brand wishes to articulate. The Brisbane-based The Cloakroom (suits starting at $2,995), which also operates stores in Tokyo and Montreal, has been a notable player in this space since 2007.
Unlike many of its competitors, who rely on factories in northern China and southern Italy – both perfectly competent, mind you – The Cloakroom has leaned heavily into Japanese production. So much so, as founder Andrew Byrne explains, that his colleagues in Kyoto have spent the last 12 months re-engineering the block used to measure up customers.
“Having so many clients in Canada and Australia means we needed a silhouette that would accommodate men with broad shoulders, a strong front chest, high rounded back, and posture that is hip-forward,” says Byrne. He also explains that, by incorporating such physical nuances into fitting garments at the earliest stage, new customers find it easier to visualise themselves in The Cloakroom style.
“We’ve now made enough suits to say it’s going to save time and effort by baking these aspects into the pattern,” adds Byrne. “The ‘wow’ factor in this type of shopping is about being able to try on a jacket and decide, relatively quickly, whether you like it or not. Compared with ready-to-wear, the leap of faith is much smaller.”
Based in Sydney, J.H. Cutler is another custom-tailoring house that stands out for its commitment to tradition and in-house craft. Founded by John Cutler OAM – who is notable in certain circles for having dressed four prime ministers – the business is now manned by Cutler’s protégé, Sam Hazelton, who came on board in 2010, and since then, has been working tirelessly to re-energise the service for a new generation.
Hazelton is candid about the commercial necessity behind a MTM and semi-bespoke program, but our conversation turns noticeably more animated when I ask him to clarify the merits of the bespoke offering (starting at $12,000).
“Essentially, bespoke is an exercise in total control,” says Hazelton. “With MTM, it’s a little like data entry: the client’s measurements get sent away to the factory you’re partnered with, but ultimately, there are parameters to what can and cannot be adjusted. Bespoke, on the other hand, is completely open-ended.”
It’s wise of Hazelton to explain the premiumness of bespoke by way of fit: after all, shape and comfort are concepts most men – even those who aren’t obsessed with clothes – will understand innately. But, as ever, it’s not the only reason why J.H. Cutler’s customers keep on coming back. Hazelton himself cuts each bespoke suit by hand, right down to the collar, lapels, and individual pattern used during fittings. This entire process occurs within the firm’s Sydney premises, which Hazelton was inspired to renovate in the style of an “open kitchen.”
“We’ve deliberately set the space up so that you can see the tailors working, even when you’re on the side where fitting take place – everything blends together. For us, it was so important to put the process on display. A person can walk in and literally see the garment they’ve ordered in various stages of make,” he says.
The emotional response Hazelton is chasing with the new layout hints at the magical way in which custom-made clothes marry tangible solutions and intangible romance. Menswear nerds often tie themselves in knots over whether a bespoke suit is “better” than a MTM one; but that’s ultimately unhelpful, since these arguments don’t really account for the reality that there are good and bad examples of either.
Equally important, I think, is the notion of personal freedom. Or as Horyn put it: the sense that making yourself a killer two-piece is to be “liberated from fashion.” With it comes the realisation that clothes can express something significant about you – or the person you hope to become.
That’s a journey a very good tailoring firm, be it bespoke or MTM, will have the expertise to take you on. And in the long run, that instinct – to expand the client’s taste, while honing in on their best qualities – is worth more than 1,000 free in-store Negronis.
“If we’re doing our job, we’re providing a safe space for guys to be a little bit honest with themselves,” adds Byrne.
“To say to us, ‘I struggle with this’ or ‘I’d like to wear that a little bit better’– all with the goal of finding their own unique expression.”
Suit Fit, Simplified
Off The Rack: The most convenient (and often affordable) option, off-the-rack garments are made with standardised sizing, calculated by averaging together a range of the apparel industry’s most common body shapes. Only basic alterations, such as sleeve and jacket length, or trouser width, can be made.
Made To Measure (MTM): Suiting made according to a pre-existing pattern, where various measurements may be modified (up to a point) to better accommodate the wearer’s physique. Usually consists of two fittings: before the garment is made, and for alterations afterwards, if necessary. MTM strikes a balance between fit and accessibility.
Bespoke: Unlike MTM, bespoke suiting involves making a single garment, from scratch, for an individual. Importantly, this means that a bespoke suit must be made from a unique pattern that is drafted from the measurements of one client. The process usually involves the greatest number of fittings, including one in which the garment is loosely ‘basted’ together. This is the category of suit fit that is most misused by marketers.
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