Made-to-measure suits: Patterns are a big difference between bespoke and made-to-measure suits/clothing

When you have your bespoke suit made to measure, your measurements are taken and then translated onto a paper pattern.

Patterns are the difference between bespoke suits and made-to-measure suits

For bespoke suits, this pattern is made per customer based on individual sizes and wearing preferences. Think about space to move around, so you can create the ideal and desired fit. Made-to-measure works with a standard pattern that is adjusted. You will then not have the ideal fit because you have to work with fixed margins and you will lose the balance between the sizes.

A made-to-measure pattern has also already been created to create a certain pre-selected model. With a bespoke pattern you can create any model, so this also makes a big difference and opens the door to many more models and styles.

Bespoke suits offer total freedom

You can compare bespoke tailoring with having a house designed and made under 100% architecture. Total freedom. Made-to-Measure suits can be seen as housing with options to place the door on the left or right. Restrictions and adjustments unfortunately. It can be a good suit, but it will never have the fit of a bespoke suit. Nor be in the style that would flatter you best.

Bespoke suits are handmade

Especially because a bespoke suit is made by hand and a made-to-measure suit is made industrially. Just go to such a production location and you will see little of the marketing with well-groomed gray gentlemen who leisurely make your clothes with time and attention. You actually see rows of workers making your suit in an assembly line process. That ensures a different quality and hence a lower price.

We often work with customers who started with MTM suits but still have more wishes or are simply curious about what else you can achieve if you have your suits/jackets/pants made bespoke. It often starts with further adjusting an MTM suit and this is how one discovers the added value of a bespoke tailor.

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Bespoke Tailoring and Made-to-Measure the differences

In the current world of fake news we even see that the art and craft of bespoke tailors sometimes is being scrutinized by marketeers and sales driven clothing brands. This creates a devaluation of dress styles with the modern gentleman.

So it is quite important to be able to recognize and understand the differences between a suit that has been really tailored (Bespoke) or marketed to the unknowing as tailor made (Made-to-Measure) that has little to nothing to do with craft, quality and style.

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Buying a (wedding) suit: the measurements

A truly well-made and fitting (wedding) suit starts with personally taken measurements.

Measuring can be seen as a dialogue between the tailor and client.

This way you ensure that the suit fits well, looks good and is comfortable to wear. The personal measurements really make the big difference between a (wedding) suit off the rack and a tailor-made suit.

Measuring is a profession because you are not just concerned with centimeters. You need to understand how these measurements relate to the customer's body, how they move and the relationship to the model/style and fabric used.

When it concerns tailor-made women's suits or more business casual suits/jackets with fabrics and models that are much more specific in terms of fit and drape, measuring becomes increasingly important.

In this video we show you how measurements are taken and why for a new tailor-made 3-piece suit.

When it concerns a bespoke shirt, the sizes actually work the same, only the addition for the freedom of movement is different.

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