Top tailors are disrupting the made-to-measure market in more creative ways!
For those who’ve already written an obituary for the suit, the bad news out here for them is it’s very much alive and kicking. And the made-to-measure market is here to stay and thrive in more novel ways than ever before! The weight that the suit still carries in a formal setting—personalized job interviews, luncheons, or the wedding day—cannot be simply ruled out altogether. Times have changed, and so do one’s preferences and perceptions, but the made-to-measure market has found a silver lining. A case in point is a bespoke tailor in New York’s West Village who sends a sample jacket to his clients in the correct size. The response was overwhelming as his clients tried on the sample outfits, following which he took a few basic measurements, and worked with his pattern maker to produce the required fit.
Just when we thought bespoke two-piece is difficult to locate, the leading tailoring houses in Manhattan throw trunk shows regularly, so that you don’t have to fly down to make a new purchase. And there are a few NY retailers that would host less well-known masters who aren’t otherwise possible to visit. Customers too prefer to take the made-to-measure clothing route which is no longer restricted to only suits. Tailored preferences have started to take precedence over off-the-rack clothing options. Brightly colored trousers in cotton twills and linen fabric and boldly patterned sport coats are doing well in terms of orders for bespoke tailors.
The likes of unstructured suits and outfit made of softer materials are gaining prominence in the marketplace. Professionals are looking to be more casual and laid back these days, but the suit will stand the test of times in terms of style and elegance. There has also been a growing need for unstructured clothing—an extremely lightweight, slimmer and breathable design. For example, unlined deconstructed sport jackets made of cotton and jerseys and more luxurious fabrics including cashmere—materials that people find comfortable while working from home and still feel organized.
The trend is gradually shifting towards dressing down for business, but more formally out of work—in the customer’s social and leisure time. This is apparently good news for the made-to-measure market as it offers a gamut of cloth and style & pattern details to choose from. Only a bespoke tailor can strike the right chord between casual and formal, so that you can wear it for almost any setting. If you think bespoke tailoring is behind the age, give it a rethought, as wearing a formal outfit is still the convention as a minimum entry point into any professional environment.
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