Black History Month- Bespoke Tailor Ozwald Boatneng

Ozwald Boateng

 

Ozwald Boateng is a fashion designer. Born in Ghana in the late 1960s and brought up in north London, Boateng studied computing before dropping out to pursue fashion. He began making bespoke suits in 1990, and is widely credited with introducing Savile Row tailoring to a new generation. The first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris, Boateng's many clients include Will Smith, Laurence Fishburne, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Keanu Reeves, and Mick Jagger.
While studying computing at Southwark College, he was introduced to cutting and designing clothes by his girlfriend at the time. With the help of his mother, who was an excellent seamstress, he started selling his mother's designs to passers-by along Portobello Road. At twenty-three, disllusioned with a mundane job in IT, he had set himself up full-time in business.
Keen to learn the best of traditional tailoring, Boateng would find out who best stitched buttonholes, who set sleeves the best way, who made the best linings and so on, at the same time developing his own style and look.
Boateng sees himself as more than a tailor, and more than a designer, so he coined the term 'bespoke couturier'. He was appointed creative director of Givenchy menswear in 2003. On June 22, 2006, the Sundance Channel began airing a reality television series called House of Boateng which follows Boateng's efforts to launch his Bespoke Couture line in the United States. Boateng lives with his wife and two children in central London, and was recently named one of the 100 Great Black Britons by The Voice and the Greater London Authority.
He was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 Queen's New Year's Honours.

Celebrating Black Tailors

William Cuffay, a Black politician!

William Cuffay

Date:

Thu, 1788-04-24

The birth of William Cuffay in 1788 is celebrated on this date. He was a Black tailor, and politician.
From Chatham, Kent in England his father was a naval cook and former slave. A young Cuffay found work as an apprentice tailor. Also as a young man he held conservative views and as late as 1833. Cuffay argued against the formation of trade unions and was the last member of his lodge to join the (then) new tailors' union. Yet when the tailors' union came out on strike in April 1834, Cuffay joined them and as a result lost his job.
Angry about the way he had been treated and now convinced that workers needed to be represented in parliament, he became involved in the struggle for universal suffrage. In 1839 Cuffay joined the Metropolitan Tailors' Charter Association. He became an important figure in the Chartist movement in London and in 1842 was elected to the five man national executive of the National Charter Association. Later that year he was chosen to become president of the London Chartists. Cuffay argued for the Chartists to remain independent from the Anti-Corn Law League and was shown by newspapers as one of the leaders of the militants. The Times described the militants in London as "the black man and his party".
After 1845 Cuffay became associated with Fergus O'Connor. He supported O'Connor's Land Plan and in 1846 became auditor to the Land Company until 1848. He was also one of the three London delegates at the National Convention and was considered to be one of their most militant members. In the summer of 1848 a government spy provided information on a group of London Chartists. Based on the evidence, Cuffay was arrested, convicted, sentenced and transported to Tasmania for 21 years. His wife worked for Richard Cobden until she raised enough money to join her husband in 1853. Three years later all political prisoners in Tasmania were pardoned.
Cuffay did not to return to England and became a tailor in Tasmania. He became involved in radical politics and trade union issues and played an important role in persuading the authorities to amend the Master and Servant Law in the colony. William Cuffay died in poverty in Tasmania's workhouse in July 1870.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR SUPER 100'S FROM YOUR SUPER 150'S

DO YOU KNOW YOUR SUPER 100'S FROM YOUR SUPER 150'S
 AUTHOR: David Brooke

  If you take a look in one of your suit jackets you may notice that it has a Super grading on the label, for example Super 100’s or Super 110’s. Understanding this fabric labeling could mean the difference between buying a suit that lasts one year to buying a suit that lasts four years!  The International Wool Textile Organization has coded fabric quality using the”Super X” description to ensure that people can make informed decisions when making purchases. The “Super” coding can only be used to describe fabrics made from at least 95% new wool. In some cases this wool may be

mixed with other rarer fabrics such as Mohair and Cashmere as well as up to 5% of non-wool yarn. The “X” value is then determined by, and must comply with, the Maximum Fiber Diameter (MFD). For example a Super 100’s MFD is 18.75 microns compared to a Super 150’s MFD of 16.25 microns. “Understanding this fabric labeling could mean the difference between buying a suit that lasts one year to buying a suit that lasts four years!” So what does this mean? Well, the higher the Super Grade the finer the cloth making it feel more luxurious and typically more expensive! A Super 150’s is gorgeous to the touch and has an unmistakably silky look, but it also has its drawbacks. The finer the fabric, the less durable it becomes, so unless you wish to part with significant amounts of money on a regular basis, my advice would be to drop down a few grades! I would typical recommend a Super 100’s cloth from one of the established merchants such as Scabal, Holland & Sherry, and Dormeuil.

COULD MANUFACTURING BE COMING HOME? As production costs rise and consistancy falls in China, there are rumours of a manufacturing repatriation.

Tailoring trends from Savile Row to mass market

Author: Leonie Barrie | 8 November 2011

While UK based mass-market tailoring firms are facing an offshore sourcing crisis as China's manufacturers focus on the domestic market and costs continue to rise elsewhere, 'Made in Britain' luxury tailored labels are enjoying global success. Speakers from Savile Row and the UK high street shared their thoughts and concerns at a recent ASBCI tailoring seminar, 'Suits you? Industry trends in contemporary tailoring.'
For Norwich-based supplier Wensum Tailoring, moving production to China in 2005 bought some initial advantages, especially in low cost labour. "In the early days we were welcomed by the Chinese with open arms...we were the rich uncles and they responded quickly and flexibly," says managing director Jaspal Calotier.
But that is all changing. Whereas China was exporting 70% of its tailored product to the EU, US and Japan, this has now plunged to 30%. And as Chinese consumers have become more aspirational, so domestic production has adapted to meet their needs.
This has driven up-front payments to guarantee production space and also given rise to quality issues as production is outsourced to anonymous, inferior factories and excessive reliance on overtime. Brands and retailers are losing control of the process, Calotier warns.
Furthermore the aspirations of Chinese parents are seeing children directed to the service, technology and automotive industries since "the garment industry is a long way down the pecking order of desirable occupations." The result is forcing up wages in the garment sector.
While the obvious step is to shift sourcing elsewhere, even countries such as Bangladesh are seeing labour shortages. This has contributed to an 87% jump in labour costs. India, meanwhile, has employment legislation issues and the economy "doesn't make it easy" for western businesses.
Combined with spiralling freight costs and fluctuations in global economies, any company still operating off-shore would be well advised to consider the alternatives, says Calotier.
Wensum is looking to bring its production capability back to the UK where it still has its production equipment. The allure of shorter lead times, better quality product, transparency in the supply-chain and the kudos of a 'made in England' label are driving its ambitions.
To this end, over a two to three year period it is looking at attracting its former workforce back and establishing an apprentice scheme.
Value for quality
According to Nathan Helfgott, managing director at men's tailoring and outerwear manufacturer AAK Limited: "Value for quality, not cheap, is the key driver in the retail world of tailoring."
As a supplier to Marks & Spencer, which sells more than 20% of all off-the-peg tailored suits in the UK, Helfgott said the retailer is at the forefront of innovation for the tailoring sector.
In 2001 it launched the first washable wool blend suit which was followed in 2004 by the first crease resistant, quick recover travel suit. More recently it has added the water repellent Stormwear suit to its range.
Recent increases in the price of raw materials, especially wool, have driven suit suppliers to experiment with new blends. The result is a resurgence in poly-viscose blends which have helped brands and retailers keep their price points low.
But Eddie Jones, UK nomination manager for interlinings producer Kufner Textil GmbH, also points out that: "As the quality of fabrics used to make some mass market suits gets worse the role of the interlining becomes ever more crucial."
As well as giving tailored garments their shape and stability, Kufner's interlinings, made from renewable, natural or recycled fibres, are beginning to add value to the physical appearance of clothing.
New on the market is the 'colour-up' visible interlining that is designed to be seen. It is available with a selection of pre-printed colourful designs or they can be printed with a bespoke design.
There is also X-Shield, an interlining that gives 99.99% shielding from the electromagnetic radiation associated with mobile phones. There are also technical, ultra light haute couture and outdoor interlinings.
Attention to detail
Innovation is also paramount at Savile Row tailor Huntsman, where an uncompromising attention to detail and "clothing excellence" have helped retain its position as one of Britain's best bespoke tailors.
Head cutter David Ward believes the future of Savile Row tailors depends on them being "cutting edge not Dickensian and dowdy."
To perpetuate the skills base and core values of tailoring, the Savile Row Bespoke Association was established in 2004 to protect and to develop the art of bespoke tailoring. It set up an academy to run two vocational tailoring apprenticeships in conjunction with London College of Fashion, where young tailors can learn their craft from the masters.
Ward believes this will help tailors succeed regardless of recessions by "maintaining the very high standards of craftsmanship that we are famous for."
For Italian men's wear tailor Uman, a focus on fit has helped turn its men's premium off-the-peg tailored clothing line into a commercial and hugely successful reality by focusing on fit.
Ed Gribbin, president of apparel fit expert Alvanon Inc, explained how the company helped Uman founder and chairman Umberto Angeloni by drawing on its database of over 300,000 3D consumer body scans and identified some 3,000 shapes from London, Milan and Paris that "matched" the target consumer profile.
From the average shape data Alvanon generated a 3D profile of the 'Uman' man and a physical 'fit' mannequin. The mannequin was such a powerful image that it became the centre piece of Uman's showroom in Milan and its stores around the world. Despite its premium price points Uman has grown "by triple digits in its first three years."
In addition to feedback from wearer focus groups, online forums and social networking sites to inform its design decisions, corporate clothing designer Incorporatewear is constantly looking for fabric innovations that could improve its garments.
"Such fabric innovations as nano, non-crease, multi-functional and easy care have had a massive impact on our designs," explained Paula Cannon, head of design and technical manager.
In particular the 'second skin dress' that emits scents, 'bamboo charcoal' fabrics that energise, 'light emitting textiles' for night and safety wear and 'integrated technology' textiles with audio and other systems embedded into garments are all finding applications in the corporate and workwear arena.

Origins of the Term Bespoke

The term bespoke arose when in the old days, a customer would choose a bolt of cloth in a tailor’s shop, whereupon the tailor would mark it as being “bespoken for”. It has come to mean a traditional form of tailoring in which a uniquely individualized pattern is drafted for each client, and the optimal traditional tailoring technique is used to realize the shape of the final garment.

The first question about bespoke tailored clothing is this: do you need it? The two main reasons for going bespoke are as follows:

1. Difficulty attaining a good fit from ready-to-wear garments
2. Access to a wider range of styles and cloth designs

Naturally, others just want the finest traditional craftsmanship that money can buy.

If you have a very proportionate figure, then you may not absolutely need it. Ready-to-wear garments are made for a proportionate figure, but are cut on tried and true blocks. The best ready to wear firms only hire the most skilful cutters, many of whom have extensive training and experience in bespoke tailoring. Patterns are cut to the precision of a millimetre or less (1/32-1/64”). At the top end of the market garments are often extremely well made up. The trouble is that everyone has some sort of disproportion, so that even the best proportionate pattern only takes a guess at what your figure is really like. A skilful tailor will find a whole host of disproportions that you probably never even knew existed. Then there is the fact that ready-to-wear always offers an extremely limited choice of styles and colors or cloth designs in your size.

Another way of getting a better fit and access to a wider range of choice is by using a made-to-order program

. This involves making a standard set of basic adjustments to a tried and true ready-to-wear pattern. The range of adjustments that it is possible to make to a pattern is fewer and less fundamental to its basic architecture than in bespoke pattern making. There is usually no try on, or fitting phase, (although some will allow you this option, at extra cost). To start with you will be asked to try on a finished garment in your nearest size. The alterations necessary to achieve a good fit are noted and these come already incorporated into the finished garment. The person who notes these alterations is frequently a salesperson rather than a tailor, but some firms may have a tailor of various degrees of skill to do this task. The big advantages of this approach are that the work is based on tried and true patterns and that it is more economical.

The term bespoke is strictly reserved for instances where a cutter will draft your unique pattern taking into account the specific features of your body along with matters of fashion and personal taste. Fittings are always required. The number of these will depend on the tailor and how difficult a fitting challenge your body presents.

There are a couple of downsides to bespoke tailoring. The first of these is that it takes a very skillful tailor to better the tried and true patterns from ready-to-wear and made-to-order firms. In the wrong hands, there is always the danger that it could end up worse than a ready-to-wear garment. The second downside is that there are too many choices and the client may insist on a style that is inappropriate to their physique. If you add these two downsides together it can be a formula for disaster. However, a good tailor will guide you to making the right choices in terms of style and cloth selection. This is part of the Art of the Tailor.

In the right hands, the greater freedom that bespoke offers can lead to the creation of a masterpiece – something that is peerless in both fit and style. Freedom is the freedom to create a masterpiece or a disaster. The range of styling choices is extremely wide and the choice of cloths even larger than from most made to order firms.

Lastly, there are a subset of people who have no choice but to bespeak their clothes. These are people who have sufficiently pronounced disproportions that they cannot wear ready-to-wear garments, and even made to order programmes have only a finite degree of flexibility. The most extreme cases can be described as “orthopaedic tailoring”, and can present a huge challenge to a cutter.

Icons & Innovators: Kiton: Man of the Cloth

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During a group visit to Kiton’s Naples, ItalyJanuary 01, 2007
, factory in 2001, one of the guests questioned whether the suit being shown was among the world’s finest. Company founder and president Ciro Paone rose from his chair and, with an air of indignation, pointed across the room at the offender before launching into a testimonial for the garment.

  He explained that the suit requires 25 hours of hand labor because of the delicacy of the superfine wool fabric—a cloth composed of fiber measuring 15 microns, or about one-fifth the diameter of human hair. Such fine cloth, he said, would crimp and crumble if forced under the needle of a sewing machine. He then ticked off the hand-sewn details of a typical Kiton suit: sleeves that are attached to an unusually small, high armhole; the fine irregular stitching around the buttonholes; the high notch on the lapel that no machine can produce; the slight curve on the chest pocket held in place by two sideways, V-shaped “mosquito” stitches; and the way the canvas inner lining is loosely attached to the interior body so the suit does not wrinkle as the cloth compresses. “Questo è poesia, certo!” (This is poetry, for certain!) he declared. “Quality needs a lot of attention, a lot of love, and control,” Paone continued. To illustrate his point, he set aside the 25-hour suit and retrieved from the closet the brand’s first K50 model—so named because it requires 50 hours to produce, twice as much time as a typical Kiton off-the-rack suit. The K50 is made to order by a single master tailor, Enzo D’Orsi, who is so skilled that he does not need to use a pattern; he simply chalks the fabric according to the client’s measurements and begins cutting. Annually, Kiton offers fewer than 50 of these suits, which is the limit of D’Orsi’s production capacity. Such exclusivity is impressive, but Paone maintained that the collection is further distinguished because it employs the world’s rarest fabrics, including superfine merino wool, baby cashmere, and vicuña. Today, the K50 collection remains Kiton’s top-of-the-line bespoke offering.

Kiton has been making suits since 1968, when Paone, a former fabric salesman, established the brand with three of Italy’s most prominent tailors: Cesare Attolini and brothers Enrico and Corrado Isaia. Creative differences resulted in Paone buying out his partners a short time later, and a competitive rivalry ensued, as each has spent the past 40 years trying to top the others’ sartorial accomplishments. Over the decades, Paone concentrated on refining the craft of hand tailoring, which, he contends, Savile Row tailors, as well as such brands as Oxxford Clothes and Brioni, have abandoned for the economic incentives of mass production.

In recent years, Paone has applied his standards to dress shirts, outerwear, jeans, and bespoke footwear. He contends that if you wear a handmade suit, you should not sacrifice quality when selecting sportswear and accessories. To maintain control over the quality of these other wardrobe items, Kiton acquired factories—including Wonderland, in Parma, Italy, where the company produces its outerwear—and hired master shirtmakers and cobblers to work in its  expanded Naples facility.

Nevertheless, tailored clothing remains Kiton’s forte. In a fashion realm that marks change in millimeters, fabrics are the lingua franca for telling a new style story each season. Every premium suitmaker differentiates itself by offering proprietary cloths, but Kiton is the only manufacturer that works with fabric mills to develop nearly all of the fiber blends and complex weaves used for its suits. Paone, who suffered a debilitating stroke last summer but still visits the factory every day, is known to carry in his pocket swatches of fine fabrics, including rare hybrids of cashmere/linen, cashmere/silk, and Super 210 wool, which is made from fiber measuring 12.9 microns.

“Fabric has always been Ciro Paone’s main interest,” says Massimo Bizzocchi, chairman of Kiton Corp. in the United States. “Cloth was practically hot-wired into his DNA,” adds Bizzocchi, noting that Paone was preceded by five generations of cloth merchants. Despite his recent health problems, Paone continues to help Bizzocchi—as well as Paone’s nephews, Kiton managing director Antonio Paone and chief executive Antonio De Matteis—create new fabrics each season with top textile mills in England, Scotland, and Italy. (Click image to enlarge)
Paone’s ancestors, who were from Naples, also purchased cloth in England and Scotland, as long ago as the mid-1800s. They sold the materials to Italian tailors, many of whom eventually emigrated to Argentina and continued to purchase their materials from the Paone family, which had expanded into an international business. By the turn of the 20th century, the Paones were operating fabric shops in Naples, where Ciro later began his sales career catering to the local tailors.
When, in the 1950s, suitmakers adopted machinery that facilitated the speedy manufacturing of ready-made clothing, Paone noticed that his master-tailor clients had begun purchasing less-expensive cloth to remain competitive. According to Bizzocchi, Paone told these tailors that if they worked for him, he would supply them with the finest materials so they could continue producing premium-quality garments by hand. With this plan, Paone laid the foundation for Kiton. Naturally, Paone sought to distinguish his brand further with original and exclusive fabrics. “Ciro Paone is the only one I know who, 15 years ago, was talking about micron counts instead of referring to fabrics as Super 100s and Super 120s, because he knew that the micron is the only real measurement of fabric that counts,” says Bizzocchi, explaining that the lower the micron number is, the finer the finished cloth will be. “He was the first to show lightweight cloth made from superfine 15-, 14-, and 13-micron wool, and now he is offering 12.8-micron fabrics.”
Paone was undeterred by the conventional wisdom that such ultrafine materials were too delicate for the rigorous demands of tailored clothing. Under his direction, Kiton developed several exclusive and extremely limited fabrics. One of those materials, conceived in the late 1990s, was called 360 because it blended Super 180s wool with Super 180s cashmere. The company offered it only through Neiman Marcus because the quantity was so limited. About the same time, Kiton introduced 14-Micron, a four-ply wool fabric made from 14-micron fiber that continues to be a best seller because it looks and feels like cashmere but, like wool, keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer and resists wrinkles. In 2001, Kiton was among the first to offer lightweight wool woven from rare merino fiber measuring a mere 13.2 microns, about the same size as vicuña, a fiber from a South American animal that was an endangered species at the time. That cloth was so scarce that Kiton could produce only 45 suits. A year later, the company produced 20 suits from a limited supply of cloth made from sheep’s wool measuring less than 12.8 microns. Kiton will surpass that benchmark this spring with a new cloth made from wool fiber measuring only 11.5 microns.
These delicate and rare fabrics, which can cost as much as $4,000 per yard, are extremely difficult to work with and demand the skills of only the most accomplished tailors, which explains why suits made from them can command as much as $40,000.
Paone prefers lightweight fabrics for both summer and winter suits because they naturally conform to the body and are more comfortable than heavier materials. For spring, the company offers sport coats made from 65 percent cashmere and 35 percent linen, an unusual combination of winter- and summer-weight fibers that provides the lightness and soft hand of cashmere, which tempers the wrinkles associated with the pure linen. Cashmere also figures prominently in a range of sport jackets weighing from about 5.6 to 10.5 ounces. “Depending on the climate, a man can choose the cashmere weight that is right for him,” says Bizzocchi. He adds that Kiton prefers to make sport coats, whether for winter or summer wear, from fine-gauge cashmere, because the cloth absorbs dyes differently from wool, creating a more colorful mélange.
This spring, Kiton also will produce a limited number of $34,000 suits made from a rare blend of 93 percent vicuña and 7 percent silk. A jacket constructed from this material weighs less than 10 ounces, which is comparable to the weight of two silk scarves.
Even the doubter at Kiton headquarters six years ago was duly impressed that day as Paone explained that every cloth—from summer-weight linens to winter-weight cashmere blends—is washed in cold water and naturally dried between sheets of cardboard before it is made into a Kiton suit. The 200-year-old process, which few cloth- and suitmakers use today, retains the fiber’s natural oils that machine drying destroys. For Paone, perfection may be in the details, but, in his words, “fabric is what gives soul to the suit.” 
Kiton212.813.0272

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You need at least one fantastic suit in your wardrobe.

1. You need at least one fantastic suit in your wardrobe.

If you don’t have much money then probably the one item to make a large one off investment in is your jacket. Don’t feel shy spending at least $500 for a great suit – even more if you can afford it. Then substitute it with a couple more light-weight suits and jackets in the $200-$400 range to help mix things up.

2. Always make sure your suits and shirts fit well around the collar.

Don’t buy over sized collars, they come across as slack and lazy. And too tight, well, we all need to breathe now don’t we??

3. Match the suit to your lifestyle

Some men can easily mix patterns, suits, stripes, loud pocket kerchiefs, silky shiny materials, hats, top hats, and blinged up cuff links. Some cannot!! It’s important to find the style that suits your personality, fits your career (bling in a conservative law firm certainly won’t go down that well!) and helps you ease forward in the game of life.

4. Accessorize!

Ties are the one accessory for men that can really be personalized and allow you to express yourself and add some color and diversity. Ties can be suited up or dressed down with jeans and a white shirt (open top button and loose knot). Wander into second stores to dig up some classic and vivid ties with vibe and spirit, and perhaps spend a bit more on some nice new (perhaps black or red) versatile ties.

5. Find the right fit for your body:

* If you’re a big guy:

Remember there’s more of you to love, so wear your bulk with pride. Wear lightweight, suits built from heavier textiles will only add weight. Soft, worsted wools are your best friend. Choose darker colors which give desired slimming factor plus they’re classy and classic. If you’re going to stripe it, make it a solid vertical to create a sleek, slender visual. The jacket: Two buttons are optimal – they won’t draw attention to your bulky frame and stay single on the vent, which will give you the extra room you need minus the extra attention.

* If you’re tall and lean

Add weight with heavier fabrics – on a tall, skinny guy, lightweight fabrics will hang and make you look all the more frail. Heavier wools like tweed or a heavier weight worsted wool that hold their form is the smart decision; and give you much-needed proportion and the appearance of additional weight. Colours – opt for the greys and classic browns – Lighter colors, will add weight to your overall look. Jacket? Three buttons create height and length, tall guys, with their longer torsos, can pull this look off successfully. Keep it classy with the single vent – Although taller, slimmer men tall, skinny men have two options for the vent: we advise that you stick with a single-vent or ventless jacket which is always the classier choice.

* If you’re slight and shorter than average

Avoid loud patterns – The print of an overly bold pattern screams for attention and will only draw attention to your slight frame. Subdued, chilled out colours and small stripes, if any, will be far more stylish for you. Stripes – For shorter men, the next best thing to a shoe with a higher sole is a suit with vertical stripes. As stripes run top to bottom, they tend to draw the eye upward. Plus, they also lengthen your frame by elongating the look of the suit; giving you the illusion of appearing taller than you really are. Go for double vents – Small guys, the double-vent jacket was created with you in mind. The dual slits (or vents) along the side emphasize the outside lines of the body; in doing so, they establish an attractive, longer silhouette that complements and lengthens your frame.
More about suits …

The Bespoke Suit:

These are custom made by a tailor from a pattern created entirely from the client’s measurements, giving the best-fit and free choice of fabric. Some of the most expensive suits in the world are painstakingly hand made by an increasingly scarce breed of extremely skilled tailors.

These tailors know how to make suits that hide physical flaws and highlight attributes, without sacrificing comfort. Machine use is minimal, and each and every nuance of a client’s spoken and unspoken needs are met and often exceeded. Brioni, Attolini, Kiton, Luigi Borelli and Caraceni are some of the best known names in Italian bespoke suits. Some of the world’s most expensive suits are the Kiton K50s exclusively tailored by Senor D’Orsi, one of the finest tailors in the world. He makes not more than 50 suits in a year, each costing up to 50,000 USD. The fabrics used on a bespoke suit are usually the best, mostly worsted wool for business suits. These fabrics are used in the counts of 80′s and 90′s, or super 100′s, super 150′s and higher. The counts in the range of 80′s and 90′s also feel great and usually last longer than higher counts made at even the best clothing manufacturers. For those who can afford it, a bespoke suit made in the super 150′s fabric can be an absolute asset. It feels fabulously comfortable to wear and looks even better.

Made-to-Measure Men’s Suits:

Not every one is privileged enough to get a bespoke suit made, but there is a range of suits which is nearly as good. With made-to-measure suits, (a pre-made pattern modified to fit the client, with a limited selection of options and fabrics is available) it is possible to achieve a degree of customization because the tailor takes up to 25 measurements of an individual body, and these are then sent to the factory. Here, alterations are made to already available basic patterns in order to achieve the best fit possible. Special requests like extra pockets, specific fabrics and linings, and a certain design and style can be accommodated. Some of the best fabrics, threads and interlinings are used, which helps guarantee a quality suit. But the production is assembly line, and many tailors work on the suit at different stages of production, unlike the single tailor for the bespoke suit. Ermenegildo Zegna su Misura does some of the best fittings in the made-to-measure industry. A good deal of technology goes into the making of these suits and their fabrics. Some Zegna suits use fabrics like Micronsphere which has all the great qualities of a worsted but is also stain-resistant, or Cashco, which is a blend of cashmere and cotton, making it an all-weather fabric.

Off-the-peg Designer Men’s Suits:

Though these cost about half that of a good made-to-measure Italian suit, they are still worth the money. The first and foremost advantage is speed, no agonizing fittings and long waits for the suit to get ready, and if chosen carefully, an off-the-peg suit from Prada, Armani, Versace or Gucci fits quite well and is unbeatable for casual elegance and comfort. The trick is to shop around for the right size, cut and look. What is more, off-the-peg suits are good for those who are looking for variations and for different types of fabrics and styles. The beauty of an off-the-peg designer suit lies in its ability to change from season to season, and to bring in a hint of casual flair to the conservative world of men’s business clothing.

Ready to Wear:

These suits are mass produced, least expensive and most common. You’ll find them in department stores and they’re a good option for the budget conscious shopper. If you’re diligent in shopping carefully and following the tips above on getting the best fit for you, these suits may allow you to look suitably elegant in business attire and save your pocket at the same time.
In all, wearing a tailored and well fit suit could do wonders for your love and work life. A man in a fabulous suit is a great creature to cast your eyes on; he commands respect without even uttering a word and he walks confidently, with grace and sleek power, which is why here at MenStylePower, we’re highly motivated to encourage all dudes to suit it up.
What Thomas Merton said in the first part of the 20th Century is still relevant today. You can’t ignore “… men in bowlers and dark suits with their rolled-up umbrellas. Men full of propriety; calm and proud, neat and noble.”