We continue to deepen your sartorial education with the next inevitable step in every man’s suit wearing cycle- the art of the bespoke.
There’s nothing wrong with off the rack. Don’t get me wrong, the best men's luxury suit brands like Zegna and Canali make great made to measure suits and bespoke suits and while to average Joe's there’s very little distinction between the two, any gentleman worth his salt should take the time to understand the subtle differences (if only to impress your fair lady).
Difference between Made to Measure and Bespoke
You often achieve higher margins through economies of scale. Made to measure refers to clothing that is prepared from a standard-size garment that is then tailored to suit your needs. While the fit of a made to measure suit is superior from one that you could just grab from off the rack, it still lacks the panache and the lux factor of a bespoke suit.
By definition, a bespoke suit is made based on a gentleman’s exacting specifications entirely from scratch. I’d use this simple analogy- When you go to McDonald’s and ask for a Big Mac without thousand island dressing and heavy on the lettuce- that’s made to measure. A custom burger with your specifications but you couldn’t ask for burger buns without sesame seeds.
A bespoke Big Mac however would by definition, not be a Big Mac. It would be “Your Mac”. Your mac would come with a hand made patty and not the generic ones used in all of McDonald’s burgers. The burger bun would be made without the sesame seeds, every detail fits your specifications.
In general, made-to-measure will always be more expensive than ready-to-wear but cheaper than a bespoke.
