For me, the term Bespoke has always had a mysterious aura around it. I thought it just meant a tailored suit, but there is much more to it.
Bespoke comes form an obsolete verb “bespeak” meaning to order something in advance. Anything that you order to be made to specifications provided by you to the the maker or to your specifications in case of clothes is bespoke, including Houses, Cars, Shoes and Clothes. However, in the sartorial world there is one important caveat: there are other methods of customization when buying clothing, but they are not bespoke.
Made To Measure is also a method of customization that allows a pre-existing pattern to be modified to your measurements and some small details to be made.
Ready To Wear is simply buying something that was made by a designer. The only customizing you can do is choosing a color that you like or a size that fits you.
In order for an item to be called bespoke, it needs to made specifically for the customer, in case of clothing that means: the cloth is chosen by the customer and after being measured a pattern is drawn and the cloth is cut by the tailor according to that pattern. Then the sewing begins and after a couple of fittings(usually 2-3) the suit is complete. So not every option to customize clothing is not bespoke, that is imprtant because some companies might allow you to make small adjustments and try to charge more for a “bespoke” service. luckily the term bespoke is- depending on the country-protected by law; In the United States the term “custom” is used which is more open to exploitation.
With that being said, let’s try to answer the question: Is Bespoke better?
Not necessarily, going bespoke just means the artisan making the item has complete control over the process and is able to make changes to accomodate your needs. So if you do not have a condition that requires specific modifications( such as an arm that is longer than the other,a foot that is larger than the other one or sloping shoulders ) or are simply not ready to make a huge investment in bespoke items you do not require a bespoke item. You can find a ready to wear or made to measure brand that offers quality items which fit you reasonably well, buy from them and have the clothes modified by an alterations tailor. Brands like Edward Sexton and Stefano Bemer ,among others, offer ready to wear items that meet the highest quality standards in both their ready to wear and bespoke services. If you do have asymmetries like the ones mentioned above however, then going bespoke might be the only way to find something that fits.
Some people tend to hate on ready to wear to an unreasonable degree. True, you most likely will need to take the garment to a tailor and have adjustments made and the shoes might not fit you perfectly but as long as there is no physical discomfort you can find fantastic brands to buy from and my goal is to give you the knowledge you need to be able to tell good products from bad ones. But to give ready to wear its due, in the late 19th and the very beginning of the 20th century, the only option to get clothes made was to go to a tailor and if you could not afford that, you either had to make your own garments or get it second hand or as a hand-me-down from your employer if you worked for a member of the aristocracy. It was not until the thirties where clothes were made more affordable by ready to wear manufacturers and the thirties are regarded by connoisseurs and mens wear enthusiasts as the golden age of mens wear.
So next time when you want to make a purchase, do give ready to wear a thought. And if you want to learn more about quality items, make sure to subscribe to this channel.
Yours Truly
Farid Mahad