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We all know the scene. A dapper middle aged man, strong, imposing and slightly graying enters a nondescript store: small but impeccably maintained and furnished. He’s greeted by an attendant who takes his coat and ushers him into a back room where his measurements are taken by the adept hands of a master tailor. This is the mainstream perception of bespoke tailoring and as fanciful as it seems it’s not completely wrong.
Bespoke clothing is used to refer to items that are made specifically with every cut and fold designed to fit a particular individual. Bespoke suits are made from scratch, no two bespoke suits are the same. They are done by the most experienced tailor who usually require multiple fittings after the first consultations to create the finished garment. Bespoke suits can take on any form or style or pattern depending on the needs of the client. It is entirely done by hand by two or three of the most experience tailors which adds to the appeal.
Bespoke in Nigeria.
Friend: I’m so excited I get my new bespoke suit tomorrow
Me: oh cool! Where’d you have it made?
Friend: I ordered it online last week I hope it fits
Me: wah?!?!?!!?
By now any discerning fashion writer or fashion conscious individual would have figured out that Nigerians are one of the worst offenders when it comes to misusing fashion terms. Words like haute couture, couture, avant garde, khaki (which is actually a color not a material) are some of the terms almost no one uses correctly anymore and bespoke is one of the most misused words, especially in menswear.
Usually for a suit to be considered bespoke it has to: be done entirely by hand (with the exception of long seams), be done by experienced tailors whose trained eyes are capable of making every stitch work in your favor. Also, with bespoke you are given creative freedom. The tailor guides you through the process to guarantee maximum satisfaction with the finished product (bespoke tailors don’t just write down basic measurements then call you 10 days later to pick up your suit).
Bespoke vs made-to-measure
I would say about 80-90 percent of Nigerian brands who claim to make bespoke suits actually make made-to-measure (MTM). There are multiple differences that clearly separate the classification of the two.
- When making a bespoke suit a new pattern is created for the individual. but with MTM, the fashion house has multiple patterns that it adjusts if a client does not fit with the measurement of that pattern (sometimes no adjustment is made)
- With bespoke the only limit to the style and design of your suit is your own imagination. With MTM most fashion houses specialize in specific styles and cuts that you are supposed to choose from.
- With a bespoke suit the tailor becomes your best friend as you two will be meeting face to face for consultations, taking measurements and fittings. With MTM on the other hand you choose a style, an attendant takes your measurements and then you get your suit after a stipulated amount of time.
- Generally with bespoke you are given a much wider range of choices when it comes to materials, lining, buttons etc. With MTM the fashion house, you a presented with three maybe five choices.
When it comes to Bespoke vs Design though each side has its following. A bespoke suit differs from a mass produced or mad-to-measure suit of a designer fashion brand mainly in the detailing, cut and overall fit of the suit. Although some people view brand recognition and the opportunity to impress on social media a big pull towards designer pieces.
Bespoke, due to the attention to detail, superior workmanship and fit can go for anything between eighty thousand to a few hundred thousand naira.
Written by Leo Azad