Bespoke vs. Made-to-Measure Suits: The Finer Lines
Whether you live in Los Angeles or any other part of the world, custom tailored suit comprises two classes – bespoke and made-to-measure. Regrettably, misuse of these terms – often thought as same – has created a notion even among the fashion conscious people that bespoke is synonymous to made-to-measure. The truth, however, is otherwise. Now you may ask: what’s the difference? To answer this, here are a few points to read between the finer lines.
Pattern Made-to-measure (MTM) suits come in a variety of standard patterns. In other words, they have pre-set patterns that are altered – scaled up and down – to get close to the fitting required by your body type. If, for instance, you order an MTM suit of size 44, the tailor will adjust the length and width of the fabric according to your body’s measurements. A bespoke custom made suit, however, has a new pattern for each and every individual and no base pattern is used in the production.
Fitting Bespoke custom-made suits, literally, are ‘be spoken for’ you. As they are made from scratch, they involve multiple fittings that are taken to consider even the minuscule shapes of your body part. On the contrary, an MTM does not involve a lot of fitting measurements, except a few general ones that aim to set the pre-set designs according to your specifications.
Fabric Another major difference between a bespoke and made-to-measure custom made clothing is attributable to the number of mills that are curated before selecting the fabric. While the fabric for an MTM suit might be curated from not more than 2 mills; at least 8-10 mills are considered before procuring the cloth for a custom made bespoke suit.
Variety As a bespoke patron, you have plenty of options to choose from, including a wide variety of styles, buttons, pockets, pleats, cuffs, interior lining, lapel, and other elements of your suit. MTM wearers also have such options. Their list, however, is shorter than that available to those who go for bespoke suits.
Conclusion Owed to tangible differences, a bespoke suit is much more expensive than a made-to–measure one. Then again, since clothing is a personal preference, it is worth every penny you may invest to get that perfect look. An MTM, however, is a good option for those who want something between ‘off-the-rack’ and ‘bespoke’.