Bespoke
There is nothing quite like dressing in bespoke. The comfort that comes from a perfect fit, the pleasure from owning a piece of supreme craftsmanship and the quiet confidence you gain from knowing that there is nobody in the room better dressed.
Gieves & Hawkes' bespoke tailoring blends the traditional relationship between cutter and client with a modern approach to fabric technology and an acute awareness of contemporary trends.
The classic style and elegance afforded by a bespoke suit is timeless and will last a lifetime.
The Order
The process of bespoke begins with a detailed consultation with a tailoring sales consultant. A cutter (often attended by their undercutter) will then be called on to take an order along with the sales consultant. The cutter will have at least 10 years and often in excess of 30 years of hand tailoring and hand cutting experience - only the best work on Savile Row.
The cutter takes measures from the body; taking into consideration all figures and frame types. An individual paper pattern is drafted and then cut by the cutter specifically for each customer.
There are no limits to the cloth that may be chosen, with the available selection only generally restricted by local merchants' supply. As a great bespoke house we offer close to 10,000 to choose from. The cloth is then also cut by hand to the individual pattern.
As with the cloth, there are no restrictions on style. With bespoke, the answer is invariably that it is possible rather than it is not!
The Creation
After cutting, each item - jacket (or coat as it is often known), trouser, waistcoat - is passed to a separate tailor with appropriate skills.
This single tailor is responsible for the hand rendering of their item. Horsehair canvasses are washed, softened and hand-shaped over the knee following the cutters fitting instructions.
This is completed to a basic stage known as a First Baste, where the garment is loosely stitched, without pockets, buttons and any other finish details.
The First Baste garments are then fitted on the customer and totally ripped down and rebuilt taking into account specific customer requirements relating to both comfort and fit.
The constituent parts are then remade and taken to an Advanced Baste, which includes the pockets and other details, and then refitted on the customer at a second fitting.
The Finished Garment
Following the second fitting the garment is usually finished fully in advance of the third and final fitting.
All finishing is completed by hand including edge stitching, padding of lapels, individual buttonholes and application of buttons. All linings are felled by hand, with linen being used to reinforce pockets and gorge, sleeves are stitched in place by hand and shoulder pads and canvases are hand-cut and shaped.
The final pressing is completed by a separate finisher whose job is only to press.
The Beginning and not
the end...
There are a number of highly specialised craftspeople that will work on any one bespoke garment, with the cutter personally supervising all aspects involved in the production.
A suit will usually take between 50 and 60 hours to make, with production time ranging between 6 - 10 weeks based on the availability of the customer for their fittings. If the customer is however available for fittings, it is possible to finish a bespoke suit within a much shorter period of time.
The pattern is kept and further orders may result in a process only involving two fittings.
The life of a bespoke suit is considerably longer than a ready-to-wear suit due almost always to the quality of its production and the attention paid to fit. There are, in addition, sufficient inlays to allow up to three inches adjustment to the main body seams.
Garments may be 'freshened' by the finishing team - including brushing, re-pressing and running repairs over the years, with our compliments.
If you have any further questions or would like to make an appointment for a consultation, please email agoldberg@gievesandhawkes.com or phone +44 20 7432 6446.
