Imagine the perfectly fitting suit …
Whether you have a new job, or you are interviewing for one, or your social calendar is filling up with post-work invites, you might want to get on board with tailoring’s triumphant return to the catwalk (the best-dressed guests at Fashion Month wore a killer suit of some type). Don’t underestimate the power of a perfectly proportioned two-piece.
Kate Moss in Saint Laurent tuxedo dress at SS26 Paris Fashion Week.
There are different ways to approach buying a suit – bespoke means having something hand-cut and handmade just for you, one of a kind. A made-to-measure suit is cut from a standard block and then adjusted for fit, with a wide choice of fabrics and trim options.
Your first stop might be HUNTER TREACY TAILORS. Dubliner Seán Treacy specialises in top-notch made-to-measure suits for women (and men) with all the trimmings, from unique horn buttons to high quality linings (as well as amazing made-to-measure shirting). Seán’s fabrics are sourced from Italian mills that also supply Chanel and Loro Piana. He has a contact on the ground in Italy who sources deadstock designer materials.
“Once you’ve tried made-to-measure, it’s very hard to go back to off-the-peg,” Seán, pictured, tells us. Do you like a loose fit at the waist? Want your torso to look longer and more in proportion to your legs? Precise tweaks make a big difference to comfort and silhouette.
Seán takes measurements and tweaks to the pattern block at the cutting stage (patterns are digital, meaning little to no fabric wastage). Suits are made in small factories and ateliers in Italy. Six to eight weeks after the client’s first appointment, she returns to Seán’s ateliers in Dublin or Cork to try on the finished suit. Seán assesses the fit and alters if neccessary. “Sometimes clients don’t really know what they are looking for, I suggest doing a bit of research and bringing in a few images of suiting you like. The aim is to put something on and immediately feel like the best version of yourself,” says Seán. There are a number of decisions to make with Seán’s guidance: pockets, lapels, vents, jacket length, trouser width, all tailored to flatter your shape. Contemporary codes such as exaggerated shoulders or wide lapels are possible. One-to-one appointments last 30-60 minutes. Made-to-measure suits start at €849; production takes on average 60 hours of work. Women’s bodies are often more complex to fit than men’s, which makes the made-to-measure route all the more worthwhile. Luxury, after all, isn’t one-size-fits-all. And when every detail has been considered, you’re not just buying an average suit, you’re investing in something designed to last.
On the ground floor of 7 Fitzwilliam Street Upper in Dublin 2, you’ll find MONTO & PERRI, founded by the talented, warm spirit that is head tailor Stevie Blake. Co Laois-born Stevie’s bespoke process begins with a chat about personal style before measurements are taken and fabric and finish options decided. From boardroom-friendly suits to flamboyant evening styles, each piece is carefully tailored and sewn in house. “I started Monto & Perri to make clothes for people who want to have clothes made. You won’t find anyone else wearing the same piece that I made for you. Each detail is meticulously chosen. That, though it’s sometimes forgotten, is the point of bespoke clothing,” he says.
Actress Siobhán McSweeney in bespoke Monto & Perri.
How long does the process take? “I have never found a timeline too short to handle – getting it finished just means early mornings and late nights,” he says. Monto & Perri is introducing “house styles” designed by Stevie for all genders (from €1,650) to showcase the Monto & Perri aesthetic. “I make an individual pattern for every garment, for every client. The house styles are designed so that clients can see the Monto & Perri aesthetic and finished article, before ordering something for themselves,” says Stevie. @montoandperri.
BEST MENSWEAR is the place to order a good quality made-to-measure suit at a good price (costs start at €649). Book an in-store appointment online with a specialist in one of eleven Best stores. Measurements (this takes about 40 minutes) are followed by a selection of cut, cloth and styling details, including linings, buttons, trims and personalised embroidery. The tailoring and manufacturing process takes four to five weeks. Minor adjustments are made at a second appointment.
CHARLOTTE & TESS owner Sarah Jayne Lavery takes a slow approach to fashion, working with local seamstresses to offer a made-to-measure service called Atelier Edit which customises designs for women of all shapes and sizes. Fittings for Lavery’s collection of tailored separates – jackets, trousers and dresses – including THE GLOSS favourite, this velvet tuxedo dress, are carried out at The Linen Green store in Dungannon, Co Tyrone. Adjustments to designs – lengthening a dress or altering bust and neckline – can be made. Clients usually receive their piece in three weeks, there is a ten-14-day express service.
For over 20 years, OLANN GLAS co-founder Jerome Ingle-Smith trained with and worked alongside some of the most respected tailors on London’s Savile Row. A Master Tailor, Jerome learned from Edward Sexton (who famously made Mick Jagger’s wedding suit for his marriage to Bianca) how to cut ladies’ patterns before making for tailors including Dege & Skinner and Huntsman, and eventually taking up the position of Head of Tailoring at Tom Ford. Now Jerome brings his Savile Row knowledge to Olann Glas in Dublin, founded with business partner Damien McClurg earlier this year.
Commissioning a fully bespoke suit (for men or women) starts with a consultation to establish the design, followed by measurements and fabric selection. Olann Glas has over 1,000 fabrics to choose from (mainly sourced from British heritage mills – Magee is the only Irish fabric on their books). Jerome draws a sketch of the garment to give clients an idea of what their finished design will look like, before production gets underway. A second and final fitting takes place in the Pearse Street store. Bespoke two-piece suits take between eight and ten weeks to produce and cost from €1,590.
Presenter Laura Whitmore in Banshee of Savile Row.
“The possibilities are endless when getting something made for you, and it’s quite addictive,” says Ruby Slevin, Irish tailor, designer and co-founder of BANSHEE OF SAVILE ROW. “We meet our clients for a private, one-to-one design consultation at our Savile Row atelier in Mayfair, London, which starts with an initial conversation to find out about a client’s lifestyle and tailoring needs. We show them fabric swatches from our range of heritage Savile Row fabrics, and together we design their suit or coat,” she continues.
No two body shapes are the same, says Ruby, and personal style varies so much. She designs with the person in mind, working to accentuate the client’s best features, rather than following trends. Thirty measurements, from sleeve length to trouser width, and everything in between, are taken. The second meeting is for a toile fitting, a mock-up of the suit in plain cotton, to spot details that need to change, and make any tweaks to the pattern, for a perfect fit. At the third and final appointment, the finished suit is fitted. The process takes about ten weeks from start to finish. Ruby keeps a record of the final pattern and any adjustments required, for future orders. “A killer three-piece business suit is always going to be the Banshee staple. Choosing your own fabric and lining is a fun process. We are currently designing a new collection with a focus on Ireland,” she notes.
Aoife Dunican wears made-to-measure Magee 1866 velvet jacket.
MAGEE 1866 has just launched a made-to-measure tailoring service for women in their Dublin and Donegal stores. Clients can choose from a range of Irish fabrics woven in the mill or a multitude of fine British and Italian fabrics. Each suit is made to measure, based on one of two Magee 1866 tailoring blocks – classic or tailored – and the necessary adjustments are then made to ensure a perfect fit. Preferred lining, buttons, melton (the fabric on the underside of a suit jacket’s collar) and piping.
On a recent trip to Magee in Donegal, stylist and image consultant Aoife Dunican, aka The Style Bob, commissioned a made-to-measure navy velvet blazer (inspired by a traditional tuxedo jacket). “I wanted a higher button placement than usual, a curved cutaway hem, a longline lapel and jetted pockets – the shape works for me. Tailoring expert Stephen Harron had amazing patience. I loved the process of picking my own lining and having my initials embroidered,” she tells us. The cost of a made-to-measure suit is €1,200 and the process takes six weeks.
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