The word comes from ‘bespoken’ from the days when you would visit your tailor and ask him to reserve a length of cloth for you – ie the cloth was spoken for or ‘bespoken’.

 

There are companies, predominantly on Savile Row’, that promote Bespoke as the exclusive definition for garments made by hand by their pattern cutters based on measurements and body shape details, traditionally requiring lots of interim fittings. This is indeed Bespoke but the definition it is not so narrow.

 

Norton & Townsend tailoring is also bespoke even though it is not made on Savile Row. It is produced from our clients’ detailed measurements and figuration observations. We do not amend a pre-existing pattern. We use a combination of technology and manual pattern cutting work to create a unique pattern. The cloth is then cut individually according to the pattern.

 

The addition of technology does not change the definition. Made to Measure made our way is the same as Bespoke.

 

Beware of Made to Order tailoring. This is where a suit is made to a basic ready to wear pattern but the sleeve or back length etc may be slightly amended. It is not possible to amend body shape or significant styling details. You can normally select your own cloth and the suit is made individually. Watch out, this service is available even on Savile Row.

 

In an article entitled “Suits us” the Daily Mail (June 19, 2008) outlined the Advertising Standards Authority ruling that ‘bespoke’ can also refer to machine made garments in response to Savile Row tailors complaints that a competitor was mis-using the word ‘bespoke’ for suits not made entirely by hand.

 

The ASA said that the historic term had moved on.

 

“We consider that both fully bespoke and made to measure suits were “made to order” in that they were made to the customer’s precise measurements and specifications, unlike off the peg suits”.

 

“We considered that customers would expect a bespoke suit to be tailored to their measurements and specifications. We considered that the majority of people, however, would not expect that suit to be fully handmade with the pattern cut from scratch.”

 

At N&T we believe that in an age when you can buy a bespoke sideboard or bespoke ipod, what actually matters is not the name of the suit, but its fit, style and quality and the service enjoyed by the client.

 

- Austen Pickles, 2009