What truly makes a custom men's suit so special, in addition to the high quality materials and handwork that is used, really lies in the personal fitting. This is when the tailor will take a multitude of your measurements (anywhere from 10 to 35, depending on the tailor) that he will us to craft an individual pattern that serves as the guide as he hand cuts the fabric of the suit. (This pattern can also be used to make future suits as long as your measurements don’t change.)
The tailor will also discuss all of the details you want him to incorporate into your design, such as how closely the suit should fit the body, whether the jacket will have two or three buttons and if the pants should be pleated, flat front and cuffed.
It is important to note that some custom men's suit makers will request several fittings with the client throughout the process to ensure the perfect fit of the suit. Other tailors, particularly those who are out of your area or out of the country or who do business mainly online, will make the suit based strictly off the measurements you provide without even needing to meet with you or having you try it on.
The entire process of crafting a custom suit from start to finish can take anywhere from a month to six weeks or longer. A lot depends on how busy the tailor is and on how many fittings are involved in the process.
How to Find a Custom Tailor
Custom tailors abound today. Many businessmen have their clothing made from tailors located in parts of Europe and Asia where high-quality tailoring is more common, and sometimes less expensive, than it is here. But you can even take advantage of this old-world craftsmanship without leaving the country. Some of the foreign custom tailoring shops that cater to Americans make annual trips to big cities in the United States, where they do custom fittings for new and existing customers.
But if you prefer to use a tailor who is located closer to home, you can find local custom shops by looking in your yellow pages or by doing an online search. In addition, several of the high-end department stores, as well as chain and individual specialty shops, offer a custom made suit option for customers. You can also shop online for custom men's suit shops. Simply enter your measurements and select your fabrics right from the website and order through an online form.
What You Can Expect to Pay
The price of custom men's suits varies greatly. A lot depends on where you shop and what quality material and labor you select. But there are some general ranges of what you can expect to pay:
- For a well-made suit that is made of fine quality fabrics, you can have one custom made through a department store starting at about $400.
- If you opt to use a reputable custom tailor, you can expect to spend in the $800 to $1,500.
- If money is no option, some of the best custom made suits can cost as much as $10,000.
And while these are the averages, if you want to spend less, or more, there are other options. Some of the online custom shops have very low-end custom-fit suits that start as low as $175, while at least one well-known designer will custom-made you an extravagantly tailored suit for $30,000.
In addition, if you desire a custom-made look but don’t have the time, or money, to splurge right now, keep in mind that you can get a custom-fit on any suit that you buy right off the-rack (or take right out of your own closet) by having it specially tailored to fit your body perfectly.