A suit, lounge suit, or business suit is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles generally worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt suit is similar, but with a matching skirt instead of trousers. It is currently considered semi-formal wear or business wear in contemporary Western dress codes, however when the suit was originally developed it was considered an informal or more casual option compared to the prevailing clothing standards of aristocrats and businessmen. The lounge suit originated in 19th-century Britain as sportswear and British country clothing, which is why it was seen as more casual than citywear at that time, with the roots of the suit coming from early modern Western Europe formal court or military clothes. After replacing the black frock coat in the early 20th century as regular daywear, a sober one-coloured suit became known as a lounge suit.
Savile Row is a street in Mayfair, central London. Known principally for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, the street has had a varied history that has included accommodating the headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society at 1 Savile Row, where significant British explorations to Africa and the South Pole were planned; and more recently, the Apple office of the Beatles at 3 Savile Row, where the band's impromptu final live performance was held on the roof of the building.
Bespoke tailoring or custom tailoring is clothing made to an individual buyer's specifications by a tailor. Bespoke garments are completely unique and created without the use of a pre-existing pattern, while made to measure uses a standard-sized pattern altered to fit the customer.
Gieves & Hawkes is a bespoke men's tailor and menswear retailer located at 1 Savile Row in London, England. The business was founded in 1771. It was acquired in 2012 by the Hong Kong conglomerate Trinity Ltd., which was in turn purchased by Shandong Ruyi in 2017. After Trinity was subject to a winding-up petition for debt in September 2021, Gieves & Hawkes was acquired in November 2022 by Frasers Group, owner of Sports Direct.
Norton & Sons is a Savile Row bespoke tailor founded in 1821 by Walter Grant Norton. The firm is located on the east side of the street, at No. 16. It was purchased by Scottish designer Patrick Grant in 2005.
Henry Poole & Co is a bespoke tailor located at Savile Row in London. The company made the first modern-style dinner jacket based on specifications provided by the Prince of Wales in the 1880s.
Sam's Tailor is a tailor in Hong Kong. It is noted for the roster of its clientele, which includes British royalty, American presidents, and international celebrities.
Made-to-measure (MTM) typically refers to custom clothing that is cut and sewn using a standard-sized base pattern. Suits and sport coats are the most common garments made-to-measure. The fit of a made-to-measure garment is expected to be superior to that of a ready-to-wear garment because made-to-measure garments are constructed to fit each customer individually based on a few body measurements to customize the pre-existing pattern. Made-to-measure garments always involve some form of standardization in the pattern and manufacturing, whereas bespoke tailoring is entirely made from scratch based on a customer's specifications with far more attention to minute fit details and using multiple fittings during the construction process. All else being equal, a made-to-measure garment will be more expensive than a ready-to-wear garment but cheaper than a bespoke one. "Custom made" most often refers to MTM.
H. Huntsman & Sons is a high-end fashion house and tailor located at No. 11 Savile Row, London. It is known for its English bespoke menswear tailoring, cashmere ready-to-wear collections, and leather accessories.
Hari Naroomal Harilela, was a Hong Kong Indian businessman, hotelier and philanthropist and the founder and chairman of the Harilela Group. The group runs businesses ranging from hotel and real estate investment to import and export trading. He was often dubbed the richest Indian in Hong Kong.
Timothy Charles Pedro Everest is a Welsh tailor and cake designer. He moved to London in his early twenties to work with the Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter. He then became one of the self proclaimed leaders of the New Bespoke Movement, which brought designer attitudes to the traditional skills of Savile Row tailoring.
Chester Barrie was a 'semi-bespoke' gentleman's tailor last located at No. 19 Savile Row, London.
Richard James is a bespoke Savile Row tailors and contemporary menswear company. It was founded in 1992 by designer Richard James, a graduate of Brighton College of Art and a former buyer for the London boutique Browns, and his business partner Sean Dixon. The Design and Brand Director is Toby Lamb, a graduate of Central Saint Martins. Richard James has won both the British Fashion Council's Menswear Designer of the Year and Bespoke Designer of the Year awards.
Raja Fashions are a bespoke tailor based in Hong Kong with sales operations in other countries. The company's business model is to take measurement from clients abroad, for instance in Europe and North America, after which clothes are produced by tailors based in China.
Henry Herbert Tailors is a tailoring company based in London, England. They produce bespoke shirt and suits and provide fitting and delivery by scooter.
Savile Row tailoring is men and women's bespoke tailoring that takes place on Savile Row and neighbouring streets in Mayfair, Central London. In 1846, Henry Poole, credited as being the "Founder of Savile Row", opened an entrance to his tailoring premises at No. 32 Savile Row. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers. The short street has been termed the "golden mile of tailoring", where customers have included Charles III, Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson, Napoleon III, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Laurence Olivier and Duke Ellington.
Stephen Williams is an English tailor and fashion designer the establisher of his brand, Terence Trout, tailoring house Bespoke HQ. He previously worked with Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein and DKNY, and he ran the Paul Costelloe Menswear line.
Dege & Skinner is a bespoke gentleman's tailor and shirt-maker located at 10 Savile Row, London. Founded in 1865, they are one of the oldest, continually operated bespoke tailoring companies in the world. They have the Row's first and only permanent on-site, bespoke shirt service.
The word bespoke has evolved from a verb meaning 'to speak for something', to its contemporary usage as an adjective. Originally, the adjective bespoke described tailor-made suits and shoes. Later, it described anything commissioned to a particular specification. In contemporary usage, bespoke has become a general marketing and branding concept implying exclusivity and limited runs.
Alton Lane is an American menswear company founded in 2009 by Colin Hunter and Peyton Jenkins, graduates of the University of Virginia. Alton Lane offers modern bespoke suits, blazers, trousers, tuxedos, and shirts. The company is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and its suits are produced in Germany, Italy, and Thailand. Alton lane uses a combination of 3D body scanners and hand measurements to produce fully custom clothing.
