We often get questions like: “What does MTM mean?”, “What does Bespoke mean?”, “How is a made-to-order garment made?”, “What’s the difference between MTM and Bespoke?”
First of all, there are two methods of creating a suit or any other made-to-order garment:
- Made-to-measure (MTM)
- Bespoke
The common element of the two methods is that, in both cases, measurements are taken. Let’s go into detail for both, as clearly as possible. We’ll take a jacket as an example, but both procedures apply to all garments (coat, waistcoat, shirt, jacket, shoes, etc.).
Made-to-measure is a process based on a standard template / suit. The first step consists of taking the body’s measurements. As I mentioned above, a reference template is needed. How does it work?
The person has to try on several standard suits until the specialist finds a size that is as close as possible to the client’s body. Once the template is established, the adjustments begin. This is where the measuring or “made-to-order” element of an MTM product appears. The specialist, together with the client, determines the jacket areas that will be modified. Examples: the shoulder area (+ or – adjustments), chest, arms, waist, hips — all with changes of a few centimeters, more or less. These alterations are noted on an order sheet that will be sent to a factory, to the MTM department. On the same order sheet, the garment’s customization options are written as well. More precisely: the client chooses the fabric, lapel type, its width, the number of buttons and their style, the type of pockets, the lining, and a few other details.
A made-to-measure garment is not a standard-sized article later altered. On the contrary, it is cut according to the template size chosen for the client, plus those adjustments that were made afterwards. Almost all operations done in the factory are automated. After about four weeks, the client is invited to try on the jacket. I’m not talking here about an intermediate fitting, since the product is already 95% finished, except usually for the trousers, whose length is set at the end.
Now let’s move on to the second method: Bespoke.
This process is much more laborious than MTM. Here too, the starting point is measurements. This time, however, the measurements are taken directly from the body, without using a standardized template or suit. In general, for a jacket, about 15 measurements are taken. Just as important as the numbers are body shape and posture. For example, if the back is curved, the jacket will be cut so as to mask and visually balance those imperfections. Once all the necessary data is collected, the work begins. The manufacturing process of a bespoke product is not done in a factory. Here, the “hand” of the makers and the skill gained through years of work give the garment its value.
Now the client is no longer fitted into a standard. On the contrary, each body will have its own pattern, so that the garment closely follows the silhouette. Because comfort and fitting are very important, the work is done step by step, which involves two, three, sometimes even four intermediate fittings. At the end of this process, you will have a garment drawn, cut, and made exactly to your needs, wishes, and anatomical particularities.
The execution time of a suit is about 5–6 weeks. Of course, in the bespoke system there is also a personalization stage, which is more complex than in MTM. Being handmade, garments are personalized in much greater detail. An example is the lapel of the jacket. Besides the shape (notch, peak, shawl) and its size, other particularities can also be set, such as length, curvature, and roll. All the elements that concern both comfort and design (pockets, vents, cuffs, waistband) are thought through in depth.
MTM implies a medium level of control when it comes to fitting, comfort, or how the garment sits. This happens because it is based on predefined patterns, combined and arranged so as not to deviate from the “template.” Most of the time, after leaving the factory, the garment will require alterations (and not always minor ones).
The bespoke system, on the other hand, implies total control over every element of design, construction, and fitting. All this is possible thanks to the working method, the intermediate fittings, and the constant dialogue between client and specialist. Both the price and the production time are higher for a bespoke product, taking into account all the fittings.
So, how can you tell MTM garments apart from bespoke ones?
There are many particularities that can help you figure out whether the made-to-order garment you’re having made is MTM or bespoke. We’ll mention just two, perhaps the most important and obvious:
- If the measurements are taken directly from your body, without any predefined template, then the beginning is a good one.
- The fittings! They are extremely important. If they don’t exist, it’s not bespoke. But beware! When you go for a fitting, especially if it’s the first one, the jacket should not have the buttonholes made, the lapel set, the sleeves attached, the lining, the pockets — in general, almost nothing should be sewn “finished.” That’s why it’s called a “fitting.”
In conclusion, MTM garments will fit you much better than ready-to-wear (off-the-rack) clothes, but they do not represent a perfect match for your body. By contrast, the bespoke method is the only one that ensures the maximum fit a garment can offer, and therefore you will both look and feel impeccable.
Entire pages could be written about the bespoke method, but since we are people of action, we invite you to a “bespoke dialogue” in our atelier. Book a visit now by filling out the form HERE, and come see what a truly made-to-order garment means! The coffee’s on us. What are you waiting for?
