A custom suit is made by one of two distinct methods: made-to-measure (MTM) and bespoke. Each has its own process, lead time and degree of personalisation. At ZAVATE, we work with both methods every day and know exactly which one best serves each client’s needs. Both are explained below, with the jacket as an example, though the same principles apply to any garment.

1. How does the made-to-measure (MTM) process work?

Made-to-measure starts from a base size: a suit cut to standard measurements. The first step is to take measurements. How does it work? The client tries on several standard suits until the specialist finds the size closest to his body. Once the base size is set, the adjustments begin. This is where the measuring comes in, the “made-to-measure” part of an MTM garment. Together with the client, the specialist decides which areas of the jacket need altering. Typical examples are the shoulders, chest, sleeves, waist and hips. These alterations are recorded on an order form, which is then sent to the MTM department of a factory. The same order form also lists the personal details of the garment. More precisely, the client chooses the fabric, the lapel style, the number and style of buttons, the pockets, the lining and so on.

2. What happens after the base size is adjusted?

A made-to-measure garment is not a standard-size piece altered after the fact. It is cut to the dimensions of the base size the client was “matched” to. Plus the handful of adjustments agreed afterwards. Almost every operation in the factory is automated. After roughly four weeks, the client is invited to try on the jacket. This is not an interim fitting, since the garment is already 95% finished. The exception is usually the trousers, whose length is set towards the end.

3. How is a bespoke garment cut from scratch?

This process is far more laborious than MTM. Here too, the starting point is the measurements. This time, however, they are taken directly on the body, with no standard base size involved. A jacket typically requires around 15 measurements. The client’s build and posture matter as much as the numbers. If the back is rounded, for instance, the jacket is cut to disguise the curve and restore visual balance. With all the data in hand, the work begins. A bespoke garment is not made in a factory. Its value comes from the hands of the craftsmen and the skill they have built up over the years.

4. Why do interim fittings matter in bespoke tailoring?

Here, the client is no longer slotted into a standard. On the contrary, every body gets its own pattern, so that the garment follows the silhouette closely. Because comfort and fit come first, the work advances one step at a time. That means two, three, sometimes even four interim fittings. The result is a garment designed, cut and made around the client’s needs, wishes and anatomy.

5. What can be customised on a bespoke garment?

A suit takes around 5 to 6 weeks to make. Naturally, the bespoke process also has a customisation stage, and a more complex one than MTM. Because the garments are made by hand, the customisation goes much further. Take the lapel. Beyond its shape (notch, peak, shawl) and width, other details can be set as well (length, curve). Every element of comfort and design (pockets, vents, cuffs, waistband) is carefully considered.

6. Made-to-measure or bespoke: which is the right choice?

MTM offers a moderate degree of control over fit, comfort and appearance. That is because it rests on predefined patterns, combined in such a way that they never stray from the “base size”. Once it leaves the factory, the garment will need alterations, and not exactly minor ones. Bespoke, by contrast, offers full control over every element of design, construction and fit. This is possible thanks to the method itself, the interim fittings and the dialogue between client and tailor. Both the price and the lead time are higher for a bespoke garment, the interim fittings included.

The bottom line: MTM garments sit far better on the body than ready-to-wear (off-the-peg) pieces, but they are not a perfect fit. Bespoke is the only method that delivers the closest fit a garment can offer. The man who wears it looks, and feels, impeccable.