Why made-to-measure suits are a sign of success

When Mark Twain said ‘Clothes make the man’, he was probably thinking of a made-to-measure (MTM) suit, where each garment is fitted to a man’s size, body type, and style preference.

While the fashion industry has made strides in the last few years towards a more size-inclusive practice, most men are still struggling with a wearisome standard sizing system. Unless you have sample size proportions, most off-the-shelf clothing will need some sort of adjusting—like tweaking the sleeve length or loosening the jacket. It is here that MTM comes in, as it is a suit that is created precisely for your body.

What makes MTM so attractive is that it gives you the agency to decide what kind of suit meets your requirements.

In India luxury brands such as Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Canali, and many more provide MTM services. Some are stitched in Italy and take around six to seven weeks to be delivered.

CORNELIANI

Corneliani provides made-to-measure suits, jackets, tuxedos, coats, trousers and overcoats. A Corneliani jacket goes through 164 separate stages before it is finished. Ironing alone is repeated 40 times and the production process includes 27 hand crafted stages as well as 548 hand stitches. Of course, as a customer you get to choose the fabric, lining, cut, style, buttons etc. Your selection is sent to Mantua in Italy where your made-to-measure suit is stitched. Corneliani also has an India-inspired collection of sleeveless jackets that can also be made-to-measure. The made-to-measure suits start at around ₹2 lakh.

GUCCI

Gucci’s made-to-measure service offers a range of fabrics that include 82 textiles with 178 possible combinations of colours and fabrics—wool, cashmere, and mohair in classic shades of grey, navy blue, and brown; alongside silk satin, velvet, and baby lama with jacquards featuring Gucci’s iconic horsebit logo. It provides personalised details such as the satin lining with the Gucci logo or the label that may feature embroidery with the client’s name or initials.

Gucci also offers signature men’s shoes where you can select the material, colour, width, as well as have your initials embossed.

The MTM service is available only in the Mumbai store.

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

Whether it’s a light linen suit for a day function, or something more practical, such as a navy suit that spells power dressing, every requirement can be catered for.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire made-to-measure experience is adding in the finishing touches. Zegna offers details such as discreet monogrammed initials inside the jacket, or changing the jacket’s silk lining with pop colour. The measurements are taken in the Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad stores and once you have selected the fabric, cut, buttons, lapel, etc., the measurements and your preferences are sent to Italy. Your made-to-measure suit is delivered within six weeks. If any tweaks are required post that, they are done in India. MTM suits start at over ₹3 lakh.

CANALI

Canali’s MTM service allows the customer’s imagination to express itself and create something personal. The service is available for suits, shirts, trousers, sweaters, and jackets. It offers a range of over 300 fabrics. Each season has its own exclusive selection: for the winter, a wide assortment of wools, from the super-fine to pure cashmere, and mohair wool; for the summer, there is silk and linen. The MTM service is available in Indian stores all year round. In addition, Canali specialists come from Italy, twice a year, to provide MTM services directly to customers in India.

GIORGIO ARMANI

When you decide to go for a Giorgio Armani made-to-measure suit, you have to know that you cannot compete with the great man himself. So while you can select from over 300 different fabrics, and the suit will be tailored to your measurements, you cannot dictate the cut. That has to be selected from the wide variety available. On an average, MTM starts at around ₹2 lakh for a suit, which is around 20% more than an off-the-shelf one.

According to the company, its MTM tailoring combines the refinement of Giorgio Armani aesthetics with the richness of tailor-made craftsmanship. The company delivers the garment in six to seven weeks.