Like almost all good things, a bespoke suit takes time to make. An expert tailor will need a reasonable period to take you through the process of building a completely personalised suit, from initial style consultation and measuring up to fittings, alterations and final delivery.
If you’re ready to take the plunge and commission your first tailored suit, you may be wondering when the best time is to start the process.
As a general rule, the tailoring process takes around two months. We work to this timeline and always prepare our clients for a waiting time of eight weeks. This gives everyone involved enough time to do their very best work.
This means that when you are commissioning bespoke tailoring you really need to be thinking a season ahead of your wardrobe. It may seem strange to be considering winter overcoats at the beginning of August, but we can guarantee your future self will be grateful come October! Likewise, if you’re thinking about commissioning a lightweight suit in time for summer work commitments and events, you’ll probably want to schedule an appointment with your tailor in April.
There are some exceptions to the two-month suggested rule.
Firstly, if you’re ordering a piece of bespoke menswear for a very specific event, we’d always recommend speaking to your tailor about it as early as possible. This includes tailoring for special events such as weddings (especially if you’re the groom!) ceremonies, black tie dinners and balls. Adding flexibility to your lead time will give you and your tailor extra time in the event of unforeseen circumstances or additional alterations.
Secondly, if you’re planning to commission a new suit at a particularly busy time of year, it might be wise to consider adding a couple of weeks to the usual expected lead time. This could give you more choice when it comes to scheduling fitting appointments with your tailor. In the tailoring world, the busiest times are usually considered to be the run up to the festive season (October - December), the run up to wedding season (April - June) and the run up to shooting season (July - September).
Finally, if you don’t have eight weeks to wait, please don’t panic yet! It’s always worth speaking to your tailor to see if they can help within a shorter wait period.
Not sure when the best time is to arrange an initial consultation? Our best advice is that it’s never too early! Why not get in touch to discuss your timescale and requirements?