Ask the Tailor: How Much Does Your Tailor's Opinion Matter?

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Each month we ask our expert tailors to address one of your most frequent questions. This month we’re considering the question of how much your tailor’s opinion matters.

Any good salesperson will tell you that the customer is always right. And though this is certainly a very important concept in customer service… we’re going to break from this wisdom a little in order to talk about how much your tailor’s opinion matters.

When you make an appointment with a tailor, you’ll be given the chance to talk through exactly what you’re looking for in a garment. Your tailor will want to understand how you want the garment to look and how you want it to feel.

Your tailor will advise you on how you can achieve the look and feel you’re hoping for. In doing this, they may advise you to do something slightly differently from what you had in mind. If they do this, it will be because they feel you can get closer to your vision with a slightly different tailoring route.

Of course, when someone gives you advice you don’t have to take it. This is true whether it’s your tailor, your doctor or your nosy neighbour! But do keep in mind that your tailor has years of experience in creating much-loved garments. If they think there’s a way to do it that will produce a better and more practical piece of clothing, they’re very likely to be right!

The reality of the client-tailor relationship is that it’s a collaborative process. It isn’t about the tailor needing to be told exactly what to do, and it isn’t about you agreeing with whatever your tailor suggests.

Instead, it’s about listening and respecting each other’s ideas in order to work together to create the perfect garment.

Next month we’ll be asking our tailors to cover another frequently asked tailoring question. Sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it.