Ask the Tailor: What is a House Style?

by Peter White
Photo by Michael

Each month we ask our expert tailors to address one of your most frequent questions. This month we’re giving you the lowdown on what you need to know about house styles.

If you’re new to the world of bespoke tailoring, you may find yourself coming up against sartorial vocabulary you’re unfamiliar with. 

One of the terms you may find baffling is ‘house style’. After all: doesn’t opting for bespoke tailoring mean that your clothing will be created to your precise requirements?

What is a house style?

It’s a well known fact in the menswear world that the overall ‘style’ of British tailored garments differs from Italian tailored garments and, in turn, from Parisian tailored garments. 

Also commonly accepted is the idea that within these big national differences, there are typically smaller more character-based differences between the pieces created by different tailors. 

Every tailoring house has it’s own way of doing things. This tends to result in small but distinct differences in the garments they produce. For instance, some tailors are known for their structured formal suits, while others are known for producing more relaxed modern silhouettes. 

How much should you take this into account when choosing a tailor?

Which tailor is right for you depends entirely on your personal preferences. Though a good high end tailor will be able to produce your suit to your exact specifications, you may find that you would prefer to work with a tailor whose house style is a good fit for your personal style aspirations.

We’d always advise you to meet with any potential tailor for a consultation before you decide to go ahead. During this meeting you’ll be able to see examples of the tailor’s work and consider how they relate to the tailored pieces you have in mind. 

Next month we’ll be asking our tailors to tell us about lapels: should you opt for notched or peaked? Sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss it.

 

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Considering Bespoke?

Every commission begins with a conversation. Here are answers to some of the questions we're often asked.

Business suits start from £999 for single or double breasted, and from £1,299 for a three-piece with waistcoat. Wedding suits start from £999, averaging around £1,500 depending on cloth and detailing.

The standard turnaround is 10 weeks from first fitting to collection. An express service is available in 5 weeks for an additional fee.

Yes. Alongside the York and London showrooms, Mullen & Mullen serves Sheffield and Manchester by arrangement, with fittings available at a client's home or office.

An independent, family-run business with over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on exceptional value: quality that speaks for itself without the inflated price tag. Fittings are in person and unhurried, built around a conversation about how a garment should look, fit, and feel, from a standout velvet jacket to a quietly sharp business suit.

The York showroom is at Unit 3, Middlethorpe Business Park, Sim Balk Ln, YO23 2BD, open by appointment Monday to Saturday, 9:30–5:30.

The London showroom is at 35 Sackville Street, Mayfair, W1S 3EG, open by appointment only.

Yes. Fittings can take place at a client's home or office instead of a showroom, at no extra call-out fee.

Bespoke shirts start from £180, made from English and European mill cloths with a choice of over 60 collar and cuff styles.

A bespoke suit is cut to a client's own measurements rather than a standard size, through a multiple-fitting process designed to get the fit right before it's finished. Cloth, lining, buttons, and detailing are all chosen individually rather than fixed in advance.

This individual approach also means better quality and longevity. A bespoke suit is made to fit and move with you, making it a garment built to last for years, not seasons.

Yes, alongside our bespoke suits, we also make bespoke shirts, overcoats, velvet dinner jackets, and shooting attire. Whatever the garment, the same approach applies: an unhurried, in-person fitting process built around getting the look, fit, and feel exactly right.