I AM OFTEN ASKED TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A BESPOKE GARMENT AND ONE THAT IS MADE TO MEASURE. THE QUESTION IS PARTICULARLY PERTINENT GIVEN THE FACT THAT WITH THE RECENT LAUNCH OF MY LONDON STYLE BY JOHN CUTLER RANGE OF CLOTHING, WHICH IS MADE TO MEASURE, I AM NOW ABLE TO OFFER MY CLIENTS A CHOICE BETWEEN THE TWO.

The origin of the term bespoke dates back to the days when a customer ordering a garment would select and reserve a cloth that was then “bespoken” or “spoken for”. Today bespoke means “made to personal specification”. It entails meticulous attention to detail and exceptional cutting and making skills. Garments are made by hand “on the knee” or at the bench and is the method by which J. H. Cutler has produced gentlemens clothing since the business started way back in 1884.

A made to measure garment is made from a standard sized base pattern that is adjusted to fit a client’s specific measurements. The making can be by hand, as is the case with London Style by John Cutler, but made to measure garments are more usually machine or factory produced.