Savile Row Dispute: What is a Bespoke Suit?



Posted: Tuesday, October 05, 2010

by Andrew Marhall

Savile Row is a street in London known for bespoke men's tailoring. Suits made on Savile Row are world famous and have a reputation for being hand-made specifically for each customer. People associate Savile Row with this in much the same ways as they associate Harley Street with medical practices. When someone thinks of a Savile Row suit they expect a high quality hand-made bespoke suit and they generally cost at least 3,000 each.

The word "bespoke" is now used for all sorts of custom made items but its origin comes from Savile Row suits. It first came about when a suit was described to be "spoken" for, in other words it was made specifically for that customer. This term meant it was made to their measurements and choice of materials and patterns. It is very different than mass produced suits on the high street. When purchasing a bespoke suit a customer will have their measurements taken and choose all the specifics of their suit, which will then be made to their requirements.

Bespoke is now a term used more widely across a number of different industries, from kitchens and furniture to computer software. If they are designed and made for a particular customer then it is generally referred to as bespoke.

There has been much controversy on Savile Row as there have been examples of suits being described as bespoke that are not truly bespoke according to the traditions of Savile Row. These are made-to-measure suits with some alterations and choices available. This has infuriated the established Savile Row bespoke tailors on the grounds that they are mass producing a cheaper product and selling them as bespoke Savile Row suits despite them not being the same quality as a tradition bespoke Savile Row product. To an extent this type of situation has been seen as watering down "bespoke" and "Savile Row". Some believe that these terms should only be used for suits made in Savile Rows traditions. However, others say that Savile Row is simply a location and if a suit is made on that street then it is a Savile Row suit. So it is up for debate whether Savile Row is simply a location or effectively a brand or description of a product. There is a similar debate around the term bespoke. The definition of bespoke can be difficult to quantify. Does it mean everything has to be specific to the customer's requirements or just a product where there are a number of different options available? For example, is a car where the customer has a choice of colour, interior and other option a bespoke car, or must they choose every detail for this to be the case? Savile Row generally believes the latter, but other are claiming this is not the case. Savile Row tailors think that customers expect the highest quality when they order a bespoke Savile Row suit and that those who are offering a made-to-measure suits under this tag are giving customers the false impression that they are getting a similar product for less.
bespoke tailors
Andrew Marshall (c)
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