Today we delve into the inner workings of tailoring and behind the scenes. Hopefully this article will open your eyes to a few truths and help you make more informed purchases in future.

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. There are many tailors that fly down from overseas and offer bespoke or tailored “Pure Cashmere Wool Super 150s” suits in Designer materials for under $500. It sounds a little farfetched to offer a Super 150s hand tailored suit made with designer Cashmere Wool for such a low price while covering return airfare for all the workers that fly down, plus accommodation, materials, labour, etc. Either they’re not making a dime of profit which is highly unlikely, or they’re using cheap materials and cheap craftsmen to put the suits together.

Don’t be surprised if you find some of the buttons falling off or the suit coming apart at the seams – and most likely, the material not being of good quality and probably not even actually being Super 150s pure Cashmere wool. Most often the material will be a polyester-wool blend, and the cheaper it is, the more polyester content it will probably have.

Don’t be fooled by designer brand materials

There also are many cases where a material will have a designer brand such as Bvlgari, Armani, Versace, Boss, Gucci, Zegna, etc. printed along the side strip to attract customers. The tailor will turn around and offer a tailored suit using the designer material for an amazingly low price.

To the un-versed, this amazingly low price may be attributed to the cheap cost of labour in some foreign countries – partially true. However the major reason the tailor is able to offer such a low price is because the material is not actually what he claims it is. The material alone would cost around $450 if it is genuine designer. The cost of paying a Master Tailor to construct the suit – even in a country where cost of labour is cheap - would not be so cheap unless they’re resorting to unethical practices such as sweatshops. Then on top of all this, the retailer will add their own margin. All of this would be enough to drive the price up to a good $1200 – $1500 at the very least.

Here’s a pictorial comparison between a cheap suit and a good quality suit…

Cheap Suit – poor finishing

No Woolen Felt underlay beneath the lapel for reinforcement - it's just left bare.

Button falling off after a few months of use.

White stitching can be seen on the outside of the pocket.

Good Suit – assurance of quality

Woolen Felt underlay beneath the lapel for reinforcement.

Pocket is finished with clean, subtle stitching.

Exquisite patterned linings to add extra flair, with superior finishing inside and out.

Not all tailors are made equal…

This brings me to my next point: despite cheap labour and tailor shops being abundant in many countries – not all tailors are made equal. Many have packages where they’re selling 2 suits + 1 Blazer + extra trousers + 2 shirts + 3 silk ties all for USD$350. You will often see these advertisements in the in-flight magazines. Once again – sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? Well to be fair, the offer is usually legit, however the quality is where you will lose out. Often these ads will get you into the shop – then you’re shown the materials that are on offer for this price. If you do happen to know your suit materials and are somewhat discerning, you will quickly realise that you would not be caught dead in suits or shirts in those materials, or wear cheap quality polyester ties such as the ones in the offer. Your aversion is instantly recognised by the experienced salesman, and you are swiftly upsold onto something of much better quality. You walk out spending much more than originally anticipated, or if you don’t know any better you walk out with some cheap clothes that wear out in a couple of months, and which your colleagues may look at with some disapproval.

The majority of “tailors” are just shop fronts or showrooms that stock the rolls of materials and where measurements are taken, a suit is designed, and fittings are conducted. Many of these shopfronts ultimately use the same actual cutters, stitchers and finishers (collectively called tailors) who put the suit together in workshops that are hidden away somewhere offsite. The flashier looking larger shops just charge more, even though they may be using the same backend manufacturing as the tiny shop next door.

So how do you know where to by a great tailored suit?

Well – there are three ways:

1. Word of mouth – which for a number of reasons can be inaccurate. It may be that the person who is recommending the tailor has a vested interest. It could be that the person doesn’t really know what a good suit is, and may be satisfied with the quality he’s received (at least for the time being until the suit starts falling apart). Or it could be that the person has only tried one tailor and that’s the only one he can recommend.
2. The second method is Trial and Error. You will need to go to multiple tailors and invest quite a bit of money to get suits made – then compare the quality, style and fit yourself.
3. The third method is to come and see us at Finestitch & Co. I am confident in pushing our company because I guarantee quality and satisfaction - and you have a point of call as we are based locally in Sydney, Australia – we’re not going to sell you the suit and then disappear or ignore your phone calls and emails if you have any issues! We have gone through all the trial and error and refined our quality control practices. We use real Master Tailors who expertly hand craft your suit. We use real Super 150s Pure Cashmere Wool from Italy. You need not fly anywhere or even drive anywhere – we can come to you. And our prices are not astronomical – we believe that we strike the perfect balance between high quality and reasonable prices starting at $499 for a custom tailored Cashmere Wool blend suit, $699 for a tailored Pure Cashmere Wool suit, and $999 for a tailored suit in Versace or Boss designer material. Book a visit from a Finestitch Design Consultant today.