Bespoke & Haute Couture
Bespoke: "to give order for it to be made."
The bespoke and couture industry is about much more than clothing. Custom garment making is an experience for both the client and the clothier, especially as there are now so many more avenues of buying clothing besides commissioning a bespoke piece.
So much of the general public's understanding of the couture and bespoke industry is based around the idea that it is a grand, expensive and exclusive experience, when it is much more about investing in the artistry and skill which a tailor has honed for years. A simple consultation can be enough to understand much of the language used in manufactured attire and learn one's true size, something which is incredibly relevant in a culture of vanity sizing. All of this is designed to take the stress and labor from a client and instead entrust the process to an expert.
No matter the circumstance in custom garment making, only excellence is displayed. Like going to a spa, it is an experience. There is a reason Chanel calls their stores salons.
We live in a world where every brand is trying to reinvent the wheel, setting out to create things that are all “cutting edge industry disruptors” that will change the world. Fashion is constantly changing and like a wheel, it goes around and around. We see stretchy suits, waterproof suits, zippered suits and everything in between. They all come and then go because they are based on a constantly moving target, the cutting edge. Our gimmick is not to change the world but to preserve one of the best parts of fashion, which is the attention to the individual who has to live their life in the clothing.
Prêt-à-porter coexists beautifully with bespoke work when executed properly. The idea of what you want to wear is very personal, it extends far into the complex nature of perception of self. When we stop being consciously aware of our clothing and instead begin to live in it is when we come to understand how important agency and enjoyment are in choosing our wardrobe.
The couture method of creating a pattern is an incredibly intimate one. Garments are slowly, meticulously created and crafted onto the client's body. Pinning, marking muslins and half finished cuts of fabric.
Swatches, buttons, thread, pockets, linings, cuts, vents, lapels...it can be a bit overwhelming at first. But with so many choices, an experienced tailor knows how to make what was once only a vision a reality.
The tailor sees both who a person is and who they want to be. They specialize in possibilities. When a client comes to a tailor with inspiration for a custom garment, they are rarely looking for an exact replica but are instead seeking the feeling that the garment evokes. When a person says they want to "look like James Dean", this does not mean they want the leather jacket, dirty t-shirt and motorcycle. They want the perception which his iconography creates, they want to wear something that makes them feel as mysterious, aloof and suave as the original wearer.
One of the most powerful tools in any profession is the ability to listen. As a tailor, the job is not to force a client into something, but to allow your expertise to bring to life their idea of a perfect style.
The tailor is the brush for the client's paint. One simply cannot exist without the other.