Clothing Customization: For an Impeccable Style

Although it is Gentologie’s belief that the style of clothing should be the last thing a gentleman focuses on, it is often the first thing that catches people’s eye, but why not talk about the clothing customization for a moment. In this regard, it is important to learn the numerous ways of choosing your clothes in order to look good and enhance your style. Whether it’s created just for you (bespoke/“Grande Mesure”), handcrafted by tailors and adjusted to your preferences (made-to-measure), or custom-made (“petite mesure”), where the quality can sometimes be lesser, the options are endless. To learn more about clothing customization, I spoke with Mr. Jean-Michel Bonin, owner of Clusier in Old Montréal.

Clothing Customization: Suits at the top of the list

First, let’s talk suits. Clusier holds many brands, including the renowned Italian Canali, which offers a clothing customization program called Me by Canali. “Part of the garment is handmade and the other part is machine-made. At Canali, you can choose the model, cut and materials of your creations from over 500 fabrics and leathers. You can then customize each element to make different pieces. These personal selections will then be entirely made in Italy and will represent your unique style,” says Mr. Bonin.

He adds: “At Clusier, we have various brands that make semi-bespoke products. People would only need to choose the fabric and the cut. They are presented with a selection of different basic patterns. Each customer is then asked to try on clothes from the chosen brand to see if the style suits them. We can take up to a hundred different measurements or alterations in order to get the most accurate details.”

The benefits of made-to-measure

Mr. Bonin believes that there are several benefits of made-to-measure over bespoke for clothing customization. Off the top of his head, he mentions the speed of receiving the clothes and the pricing as the top benefits. “For a person with a more regular ready-to-wear size, we can get more specific in the choices offered. It’s the perfect solution for people who have trouble finding ready-to-wear clothes like athletes or men who are way above or below the average height. This gives them a chance to have pieces that suit them like a glove,” says the owner of the men’s shop in Old Montréal.

The challenges of pants

As for the pants, he tells us that the challenges associated with the fit are in the seat and crotch. If the latter is too short, the pants can get caught in the seat. According to him, it is more complex to do clothing customization to pants than a jacket. As noted in the article about tuxedos—which you will find here—it’s better to have more comfortable pants than tight ones, because too tight clothes tend to wear out prematurely and their level comfort degrade quickly.

If you want to learn more about the art of wearing a fitted shirt with style, we’d invite you to read, in the coming weeks or in our magazine, the interview with Mr. Olof Enckell, the head of assortments at the Swedish company ETON, a brand available at Clusier.

In Mr. Bonin’s opinion, it’s all about finding a balance in the making of clothes. “Clothes used to be worn way too large and then became too tight. If we look at traditional garments like English-style suits, they’ve always been tailored to each gentleman’s physique. However, fashion often tends to go to extremes,” he points out.

Bespoke sometimes confused with made-to measure, is truly an art in itself, and these clothes and shoes are crafted by masterful artists. Some brands like Berluti and many others on the famous Saville Row in London, or in Italy, still provide this service. Do your research to find the best tailors and remember that you’ll have to pay more money, move more frequently to the shop, and wait longer for your clothes than if you opt for made-to-measure.

When you’re in a shop and trying on clothes, we encourage you to always be honest in your requests. Don’t be embarrassed to clearly state your style preferences to your advisor and not to rely on fleeting fashion trends. At Gentologie, we have this motto in terms when it comes to choosing clothes: “style over trends, always”.

In the next few weeks, we will publish an article on how to choose a suit as a complement of this clothing customization article. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive first access. See also our article on how to choose the right tuxedo for your next big event.

This article was originally published in Gentologie magazine Issue 13 and is offered to you free of charge.