Made to measure
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Made to measure typically refers to clothing that is sewn from a standard-sized base pattern. A tailored suit is a common example of a made-to-measure garment. The fit of a made-to-measure garment is expected to be superior to that of a ready-to-wear garment because ready-to-wear garments are constructed to fit the manufacturer’s definition of an average customer, while made-to-measure garments are constructed to fit each customer individually.
To order a made-to-measure garment, the customer’s measurements are first taken by a made-to-measure retailer. Then a base pattern is selected that most closely corresponds with the customer’s measurements. This base pattern is altered to match the customer’s measurements. The garment is constructed from this altered pattern.
The primary benefits to the customer of made-to-measure clothing are that the garments will be well-fitted to the customer’s body and the customer may have the opportunity to customize the fabric and detailing. The primary disadvantage of made-to-measure is that the customer must wait up to several weeks for the garment to be sewn and delivered.
Made-to-measure retailers often travel internationally meeting clients in cities, providing samples of the latest materials and styles.
Unlike bespoke garments, which are sewn by hand, made-to-measure manufacturers use both machine- and hand-sewing. Made-to-measure also requires fewer fittings than bespoke, resulting in a shorter wait between customer measurement and garment delivery.
Made-to-measure garments are typically priced comparable to designer ready-to-wear garments, but are less expensive than bespoke.
Made-to-measure is sometimes also referred to as custom or personal tailoring.
