Bespoke Denim - 3x1, Richard James, Timothy Everest and Gieves & Hawkes - Experience, Quality and...

I didn't know those London tailoring houses made bespoke jeans. I doubt many people on this side of the forum have any experience with them.

I checked out the 3x1 website and I personally wouldn't pay $1200 for a pair of jeans. They seem to offer the usual high end denim (Cone Mills, Kaihara, Kurabo) that other brands use.

Since denim shrinks and stretches a lot, molding to your body in the process, and since jeans are available in so many different cuts, going bespoke just doesn't seem worth it. I completely understand the advantages of getting bespoke shirts or suits but jeans don't make sense to me, especially not at such a high premium.

If you're dead set on getting something custom, you could check out Jack/Knife Outfitters. Prices seem pretty reasonable too. http://www.styleforum.net/t/279709/jack-knife-outfitters-bespoke-denim

I would only consider getting bespoke jeans if the price was comparable to jeans of the same quality from a reputable brand.

I feel like there's so many different cuts that all you really need is to find a pair that fits and you can get them tailored if you want a slight adjustment.. really not worth getting bespoke lol

This is probably the way to go since the bespoke makers probably use mediocre denim far inferior to the proprietary denim used by the best Japanese brands. It would be cool to bespoke jeans made from the denim that is produced for 45rpm, Samurai, Iron Heart, Eternal, etc., but the cost would be insane.

 

Man they use Japonese denim, email that I received today from Timothy Everest:

 

 

Thank you for your email. We offer a full bespoke or made to measure denim service. We either cut a paper pattern for bespoke and make from measures or we offer a made to measure service whereby we work from our master model with amendments.

 

We offer 50 denims, rivets, buttons and thread colours so you can create the perfect jean. All production is in Okyama in Japan the home of denim. Prices start from £595 and go up to £1200.

 

If you wish to discuss this further please do not hesitate in contacting me directly.

Uniqlo uses Japanese denim as well. Anyway, I don't know if Timothy Everest uses good denim or not, though I would hope it's pretty nice at the 1200 gbp price point. I also hope that they can give info on the fading properties, stretch, and shrink; you can't tell too much from looking at raw unwashed denim.

My love affair with denim started when I got my hands on a pair of Diesel Zathans. At the time I was wearing whatever I could find at Robinsons May or Macys. The thought of paying $200 (this is late 90's money fellas) for a pair of denim sounded absurd. But man, I rocked that pair through thick and thin until it was finally laid to rest a few years back. A really well constructed pair of quality denim is really worth its weight in gold. (If you could buy gold at 1990's prices ha)

 

The idea of den.m bar started over a year ago with that very belief, craft a solid pair and it'll last a damn long time. A lot of the posters are right, Harbin, JohnnyLaw, there are so many quality brands out there that one of them will fit you just about right. However, after having been open for 6 months, there are a LOT of folks who don't fit your standard ready to wear denim. Guys who want selvedge but rock huge thighs and quads. Taller fellas above 6'6. The GLBT crowd who want to switch up traditional gender types in denim. Ladies with well endowed asses and skinny waistlines.

 

My advice to anyone getting bespoke denim is to clearly articulate to your tailor the cut you want (skinny, straight leg), the amount of room/ease you want in the hips & legs, purpose & function (do you wear suits to work or are jeans acceptable) & even what type of shoes you’ll normally wear with jeans.

 

I don’t know of any bespoke/mtm ateliers using cheap non-American or Japanese denim. That wouldn’t make sense at the price points we charge. At den.m bar, we use raw unsanforized Cone Denim, Nisshinbo, Kaihara & Kurabo. We’ve spec’d all the fabric under different wash conditions, so we know the amount of shrinkage. All of this is taken into account when creating your pattern piece and during the fitting process. E.g., if you plan on going without a wash for 6 months, we’ll make sure your jeans are snug to the point of being slightly uncomfortable so they can break out over time. If you’re the type to carry hand sanitizer on you at all times, we’ll probably give you another inch of room in certain areas, knowing you’ll be washing the denim as soon as you touch a bus bench.  

 

If you’re a 5’10 guy with average build, yeah going the bespoke route may not make sense. Then again, everyone would love their own pair of custom built jeans, made one of one for them and them only. From a bias personal opinion, I would not recommend paying more than $600 for a pair of bespoke denim (unless the ENTIRE process is bespoke). As anyone with pattern making experience can attest, creating a pattern from scratch is a time intensive process.

Ooe Yofukuten