Finding A Bespoke Tailor

[VegasRebel]

I've begun developing an interest in bespoke clothing, but am finding it difficult to figure out how to actually select someone to commission a piece from. You can probably guess from the username, but I live in Las Vegas.

Much of my interest has come from watching various YouTube style channels (Gentleman's Gazette and Sartorial Talks primarily.) Particularly Hugo speaks at length about tailoring houses he enjoys, but they are in Paris, Italy, or England generally. The general consensus seems to be that quality United States tailors are hard to find already.

I've looked around locally, and have found a few options. We have a SuitSupply, though they aren't really bespoke and I have some other MTM suits already (Oliver Wicks, Combatant Gentleman) and I'm looking to move past that somewhat. Also, I'm not really built for a SuSu suit, though I'm going to double check that and stop in this weekend.

There is another shop I've seen recommended, Stitched, that at least seems to come close to what I'm looking for, though I get the impression they are more of an upscale MTM shop than a true bespoke. For instance, in researching other parts of the process, they seem to measure once, but I haven't heard anything about additional fittings, etc. They also just give off a ... marketing vibe ... for lack of a better word.

Gary Franzen does seem to be an actual bespoke tailor, so I'm leaning his way. I'm just not really sure how to determine the quality of his work, being a beginner, and being unable to rely on word of mouth as I might by taking Hugo's word on the quality of Cifonelli, for example. Bespoke suits are expensive, and I'm prepared for that, I just don't want to waste a lot of money.

Particularly in the US (outside of New York and Los Angeles, maybe) what should a novice be looking for in a tailor before commissioning a piece? Las Vegas specific advice is particularly helpful, but I'm not sure how many other members live here. If a trunk show is a better option than trying to find a true local tailor I'm open to considering that as well, though I'm not really sure how that process works exactly and developing an interest during COVID makes it less likely that any are coming to town in the near future anyway.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[dieworkwear]

I've tried about ten bespoke tailors at this point. Some have been great; some have been not so great. From my experience:

1. Ask if your cutter will be present at your fittings. If so, that's always a plus. I wouldn't dismiss a company if the cutter won't be present, but I would be more cautious about going in and commissioning something.

2. Try to get first-hand testimonials from previous clients. You can't always easily find the truth online, as bespoke clients are often shy about sharing bad experiences publicly. They may feel ashamed that they got duped, or they may be more forgiving about a tailor's mistakes if they've developed a relationship with this person. For this reason, I find it's useful to reach out to people privately and ask for their candid opinion. I find people are more willing to share their honest thoughts about a tailor this way.

3. Ask about the house style. Every tailor has a way of cutting and making things, and this ends up getting expressed in the silhouette. Ask about the house style and try to find examples of that cut online (ideally, on people with builds similar to yours). Customers who use bespoke tailors often say that you shouldn't deviate too far from the house style, and I think this is wise. The more you deviate, the more of a headache you'll be as a customer, and the more likely you'll be unhappy with the outcome even if the tailor complies. You can adjust the house style at the margins, but don't go into a tailoring shop that specializes in a very structured suit and ask for a very deconstructed suit.

4. Think about the tailor in terms of service, not just craftsmanship. It's not just someone who can construct a suit for you, but can guide you towards better decisions when choosing fabrics, stylistic details, etc. Ideally, it may also be someone who can adjust the suit after the final fitting. Think about the total package in terms of service.

5. It's an unfortunate thing to ask, but there are so many MTM outfits today that call themselves bespoke, I would ask how is the pattern drafted. Ask about the process. Don't be so narrow that you feel you need X number of fittings (some bespoke tailors only do two fittings, some do many more). But there are operations out there that are just doing remote MTM and calling themselves bespoke, so it's worth being clear how your pattern is drafted and how your suit will be made.

Personally, I try to find places that have a distinct house style. I want something that's technically very good, but also aesthetically pleasing. I also try to find places that will give good service. And I think you should be prepared to spend a lot of money. Sometimes you choose the wrong fabric and the suit doesn't turn out well, as a result. Sometimes you choose a bad tailor. Bespoke can end up being a very expensive hobby.

I don't know any of the tailors in Las Vegas. I use traveling tailors who come through San Francisco. I don't believe any of them visit Las Vegas. If you can make the drive to Los Angeles, you have more options. My impression is that the craft of bespoke tailoring is so small now in the US, most clients use traveling operations.

 

[VegasRebel]

Thank you very much for the detailed advice, @dieworkwear! I did a quick search and found you also gave a detailed answer on a thread about traveling operations, so I'll do a bit more looking into that, too.

Travelling to Los Angeles is possible - even a few times potentially. It might be worth saving up a bit more and getting several pieces commissioned at a time if I do that, but it could end up being about the same as local tailoring in the end.

 

[nmprisons]

If you're new to bespoke or familiar with bespoke but new to the tailor, I would suggest one piece at a time until you are comfortable with the tailor and they are comfortable with you.

 

[usctrojans31]

To build off of DW's great advice:

1. Figure out what you want to look like and what cut works better for you. Do you like the more structured cut of a military-inspired tailor? Do you like the drape of Anderson & Sheppard. Do you like the soft construction of Neapolitan. It doesn't matter how good a tailor makes someone look — it matters if the tailor makes you look like you want to look.
   
   
2. Understand what constitutes adjusting at the margins. That's things like length, lapel width, button stance.
   
   
3. In addition to service, someone you feel comfortable with and with whom you envision a long-term relationship.