Could Armani’s Fatto A Mano Su Misura Service be considered bespoke?

[GiltEdge]

From reading this article and from talking to an Armani MTM specialist it sounds more like bespoke to me.

Armani plans to launch Fatto A Mano Su Misura - a hand-made to measure service that will be avilable in London, Milan, New York, Tokyo and Los Angeles and will offermen the chance to create their own individual Armani suit, the Times reports. Customers will be measured up by Armani tailors and choose their own fabric, silhouette, lapel, vents, pockets, trouser pleats, buttons and lining. The Times says:

Each suit will be hand-made in Armani's new men's studio in Milan and hand-fitted either there or in one of his select Giorgio Armani boutiques. No man will choose an identical combination of fabric, silhouette and detail, so no two suits will be the same. The label of each will be signed by Armani and bear the customer's name.

The starting price will be about £5,000, but could rise to £30,000. "If the customer wants a particularly luxurious, rare fabric, say a double cashmere with a particular wash, and a specially dyed silk lining, he can have it "” provided he can afford it," said Armani.

Customers will also be able to order hand-made shirts and ties and bespoke gold, crystal and sapphire cufflinks. There will be customised watches and aftershaves, made from Madagascan pepper, bergamot, Virginia cedar and bourbon vanilla.

The watch and jewelry service went into effect last winter, and I think the skincare/fragrance did as well, since my local GA store has a whole set up for both men and women for it.

I though that A/C opening MTM was a waste but now that I know how extensive GA is and that AC is actually made by Zenga, I see why. It seems like Vestimenta might not be doing this service. Also in edition to finding out Zenga does AC, I found out that overcoats and other outerwear is Loro Piana. I have seen a few items with the Loro Piana and Armani labels in them at the GA store.

Anyone have thoughts on this service, used it before, etc? I have been thinking about MTM for later on in life and I have already researched anything from Savile Row to the Italian houses and this really seems the best to me.

 

[voxsartoria]

Sure, that is as bespoke as anything. It's MTM with alterations.

The three things missing are:

1. There's no mention of a custom pattern. I suspect the concept is not consistent with Armani seasonality anyway so that makes sense.

2. Who measures you? Who cuts your clothes? Who fits you? Who tailors your clothes? If the answers to these questions are salesmen and nameless faces, then there service might not be as deep as what we would typically know as a bespoke process.

3. What's the price? I'm guessing, gazillions. Once you know the price, you can better assess the value of alternatives. Particularly since Armani likes stretchy fabrics that conform without tailoring...you might do nearly as well for an Armani look with altered off the rack.


- B

 

[GiltEdge]

The GA store that offers it here has a bookcase dedicated to it. With a few books for different parts of the suit and the rest of the wardrobe. I know that the book even contains raw denim fabric if you wanted that. The program is not seasonal, they keep adding to it, because the only have more and more books, as I can see.

Edit: From this line it seems you can have anything you wanted and they'll get it. I have read they have made some suits that have reached $70,000

The starting price will be about £5,000, but could rise to £30,000. “If the customer wants a particularly luxurious, rare fabric, say a double cashmere with a particular wash, and a specially dyed silk lining, he can have it — provided he can afford it,” said Armani.

 

[GuidoWongolini]

No.. & I know them..

In fact some countries stopped as there were so many fuk ups..

 

[mmkn]

This seems like a maturation of the GA MTM program I tried five years ago with suits and shirts. It gets you closer to what celebrities [like Jack Nicholson in the 80's and George Clooney nowadays] get from these designers.

I would say that if they were able to get one fitter and tailor's hands on it[preferably the one who made it], and allowed you multiple fittings [like Howard Stern and his 26 fittings Tom Ford suit he wore on Letterman], then the make [and for you the fit] will excel that of even the top notched bespoke operation as Armani wields his manufacturing power.

Back then, the resident tailor [Beverly Hills Boutique] had me try on a standard suit and shirt and then took my measurements. The measurements were sent to Italy, and a few months later the suit and shirts were sent to me.

Although the shirts fitted well in regards to sleeve length and collar size, they were still roomy as are the OTR ones.

The suit was also very close in fit and was already finished. Unfortunately, because of the finished nature of the suit, it was more difficult to alter [I had picked one of those "Super 180s" (super expensive) fabric that are notoriously difficult to alter and drape nicely]. They had me running to Chicago, New York to try their alteration tailors after their own tried it, to no avail.

I have since abandoned MTM and gone bespoke, but am still watching for the right time to get back into a designer's MTM program.

- M

 

[Journeyman]

You will pay a huge amount of money for the name.

As Vox has indicated, this is not a true bespoke process. In all likelihood, you will be measured by someone who has no tailoring experience, but who is essentially a salesperson. That person will then transmit the measurements and other details to someone many hundreds or thousands of kilometres away, who will then attempt to translate them into a suit.

Note that the article says "...choose their own silhouette..." - it uses the word "choose" and not "design". Perhaps I am reading too much into that, but it really does sound as though it is an MTM program where participants choose a certain look and then get to modify it to a greater or lesser extent. It's a lot of money to pay for an MTM program and, as I said, you are really paying a huge premium for the name and for Signor Armani's signature on the label inside the suit.

 

[mmkn]

Originally Posted by Journeyman

You will pay a huge amount of money for the name.

As Vox has indicated, this is not a true bespoke process.

. . . you are really paying a huge premium for the name and for Signor Armani's signature on the label inside the suit.

Bump. True, true, and true.

I was browsing this month's The Rake issue [with Tom Ford on the cover] and there is an article about Armani's Fatto a Mano Su Misura program.

I am not sure having an individual pattern [bespoke] is worth all the hoopla. What matters in any MTM/Bespoke program are the fitting process, make, finishing, and raw material.

It is to be expected that one pays the maker and middlemen when getting clothing done at this level. From the photos from the article below, it seems very similar to what I am experiencing with my bespoke process today . . . although it might take years to get things done as Armani's master tailors comes to a nearby US city only once or twice a year.

- M

 

[jefferyd]

Originally Posted by mmkn

Bump. True, true, and true.

I was browsing this month's The Rake issue [with Tom Ford on the cover] and there is an article about Armani's Fatto a Mano Su Misura program.

I am not sure having an individual pattern [bespoke] is worth all the hoopla. What matters in any MTM/Bespoke program are the fitting process, make, finishing, and raw material.

It is to be expected that one pays the maker and middlemen when getting clothing done at this level. From the photos from the article below, it seems very similar to what I am experiencing with my bespoke process today . . . although it might take years to get things done as Armani's master tailors comes to a nearby US city only once or t

- M

If they're taking that much out of a finished garment it's because they skipped an earlier fitting or goofed on something. Doesn't inspire much confidence.

But I agree about the pattern. Who cares about the pattern as long as the finished product fits?

 

[Macallan]

It is MTM.

I am not going to comment on the quality, because I have not seen anything from the range. It may well be high quality MTM, but that still makes it MTM; would be interesting to seen how it compares to MTM from the likes of Brioni and Kiton, and even Belvest.

The final product may be better than some bespoke, but the same can be said about RTW.

 

[Macallan]

Originally Posted by Journeyman

1.It's a lot of money to pay for an MTM program 2. and, as I said, you are really paying a huge premium for the name and for Signor Armani's signature on the label inside the suit.
1. The same could be said for Brioni, some of their RTW suits cost more than Huntsman bespoke. 2. Although you are probably right and I share the same view, it could be an excellent product. If I had £5k and wanted Italian MTM, would use a Belvest MTM programme and get a suit, a sports jacket, two trousers and the rest spent on a seven-course meal at Royal Hospital Road with the other-half.

 

[mmkn]

Originally Posted by jefferyd

If they're taking that much out of a finished garment . . . Doesn't inspire much confidence.

That was my experience with their MTM program. Stock size, finished producted, altered three times by in house tailors [not Armani's traveling master tailors specific to this FAM program].

I wonder if one could request a number of fittings ahead, so they wouldn't have to take the finished garment apart. Seems a waste of resources. At that level, I would imagine they could and would.

- M

 

[jefferyd]

Who is this "master tailor" who is supposed to fit people? I didn't think Catterin was traveling anymore.

 

[mmkn]

Originally Posted by jefferyd

Who is this "master tailor" who is supposed to fit people? I didn't think Catterin was traveling anymore.

The tailor pictured above is Giuseppe Basile. Mario Vergani is another I am aware of.

What credentials does a tailor need to have the designation master tailor? In the wine industry to become a Master of Wine one needs to go through quite a rigorous process.

Or, is it like the "cosmetic surgeon" who can take an internet course and set up shop in a mall without being recognized by the Amercian Society of Plastic Surgeons [i.e., Med School, six years residency, more specialty training, then shop]?

- M

 

[jefferyd]

Originally Posted by mmkn

What credentials does a tailor need to have the designation master tailor?
A ponytail. Are you new here or something?

 

[mmkn]

Originally Posted by jefferyd

A ponytail. Are you new here or something?

I'm the last kid in the procession . . .

- M

Actually, it seems more like . . .