• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The fit model

Ambulance Chaser

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
13,954
Reaction score
10,066
In a recent issue of GQ, the Style Guy noted that designers design clothing for a certain body type, known as the "fit model," and that certain designers (such as Calvin Klein) design for a slightly more athletic, buffer body.  Does anyone know (from experience with fit or direct knowledge) what body types certain designers design for?  I think that Hugo Boss designs for a more athletic build, but that's only an educated guess.
 

LA Guy

Opposite Santa
Admin
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2002
Messages
57,515
Reaction score
36,347
Hugo Boss does design for a more athletic, fuller body type. Werner Baldessarini, the head designer, has said as much in recent interviews. Here is a far from complete run down, based on their suit fits as I've found them.
Athletic, or more natural, body types and classic American fit: Boss (wider shoulders, elongated torso), Calvin Klein, Hickey Freeman, Polo, Oxxford. Strangely enough, I've found that Burberry (London) suits also generally fall into this category.
Natural shoulder: Jil Sander, Helmut Lang, Armani, Donna Karan.
English style: (higher armholes, more tucked in waist): Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Gieves and Hawkes, Kilgour, French & Stanbury
The thin designer dukes, long and lean types: (narrow shoulders, agressive cut): Prada, Gucci, and especially Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, most seasons.

I've not included certain designers like Versace whom I find difficult to categorize.
 

GQgeek

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Mar 4, 2002
Messages
16,568
Reaction score
84
I don't quite know what you mean by "natural shoulder" but most armani stuff fits me perfectly and i'm more on the slim side. Boss as well for their casual stuff, I am by no means some big muscly guy but their clothes, with the exception of their suits which i don't really fill out, fit well. It's irrelevant though, I would think most people try on their clothes before they buy
smile.gif
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 85 37.6%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 86 38.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 24 10.6%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 35 15.5%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 36 15.9%

Forum statistics

Threads
506,428
Messages
10,589,168
Members
224,227
Latest member
PitbullRancher
Top