Made-To-Measure & Bespoke tailoring Options

When deciding between Bespoke and Made-To-Measure tailoring, the key difference is in how personalised the garment is.

Bespoke: This is the highest level of tailoring available. A Bespoke suit is crafted entirely from scratch, based on your specific measurements and preferences. The tailor creates a unique pattern for you, offering limitless design options and a perfect fit. The construction is made entirely by hand, allowing for intricate details and superior craftsmanship. Unfortunately and very misleadingly, Made-To-Measure is often advertised as Bespoke when it is clearly not. An easy way for you to tell the difference is the cost.

Made-To-Measure: A Made-To-Measure suit starts with a pre-existing pattern that is adjusted to fit your measurements. Most tailors offer a machine assemled fused construction with limited options. At Edward George we do things very differently. Our MTM includes full canvas construction and hand sewn collars and buttonholes as standard, with other hand finishing as options ovailable - techniques most tailors reserve exclusively for bespoke. The result is a garment with superior structure, longevity and a level of craft that standard MTM simply doesn't offer, at a more accessible price point than bespoke.

The term “Bespoke” is often misused by businesses to suggest a higher level of customisation or quality than is actually being offered. In traditional tailoring, Bespoke means a garment made from scratch to the client’s exact specifications, involving multiple fittings and hand-crafting. However, some companies may use the term more loosely to describe Made-To-Measure, Custom or even altered off-the-rack suits, which do not meet the true bespoke standard.

This misuse can mislead clients who may believe they are getting a fully tailored garment when, in fact, they are receiving something with fewer customisations and a less precise fit. Some tailors and industry professionals have even pushed for legal protections on the term, similar to how “haute couture” is protected in France, to prevent this kind of confusion.

The bench mark for any Bespoke suit is the Savile Row craftsmanship and experience that goes into making a suit. The basic price is around £5000 Inc Vat for a 2 piece suit. Prices would then increase based on the cloth chosen and complexity of the design they can go up to £10000+.

Savile Row tailors often have large overheads, including premium London rent, high staffing costs, and the expense of maintaining a prestigious showroom. These factors all contribute to the high prices of their bespoke suits. Running a business in such an iconic location adds considerable costs, which are passed on to customers.

In contrast, we can offer the same level of Savile Row craftsmanship for significantly less because we operate from a lower-cost location and have more streamlined operations. As a result, you get true Savile Row craftsmanship without paying for the brand’s real estate or luxury setting.

YES. We understand that a great suit always starts with an exceptional fabric and our Bespoke, Semi-Bespoke and Made-To-Measure options optimise this belief. That’s why we work exclusively with some of the finest cloth mills and merchants around the world giving you access to a huge range of premium options. From sleek wools, relaxed linen and silk blends, fine cashmeres and tweeds to luxurious velvets for special occasions. We’ve got or can source the perfect fabric for every occasion.

A Bespoke suit can take anywhere from 8 to 16 weeks to complete, and this timeline can stretch depending on a few factors. First, it requires multiple fittings—usually three to five—to ensure the perfect fit. Each fitting allows for adjustments, which takes time and expertise. The tailor needs to handcraft the suit with precision, involving up to 50 hours of labour for simpler designs and even more for complex garment.

The process can also vary based on how busy the tailor is. During peak times of the year—like wedding season or the lead-up to major holidays—tailors often have more orders to fill, which can extend the timeline. Each bespoke suit is entirely unique, so the more customisation requested, the more time it may take to complete. We aim to have our suits to the final fit stage within 10-12 weeks.