A great suit isn't about following trends. It's about fabric, fit and construction that suit the way you live. We've been making suits by hand in our Brooklyn factory since 1917, and here's what we tell every client before their first fitting.
1. Start with where you'll wear it
Picking the right suit depends on how you intend to wear it. For your first custom suit, we almost always recommend navy or charcoal in a year-round wool: it works for the office, interviews, weddings and evenings out, and pairs with almost any shirt and tie.
- Everyday business: most often navy, charcoal or mid-grey solids, or subtle stripes and checks.
- Weddings and events: it depends on the event, but a lighter grey, a rich blue or a three-piece adds a sense of occasion without the formality of black tie.
- Warm weather: we prefer lightweight wools, wool and mohair blends, and silk, linen and wool blends, often in lighter colors such as tan, light grey or a soft blue, depending on how you intend to wear it.
2. Custom or ready-to-wear?
Custom made-to-order starts with a pattern drafted just for you from your measurements and posture, then cut and hand-tailored in our factory. Our custom suits start at $1,800, and a two-piece averages $2,500, depending mainly on the fabric. It takes about 6 to 8 weeks, with a fitting at 4 to 6 weeks.
Ready-to-wear is made in the same factory with the same hand-tailoring, in our house patterns and standard sizes, and is available now. It's a good fit if you're close to a standard size or need a suit soon.
Book a custom appointment or shop ready-to-wear.
3. Choose the fabric
Fabric decides how a suit looks, drapes and wears over the years. We carry the full ranges of Loro Piana, Taglia Delfino, Dormeuil, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Holland & Sherry and Scabal, along with other leading mills in Huddersfield, England and Biella, Italy. When you visit, we'll help you choose by:
- Weight: lighter cloths for warm weather and travel, mid-weights for year-round wear, heavier cloths for winter and a crisper drape.
- Finish: smooth worsteds for a sharp look, flannels and textures for softness and depth.
- Performance: how the cloth handles creasing, travel and frequent wear.
4. Get the fit and details right
Custom means every detail is your choice. The ones that matter most:
- Shoulders: natural and soft, or structured and defined. This sets the whole silhouette.
- Lapels: notch for everyday, peak for a bolder, more formal look; width in proportion to your frame.
- Buttons: two-button is the most versatile; a three-piece adds a vest.
- Vents: side vents move well and sit cleanly when you sit down; a center vent is the more traditional American style.
- Trousers: rise, leg taper, pleats or flat front, side adjusters or belt loops, and the break at the shoe.
- Linings: blend in, or stand out with a bold color or print inside a classic suit.
5. Look at how it's built
Two suits can look alike on the hanger and wear completely differently after a year. Many suits today are fused, with the front glued to an interlining, which can stiffen or bubble over time. Every jacket we make is fully canvassed, with the canvas, pockets, armholes and collar sewn by hand, and every pair of trousers has a hand-sewn curtain. A canvassed jacket shapes itself to you as you wear it and lasts for years.
6. Plan your timing
- First visit: choose fabric and details, and get measured (about 45 minutes to an hour).
- Fitting: 4 to 6 weeks later, with the jacket nearly finished. Bring the shoes and a tailored shirt you'll wear with it.
- Pickup: about 10 days after the fitting.
For a wedding or event, we recommend starting 3 to 4 months ahead; see our Wedding & Event Planning page. Clients outside New York can visit once for measurements, then order future suits from their pattern on file.
Looks to consider
The Everyday Navy. A two-button navy worsted with notch lapels and side vents. The suit that goes everywhere.
The Charcoal Three-Piece. Charcoal with a matching vest for boardrooms, weddings and winter evenings.
The Soft Shoulder. A natural, unpadded shoulder, slimmer lapels and high-rise pleated trousers. A modern, relaxed take on tailoring.
The Summer Linen Blend. A lightweight and light-colored suit for warm-weather weddings and daytime events.
The Statement Pattern. A bold stripe or windowpane check for a client who already owns the basics.
Caring for your suit
Most of the time, a suit doesn't need cleaning, just pressing. Take it to your dry cleaner to be pressed: the heat and steam take care of wrinkles, sweat and everyday wear. Dry clean it only when absolutely necessary, no more than 4 to 6 times a year, because frequent dry cleaning wears out the cloth. Between wears, hang it on a shaped hanger to keep its line.
Ready to start?
Book an appointment at our factory, 3rd Floor, 239 Varet Street, Brooklyn, or call (718) 497-5480. Planning a wedding? See our Wedding & Event Planning page. Have more questions? See our FAQ.