Frequently Asked Questions
Bespoke
What does bespoke mean here?
Your garment starts from a pattern drafted for you alone, not adjusted from a stock size. A toile, a test garment in plain cloth, is fitted on you before your cloth is cut, and the finished garment is made entirely by hand. We don’t offer made-to-measure.
How long does a commission take?
Ten to twelve weeks from first measure to final fitting. Your toile is ready about three weeks after the consultation, and the finished garment about five weeks after the toile fitting.
How many fittings will I need?
A minimum of three: the toile fitting, the final fitting and collection. Occasionally a difficult fit calls for a second toile.
What does it cost?
Prices start from $2,250 for a suit, $1,500 for a sport coat, $600 for trousers, $2,400 for a tuxedo, $300 for a shirt and $2,500 for an overcoat. The final figure depends on the garment and the cloth you choose, and you’ll have it at your consultation before anything is ordered.
Which cloths can I choose from?
The house carries books from Fox Brothers, Loro Piana, Holland & Sherry, Dugdale Bros, Dormeuil, Gladson, Caccioppoli, Yorkshire Textiles, Moon and Brisbane Moss. You choose by hand, in person, at the consultation.
Can I bring references or photographs?
Yes. Photographs of styles you admire, or a garment you love the fit of, are always useful starting points.
Who makes the garments?
Every garment is made fully by hand, over fifty hours of work for a suit, in a workshop that shares its ownership with a Savile Row house. Your pattern is drafted and held by a Savile Row-trained patternmaker.
Appointments
Do I need an appointment?
Yes. Every visit to 528 Chapel Street is by appointment, so the house is set aside for you.
What happens at the first appointment?
The Bespoke Commission appointment runs about ninety minutes. We talk about the occasion and how you’ll wear the garment, choose your cloth, design it together, and take your measurements.
I’m new to bespoke. Where should I start?
Book an Introductory Call: twenty minutes by phone about the occasion, the garments you have in mind and your timeline, with a walkthrough of the process. Mark calls you on the number you give when booking.
Where are you, and is there parking?
528 Chapel Street, New Haven, five minutes from Union Station. Private parking is available on site. Please knock at the front door facing Chapel Street.
Can I reschedule?
Of course. We kindly ask for at least 24 hours’ notice, using the link in your confirmation email.
Weddings
Do you make wedding attire?
Yes: suits and tuxedos for the groom, made to the same standard as everything else in the house.
How far ahead should I begin?
Three to six months before the wedding is ideal, and twelve weeks at the least. If your date is closer, rush options are available. Ask at your consultation.
Payment And Returning Clients
When is payment due?
Payment is made in full at your consultation, once the commission is agreed.
Is my second commission quicker?
Yes. Your pattern stays on file, so a repeat of a garment you’ve had made begins without a toile. A new kind of garment, a waistcoat or an overcoat, say, begins with its own.