Want a new men's suit but don't know where to start?

Option 1

"Off-the-rack" Suit

Option 2

"Custom Tailored"Suit (made-to-measure)

Option 3

"Bespoke" Suit

This is a mass-produced, ready-made suit that you buy from a retail outlet.

An individually hand-made garment - aCustom Tailored or Made-to-Measure suit is an optimal medium between Off-the-rack and Bespoke. It gives you the individual choice and personalised fit of Bespoke, without the high price tag.

Bespoke is when you want complete control over every intricate detail of your suit's make and styling. A somewhat misused term, Bespoke suits are meant to be built from scratch, with many more measurements taken and multiple suit fittings to ensure that you're getting exactly what you want.

Bespoke is for the uncompromising gentleman, but all this attention does come at a cost.

Pros

Pros

Pros

• You see what the end product is up-front and you can try it on straight away, so it is easy to visualise how the suit will look on you.
• Usually reasonably priced depending on quality, but sometimes outrageously priced simply because of brand name.

• You have control over many styling aspects of your suit including the fabric and even the internal lining. At Montagio we have a great range of suit materials and some exquisite patterned linings are also available to really add some flair to your suit.
• You can also design and customize the suit to your individual taste in terms of styling e.g. by selecting slim lapels, shorter jacket length, hand-craft stitching, slant pockets, working cuff buttons, etc. (see the MONTAGIO STYLE GUIDE)
• Ultimately what you get is a uniquely styled suit that no one else will have. But most importantly, a Custom Tailored suit is made-to-measure to ensure that it fits your body perfectly.

• Complete control over every styling aspect.
• Excellent quality materials and very large range.
• High quality of craftsmanship.

Cons

Cons

Cons

• You will often waste lost of time trying on scores of jackets and trousers in an effort to find the right style and closest (but not perfect) fit.
• Because the suit hasn't been made to your exact body shape and style,9 times out of 10 you will require alterations, hence costing more time and money.
• Even with alterations, the look may not be right for you.
• You only have the choice of what is there in the shop... so sometimes you may find the right fit, but wrong styling and material, or the right material, but wrong styling and fit, etc.

• You will need to wait a few weeks before you see the end result.
• Custom Tailored suits are made to the 'make' of the brand you buy it from - meaning that while you have control over many aspects of the suit's design, you don't have complete control over more intricate details as you would with a Bespoke suit (e.g. what colour you want the thread around the buttons to be etc.).
• May not be the right choice if you are very particular about styling features. But what you do get is a great fit and a reasonable level of control over the look of your suit.

• Mainly the price, which is well out of the budget of most people - or even if one could afford it, one may not want to spend so much on a suit.
• Requires a lot of effort and thought. Most people don't have the time or patience to bother customising their suit to such an intricate level or going in for multiple fittings.

Timescale

Timescale

Timescale

1 day - 2 weeks: Depends on how long it takes you to find the right suit and if you need any alterations.

3 - 4 weeks: Whole process - from taking measurements to first fitting and any alterations.

8+ weeks: Whole process - from taking measurements, multiple fittings and any alterations.

Effort Required by You

Effort Required by You

Effort Required by You

MEDIUM: It will require you to shop around and try on multiple suits to get the right fit and look, then additional time to take the suit for alterations.

VERY LOW:On your very first suit, your initial consultation will take approximately 25-45 mins, and then your first fitting once the suit is complete will take about 10 minutes. We then adjust your measurements in our system depending on if you required alterations on your first suit after your first fitting.

With subsequent suits, it's as simple as selecting your fabric and styling (around 10-15 mins) - and you will be guaranteed a perfect fit! No more wasting time tediously shopping around and trying on multiple suits for fit.

HIGH: A lot of thought may be required to configure your suit with so many options available.

You will also need to go in for multiple fittings for your first suit, and even perhaps on subsequent suits.

Cost

Cost

Cost

LOW to MEDIUM: You could buy a cheap suit Off-the-Rack from about $199. The material used will be 100% polyester (gets very hot and doesn't breathe), the quality of stitching will be very poor, and the fit is almost guaranteed to be terrible!

A good quality Off-the-Rack suit can be purchased from around $500-$800 - maybe cheaper on sale.

A very good quality Off-the-rack suit can cost anywhere from $800 up to $5,000 for a big name designer brand suit.

Add any alterations costs (anywhere from $50 - $200 depending on work needed).

LOW to MEDIUM: You should be able to pick up a pure wool custom tailored suit for around $900 - $1,200.

Other companies may charge more or less. It all depends on the quality of materials used as well as the quality of the workmanship. Anything cheaper will likely be made of a wool blend (even though it may still be marketed as 100% Pure Wool!).

Speaking for ourselves, we use luxurious yet durable Super 110s, 120s & 130s Australian Wool and hire some of the best tailors around to ensure that we produce an excellent finish and that our customers will never have a reason to complain about the quality of our garments.

View our pricing for more details.

In the rare event that alterations are required, we also cover these costs and promise to tailor your suit to perfection. This is our Perfect Fit Guarantee. It means you will get a perfectly fitting suit every time with nothing more to pay.

HIGH: Expect to pay anywhere from... well... really the sky is the limit here - depending on who you purchase your bespoke suit from. The average cost is around $3,000 - $4,000 with some bespoke tailors known to have sold suits for over $40,000!

Final Word

Final Word

Final Word

While a good quality Off-the-Rack suit will cost about the same as a Custom Tailored one, if you are not too fussed about the style or fit of your suit then this option may suffice. You may be lucky and find one that fits you perfectly first time!

Custom Tailored suits represent the lowest effort, best value for money, and the best result overall. With a price that's on par with good quality Off-the-Rack suits, you'll get a perfect fitting suit every time that is styled the way you want at a great price - a winning combination!

This option is for those that have a very discerning taste, no time pressure, and in many cases an unlimited budget.