If you’re considering investing in a bespoke suit, you might wonder how long it will take to make.
Once you’ve chosen an experienced and professional tailor, they’ll be able to tell you how long your bespoke suit will take. However, it’s always good to have a rough idea of timescales, especially if you plan on wearing your new suit at a specific event.
In this blog, the expert tailors from Phillip Alexander have put together everything you need to know about bespoke suit lead times so you can be prepared.
How long does a bespoke suit take to make?
On average, a quality, hand-crafted bespoke suit will take at least 12 weeks to make. This might sound like a long time, especially when compared to purchasing an off-the-peg suit from the high street. However, it’s important to remember that an authentic bespoke suit is handcrafted by a master tailor.
A bespoke suit involves a comprehensive initial consultation, during which your measurements are taken, and your preferences are selected. Then, your unique paper pattern is drafted, and the fabric is cut by hand and carefully stitched together to form your baste garment.
At your first fitting, you’ll try on your baste garment. Any adjustments are noted. The baste is then taken apart, corrected, and then reassembled into your finished bespoke garment. The bespoke tailoring process is rooted in tradition and shouldn’t be rushed.
Factors that can affect how long your bespoke suit takes
Several factors can affect how long your bespoke suit will take to make. For example, if you choose a specific cloth that your tailor doesn’t offer or have in stock, it may take time for your tailor to source this material.
Different tailors will offer slightly different lead times for their bespoke suits, which will generally be a range. If it’s a busy time of year, this will affect the time scale of your suit, so you should always assume your bespoke suit will take the longest time stated (which could be up to 5 or even 6 months).
Although it might sound positive to find a tailor who offers a bespoke suit in a shorter time frame, you should be wary of this. A quality bespoke suit takes time, and a shorter lead time might be a sign that the tailor is cutting corners and the quality won’t be as good.
How long does a made-to-measure suit take to make?
If you don’t have time to wait for a bespoke suit, you might want to consider a made-to-measure one instead. These suits are typically made using a mixture of handcraft and machine work to produce a quality, well-fitting suit in a shorter time frame and at a lower price.
A high-quality, made-to-measure suit from a reputable tailor should take around 2 months to make. Some tailors offer made-to-measure suits in as little as 4 weeks, but these might be lower quality and have fewer customisation options.
How Phillip Alexander can help
Philip Alexander Bespoke Tailors have been crafting high-end tailored suits since 1876. With over 140 years of tailoring experience, we are experts at dressing gentlemen.
We offer both bespoke and semi-bespoke made-to-measure suits.
Bespoke suits
If you’re looking for the very best of British tailoring, our bespoke suit service is for you. Our master tailors handcraft all our bespoke suits using decades of experience and expertise. Every suit is made to fit your body according to your unique measurements and preferences, so you can be sure you’ll look and feel impeccable.
We are also experts in crafting one-of-a-kind bespoke tailored wedding suits.
Our bespoke tailoring process takes 3-5 months.
Made-to-measure suits
We also offer made-to-measure suits if you need a beautifully tailored suit in a shorter time frame. This process only involves one fitting, whereas bespoke tailoring involves several fitting sessions for a more precise fit.
Our made-to-measure tailoring process takes 2 months.
If you are interested in learning more about our range of tailored suits or our tailoring process, get in contact with us today to request an appointment.