FERRUCCIO MILANESI SARTORIAL MADE-TO-MEASURE

FERRUCCIO MILANESI SARTORIAL MADE-TO-MEASURE

Beyond Conventional Custom-Made Suiting

Not every suit made to your measurements is bespoke. And not every made-to-measure suit is created equally.

These distinctions are among the most misunderstood subjects in modern menswear.

The terms custom-made, made-to-measure, and bespoke are frequently used interchangeably in the marketplace. Yet they can represent fundamentally different approaches to pattern making, fitting, construction and craftsmanship.

At Ferruccio Milanesi, we believe a gentleman should understand not simply what his suit is called, but how it is actually created.

Our approach to custom made-to-measure therefore goes considerably beyond the conventional factory made-to-measure process.

We call it Sartorial Made-to-Measure.

WHAT IS A CONVENTIONAL MADE-TO-MEASURE SUIT?

The fundamental principle of made-to-measure is relatively simple:

An existing base pattern is selected and modified according to the measurements and configuration of an individual customer.

This is the principal distinction between made-to-measure and true bespoke tailoring.

In bespoke, an individual pattern is traditionally drafted specifically for the wearer from the beginning.

In made-to-measure, the process begins with something that already exists.

One way of understanding the difference is to imagine adapting an older brother's jacket to fit you.

Perhaps you are similar in size, but your shoulders, posture, chest, waist, hips and proportions are not identical.

The starting structure belongs to another body.

A standard made-to-measure system operates on a similar principle: the closest existing pattern is selected, measurements and alterations are entered, and the pattern is modified to bring it closer to the customer's body.

Modern industrial systems can perform this process efficiently through CAD pattern-making technology.

Measurements are entered into the system, predetermined adjustments are applied to an existing block, the modified pattern is generated, and the garment proceeds into production.

This can produce a very satisfactory suit.

But it should not automatically be confused with bespoke tailoring.

THE LIMITATION OF THE EXISTING PATTERN

A pattern is more than a collection of measurements.

It contains assumptions about the human body.

Chest-to-waist relationship, shoulder slope, armhole position, balance, jacket length, hip proportion, posture and numerous other relationships are incorporated into the original block.

Human bodies, however, are extraordinarily diverse.

Body proportions may differ between individuals and populations because of genetics, age, lifestyle, occupation, nutrition, physical activity and many other factors.

Two gentlemen with the same chest measurement can therefore require remarkably different jackets.

One may have:

• square shoulders;
• another sloping shoulders;
• an erect posture;
• a forward posture;
• a prominent chest;
• a fuller abdomen;
• asymmetrical shoulders;
• differently positioned arms;
• or completely different relationships between chest, waist and hips.

Measurements describe dimensions. They do not completely describe anatomy.

This is where the experience of the tailor becomes extraordinarily important.

THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT HOW MANY MEASUREMENTS ARE TAKEN

Made-to-measure is sometimes marketed according to the number of measurements taken.

But more measurements do not automatically create better tailoring.

A computer can receive measurements.

A master tailor interprets a body.

The tailor observes posture, proportion, shoulder position, balance, movement and asymmetry and determines how the architecture of the garment should respond.

That distinction is central to the Ferruccio Milanesi philosophy.

FROM INDUSTRIAL MADE-TO-MEASURE TO SARTORIAL MADE-TO-MEASURE

Most conventional made-to-measure programs are designed around production efficiency.

Ferruccio Milanesi approaches the process from the opposite direction.

We begin with tailoring.

Our objective is not simply:

“Which existing size is closest to this gentleman?”

The more important question is:

“Which foundation gives our master tailor the best starting point from which to create the proper garment for this gentleman's anatomy?”

That difference changes the entire process.

THE FERRUCCIO MILANESI DIFFERENCE

The Pattern Is a Starting Point — Not the Final Answer

Ferruccio Milanesi Sartorial Made-to-Measure still begins with an existing pattern. That is what distinguishes it from our true bespoke service.

But the similarity to conventional made-to-measure largely ends there.

Our master tailor selects the most appropriate foundation according not only to size, but also to the wearer's proportions and body configuration.

The pattern is then extensively reconsidered and adapted.

Important relationships may be corrected individually, including:

• shoulder balance and slope;
• chest configuration;
• front and back balance;
• waist suppression;
• jacket length;
• hip and seat relationship;
• armhole position;
• sleeve pitch;
• trouser balance;
• rise;
• leg shape;
• and individual asymmetries.

The objective is to move the original pattern significantly closer to the individual architecture of the wearer.

We describe this as pattern recreation rather than simple pattern alteration.

And this is one of the most important distinctions between industrial made-to-measure and Ferruccio Milanesi Sartorial Made-to-Measure.

WHY THE MASTER TAILOR MATTERS

Technology is useful.

But technology cannot replace the trained eye and hands of an experienced tailor.

At Ferruccio Milanesi, the body is interpreted by people who understand garment construction—not simply translated into numbers for production.

A master tailor understands that changing one point can influence another.

Raising an armhole affects movement.

Changing shoulder balance affects how the jacket hangs.

Correcting posture changes front and back balance.

Waist suppression must work harmoniously with the chest and skirt.

Sleeve pitch must correspond with the natural position of the wearer's arms.

A beautiful jacket is therefore not created by independently correcting a collection of measurements.

It is created by understanding the relationships between them.

That knowledge is sartorial knowledge.

FULL-CANVAS CONSTRUCTION

Pattern and fit are only part of the Ferruccio Milanesi difference.

The internal architecture of the jacket is equally important.

Our highest-level Sartorial Made-to-Measure jackets can be created with traditional full-canvas construction, allowing the outer cloth, canvas and internal components to work together rather than depending upon a predominantly fused structure.

The canvas helps establish the three-dimensional architecture of the jacket through the chest, lapels and front body.

With wear, quality materials and properly constructed internal components can gradually settle more naturally around the wearer.

This is one reason we regard the inside of a jacket as being every bit as important as its visible exterior.

HANDCRAFTSMANSHIP

A made-to-measure garment does not necessarily have to be handmade.

These are two separate concepts.

Made-to-measure describes primarily how the garment is fitted and patterned.

Handcrafted describes how it is constructed.

Ferruccio Milanesi brings these two disciplines together.

Depending upon the selected program, our Sartorial Made-to-Measure garments can incorporate extensive artisanal handwork traditionally associated with fine tailoring.

This may include handwork in the canvas, collar, lapels, buttonholes, finishing and other critical areas of the garment.

The result is not simply a customized factory suit.

It is a sartorial garment created through a made-to-measure pattern system.

THREE LEVELS OF CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION

Ferruccio Milanesi offers different construction levels so that a gentleman can select the balance of craftsmanship, exclusivity and investment appropriate for his wardrobe.

Entirely Handcrafted

Our highest custom made-to-measure level incorporates the artisanal handcraftsmanship associated with our tailoring tradition, bringing made-to-measure significantly closer to the experience and construction philosophy of bespoke.

Semi-Handcrafted

More than half of the garment's construction can be performed by hand, with machinery used strategically for other operations. This offers a balance between sartorial craftsmanship and cost.

Machine-Made Custom

For gentlemen seeking the personalization of custom made-to-measure at a more accessible investment level, machine construction can also be selected.

The important principle is transparency:

The customer should understand what he is purchasing and how it is made.

EXCLUSIVE FABRICS CHANGE THE EXPERIENCE

Customization should not end with measurements.

Ferruccio Milanesi Sartorial Made-to-Measure gives the gentleman access to fabrics selected and developed according to our sartorial philosophy, including highly limited materials that are not intended for mass-market distribution.

The customer may select the cloth according to season, climate, occupation, frequency of wear and intended occasions.

But fabric exclusivity has another purpose.

A custom garment should feel personal.

If thousands of identical garments can be created from exactly the same cloth, personalization has occurred primarily in fit.

Ferruccio Milanesi seeks personalization in fit, material, construction and detail.

PERSONALIZED DETAILS

The customer can participate in selecting the character of the garment through details such as:

• exclusive fabric;
• jacket silhouette;
• lapel style and proportion;
• lining;
• buttons;
• pockets;
• trouser configuration;
• finishing;
• buttonholes;
• and other sartorial details.

At our highest construction levels, details such as mother-of-pearl buttons, artisanal finishing, Milanese buttonholes and specialized internal construction can transform these choices from simple customization into genuine craftsmanship.

The objective is not to add decoration.

Every detail should belong to the garment and to the gentleman wearing it.

READY-TO-WEAR vs. MADE-TO-MEASURE vs. BESPOKE

Understanding these three categories makes the Ferruccio Milanesi philosophy much clearer.

READY-TO-WEAR

The garment is created before the customer arrives.

A predetermined pattern, size and design have already been established.

Alterations can improve the fit, but the fundamental architecture of the garment already exists.

SARTORIAL MADE-TO-MEASURE

An existing pattern provides the starting foundation.

A master tailor selects the appropriate block and extensively adapts its important points to the customer's measurements, posture, proportions and body configuration.

The customer can select fabrics and numerous stylistic details, while different levels of artisanal construction are available.

BESPOKE

The process begins with the individual.

Rather than modifying an existing production pattern, the tailor creates an individual pattern specifically for that gentleman's body and develops the garment through a traditional bespoke fitting and tailoring process.

For this reason, Ferruccio Milanesi never presents made-to-measure as bespoke.

They are different services, different processes and different levels of individual creation.

THE BRIDGE BETWEEN READY-TO-WEAR AND BESPOKE

This is perhaps the easiest way to understand Ferruccio Milanesi Sartorial Made-to-Measure.

Ready-to-Wear → Sartorial Made-to-Measure → Bespoke

Ready-to-wear begins with the garment.

Bespoke begins entirely with the individual.

Sartorial Made-to-Measure occupies the space between them.

It provides considerably greater personalization than ready-to-wear without requiring the complete individual pattern-making process and corresponding investment of true bespoke tailoring.

For many gentlemen, this represents an exceptional balance of fit, craftsmanship, exclusivity and value.

WHO SHOULD CHOOSE SARTORIAL MADE-TO-MEASURE?

It can be particularly appropriate for the gentleman who:

cannot consistently achieve the desired fit from ready-to-wear;

wants greater choice of fabrics, linings, buttons and details;

values handmade craftsmanship;

wants a full-canvas sartorial garment;

desires something significantly more individual than mass-produced luxury clothing;

or wants to enter the world of sartorial tailoring without making the investment required for full bespoke.

Our objective is not automatically to recommend the most expensive garment.

It is to identify the most appropriate garment for the gentleman and his wardrobe.

THE CONSULTATION COMES BEFORE THE SUIT

A Ferruccio Milanesi custom garment begins with conversation and observation.

Our master tailor, stylist and menswear specialists consider the gentleman's physique, professional environment, existing wardrobe, lifestyle, travel, social occasions and intended use of the garment.

A suit for a professional who travels continuously may require different characteristics from a ceremonial suit.

A gentleman building his first serious professional wardrobe may need something different from a collector who already owns twenty handmade suits.

The purpose of consultation is therefore not simply to ask:

“Which fabric do you like?”

It is to determine:

“Which garment will deliver the greatest value in your life and wardrobe?”

SARTORIAL CUSTOMIZATION, NOT MASS CUSTOMIZATION

The modern market has made personalization remarkably accessible.

That is a positive development.

But personalization alone should not automatically be called tailoring.

Entering measurements into software, modifying a standard pattern and manufacturing the garment by machine can create a custom-sized product.

Ferruccio Milanesi seeks something different.

We combine the efficiency and value advantages of made-to-measure with the judgment of the master tailor, extensive pattern correction, exclusive fabrics, full-canvas construction and, depending upon the selected program, traditional handcraftsmanship.

That is why we call it Sartorial Made-to-Measure.

It is not bespoke.

It is not ready-to-wear.

And it is deliberately different from conventional industrial made-to-measure.

THE FERRUCCIO MILANESI PHILOSOPHY

For us, custom tailoring is not about choosing a few options from a computer screen.

It is about bringing the human element back into the creation of clothing.

The machine measures numbers. The master tailor interprets the body.

The computer can modify a pattern. The master tailor understands balance.

A factory can manufacture a customized suit. Sartorial craftsmanship gives the garment character.

Ferruccio Milanesi Sartorial Made-to-Measure brings these principles together to offer gentlemen a meaningful alternative between ready-to-wear and full bespoke tailoring.

Created with exclusive fabrics, personalized details, sophisticated construction and the knowledge of experienced master tailors, each garment is intended to become more than another suit in the wardrobe.

It is created to belong to the gentleman who wears it.

FERRUCCIO MILANESI

Sartorial Made-to-Measure