For some, the search for perfect jeans is eternal. That should not surprise, since personal preferences, not to mention diverse body types, mean that no single garment can really fit all. But retail businesses are revolutionizing the shopping experience by shifting the design process to the individual to produce one-of-a-kind clothing, and thus redefining the concept of “tailored.” It all begs the question, “Is bespoke the new black?”
Fitted Fashion: The “perfect fit” has always been something of an enigma. Whether it’s the hem, inseam, or bust that’s not quite right, most shoppers make compromises. But start-ups like Fitted Fashion are fashioning made-to-measure clothing that’s anatomically flawless. Using 3-D body scanners built by
[TC] and Fitted Fashion’s own pattern-making software, this
retail newcomer accounts for the length and circumference of every body part. Even details like jeans pockets are repositioned according to the customer’s hip width for the most flattering look. Fitted Fashion will open a studio in New York early next year and hopes to partner with existing brands to produce lines of truly custom-fit clothing.
3x1: New denim boutique 3x1 has bespoke design down to a science. Limited edition jeans are sewn on site by a white lab coat-wearing team of designers, pattern makers, and tailors at this unique shop that’s “part atelier, part retailer.” Located on Mercer Street in Lower Manhattan, 3x1 was opened out of a desire to reclaim the artisanal craft of denim manufacturing by giving customers a hands-on relationship with their clothing. After making a private appointment, customers are walked through the entire design process before working one-on-one with the creators to choose from a staggering assortment of fabrics, trims, fit concepts, and the like.
Burberry Bespoke: Burberry’s
new interactive shopping experience, Burberry Bespoke, welcomes patrons to participate in the design of custom trench coats. After choosing a fabric and color, customers can choose from an array of luxury details, like bronze-studded sleeves, mink linings, and shearling collars. Four to eight weeks later, the dream coat arrives direct from Burberry’s Yorkshire factory, complete with a tag displaying the item’s limited-edition identification and “Bespoke” in block letters. Despite a high price point, the custom-design program’s online accessibility is intended to
reconfirm Burberry’s luxury status in a new context. Fans who can’t afford a Burberry Bespoke trench can still design one… and share it through Facebook.
