What to Know About the Richards Bespoke Experience

May 28, 2019

What you wear says a lot about you. Research has conclusively shown that how you dress not only changes how you feel about yourself but how others interact with you as well.

A lot of people ask me, “Why you do you fittings by appointment only?” Ultimately, the Richards Bespoke process is by-appointment-only because I want to tailor every part of the experience to each individual customer. I want to know what they like about their style, what they’re looking for, what makes them feel confident, and what they’re looking to achieve with their style. Unlike a department store, where you are helped by whoever is available next to fit you, I want customers to have a unique experience that’s built exclusively for them.

The Richards Bespoke Experience: Every Part Tailored to You

If you’ve considered the idea of creating a bespoke suit, here are a few specific ways I work to tailor every part of the process to you—from fitting to fabric to final touches.

Step 1: Collaborating Around Your Specific Look…and What You’re Looking for

The first thing I typically like to do is to sit down and discuss what type of suit will provide the look you’re going for. If you’re designing your wedding suit, what style will work best with what your future bride envisions? If you’re looking for an everyday business suit, what type of style will work best for your needs? I also conduct a quick closet consultation during the initial conversation. I usually ask what’s in your closet. What do you like to wear? How would you describe your style? This helps me get a better understanding of which different fabric books to pull.

Step 2: Taking Your True Body & Preference Preference Measurements

Once I have a better understanding of your unique needs and style, taking measurements is the second step. The measuring process at Richards Bespoke is likely different from any other you’ve experienced. I don’t take the same measurements for every person. Some guys require more measurements than others, but I’ll typically take a minimum of 40 measurements. I like to send every customer an email before the appointment, identifying what you need to bring, wear, and what to expect. If you have something that fits you well and makes you feel confident, I invite you to bring it, as I want to create that same kind of experience. If you have a suit, pants, or a shirt that you currently own/wear but you do not like the fit of them, and I use that as a benchmark. Then, I take true body and preference measurements. Every guy’s shoulder slope is different. I like to put a general size jacket on each customer to ask how it feels in the shoulders. For most guys, the jacket won’t fit them. But, that’s ok because I use it for approach. That’s the difference in made-to-measure vs. Bespoke suits.

Step 3: Finding the Perfect Fabric for Your Objectives & Budget 

Once measurements are taken, we then go up to the design loft to sit down and look through fabric books. Depending on what you are looking for, we can look at fabrics in all different price ranges. If you’re someone who travels a lot, we can look at good travel fabrics. If you’re getting married in the summer, we’ll look at light-weight suit fabrics that will ensure you stay cool and comfortable. If you’re looking for an everyday go-to suit, we’ll approach fabrics in a different way to find something that will work in every season.

Step 4: Customizing the Design to Make it Even More Memorable

One of my favorite aspects of the process of bespoke tailoring is the various ways we can customize and personalize your suit. Have a special idea for the lining? We can make it happen. Want to embroider your name or wedding date under the lapel collar? We can add it. We can design anything from head to toe that helps create a suit that’s not only unique but memorable.

The Best (Suit) or Nothing

I often explain that working together to create your own custom suit with me is a lot like buying a Mercedes. Everything is top-of-line, but there are still different classes. It typically comes down to what you’re needing the suit for (eg. an event suit, every day suit, wedding suit, etc.) and how much you’re wanting to invest in your wardrobe. In order to ensure you’re satisfied at the end of the process, we typically take a deposit of 50% down and then the remaining 50% once your suit is finished. If tweaks are needed, we’ll cover it.

If you’re interested in learning more about the difference a suit from Richards Bespoke can make, check out what other customers are saying about the experience. If you’re interested in experiencing it for yourself, contact Richards Bespoke today to schedule an appointment.