Ermenegildo Zegna Made-To-Measure Suiting Experience

While not at all cheap, an Ermenegildo Zegna made-to-measure suit is yours - and only yours - to the millimetre. This is how the process ... HOME/Fashion HowItWorks:TheErmenegildoZegnaMade-To-MeasureSuitingExperience Updatedon15thJune2021byJohnMcMahon ShareShareTweetEmailWhatsAppWeallhavethatonefriendwhocommonlyquips“Nah,I’mprettylucky,mostsuitsfitmestraightofftherack.”Youshouldknownow,ifyoudidn’talready,thathe’stalkingcompletebullshit.Nothingeverfitsanyonestraightofftherack.Sure,withalittleaftermarkettailoringit’slikelythatmanymencanmakemostgarmentsworkinsomecapacity,buttheonlywayamancantrulyachieveaperfectlyfittedsuitisbygettingitmeasuredtotheirbodybythemillimetre. Onlyaselectfewtailorsspringtomindwhenitcomestosuchprecisionandperfectionwiththeappropriatecredstobackitup.Passingthroughfourgenerationsandspanningoveracenturyofexperience,Italianluxurymen’sfashionhouseErmenegildoZegnahasbeenweavingitsownfabricsandfittinghistory’smostimportantmensince1910.Theclassicallysuaveandelegantlabelistheworld’slargestmenswearbrandbyrevenue,and,littledopeopleknow,actuallysuppliessuitstonumeroushouseholdnamesincludingGucciandTomFord. Asthepinnacleofthemade-to-measuresuitingexperience,then,ourteamwereluckyenoughtoseeourdreamsuitsgofromconceptiontorealityacrossthelastfewmonths,culminatinginourowntrulyone-offgarmentsthatwerenotonlyuniquetoourbodyshapesbutalsouniquetoourpersonalities. Tobestraightuphonestwithyou,theZegnamade-to-measureprocessisnotacheapexperience.Youknowthatsaying,“ifyouhavetoask,youcan’taffordit?”Well,that’slikelythecaseforZegnamade-to-measuresuits.Thinkafairfewthousandsofdollarsattheleast,andthat’sbeingconservative.Knownin-houseastheir‘SuMisura’experience,you’llbehappytoknowthatit’snotjusttheirsuitsavailableformade-to-measure.Infact,absolutelyeverythingyouseeinaZegnastorecanbecustomisedtoyourliking–fromyourstandardwhitet-shirttoathree-piecetuxedo,sothere’sanentrypointforeveryone’sbudget. Suchaspecialexperience,then,meantIwasgoingalloutformydreamgarment.Ioptedforaclassicallycutdouble-breastedsuitinadarkcharcoalgreywithaveryfineandwidewindowpanecheck.Thiswasnoeverydaysuit,justasdouble-breastedsuitsspecificallyaren’teverydaysuitseither.Thiswasmydreamget-upforaKingsman3castingcalloranintimatedinneratWindsorCastle.Hey,ifyou’renotaimingtoohighthenyou’reaimingtoolow,right? TheprocessbeganinSydney’sZegnaboutiquewiththeirtailor,chiefoftheSuMisuraexperienceduringabreezy60minutesofmyTuesdaymorning.IarticulatedasbestasIcouldinwhatdirectionmymindwasleaningtowardsbyaprocessofelimination.OnceI’dexplainedmydesireforadark,clean-cuttwo-piecedouble-breastedsuit,thetailortalkedmethroughsomefabricsthatfitmyideasandthedifferencesinweightandbreathability. I’dneverputsomuchconsiderationintofabricsbeforeinmylife.TherewereoptionsspeciallydesignedfortheAustraliansummer,someforcoldEuropeannightsandothersforcrispspringafternoons.Theaforementioneddarkmattecharcoalwithaveryfinewindowpanecheckwasassuredtomebythetailorwoulddrapemybodyshapenicely,and,offersomemanoeuvrabilityacrosstheshouldersgivendouble-breastedsuitsareoftenfastenedmorethantheyarenot.Wethenbegantomatchsaidfabrictomybuttons.Again,I’dneveronceconsideredsimpleaccessorieslikebuttonsforsuchaprolongedamountoftime,butsoonenoughIhadmydarkandmysteriouscolourschemeanditwastimetostartmeasuringup. Inkeepingwithmydoublebreastedstyle,itwasadvisedIoptforpeaklapels(somethingwhichIpreviouslyhadn’tdabbledingivenmyrathertallandslenderframe)togivetheillusionofanaccentuatedshoulderwidthandmaintainthesharp,classiclook.Thetailor’strainedeyequicklyspottedaspectsofmybodyshapeI’dneverpreviouslynoticed.Ihadaslightlylowerrightsidefromnecktoshoulderasopposedtomyleftside,andmyposturefreedanexcessinfabricaroundthelowerbackareatobetaperedin.Jacketlengthandsleevelengthwereentirelymyprerogatives,butduringtheinitialappointment,itwasadvisedweoverextendtobesafe,withanopportunitytoamenditoncethesuitreturnedfromItalyashortwhilelater. Asforthetrousers,Idecidedonacuffedhemmetbyasinglecreasewithaveryslightbreakabovetheshoe.Itwasrecommendedthecuffbestretchedtofourcentimetrestoaccommodatemybody’sproportions,butagain,thiscouldbemodifiedtomylikinglateroninthepiece. Approximately85%ofmymade-to-measureprocesswascompletedinthisfirstappointment.Afterconfirmingmynametobestitchedintotheinsidelabel,thetailorandIpartedwaystoreconveneroughlyfiveweekslater. Ashorttimehadpassedbeforeabriefphonecalladvisedmethatmysuitwasreadyforalittletinkering,towhichthetailoraccommodatedwithinmyscheduleandarrangedforasecondappointmenttofine-tunemysuittoperfection.Wecorrectedmyposture,justasthetailorhadsuspected,andmodifiedthejacketandsleevelengthtomyliking. Afewhopefulideasthathadoncebeenlingeringinthebackofmymindoverthelastfewyearswerepromptlytransformedintoaperfectly-fittingandtangiblecreationthatwasentirelymyown.FromthewoolstationsofourownAussieoutbacktothefamily-runfactoriesinMilanandbackagain,theZegnamade-to-measureexperiencerepresentedtheepitomeofwhattraditionaltailoringshouldbewitheachman’sowncontemporarystyle. TobookyourownappointmentheadtoZegna’swebsite orcalltheSydneyBoutiqueon (02)92229355. 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