History & culture

A method of making a garment, typically a suit, individually from a unique pattern drafted to one client's measurements, involving multiple fittings and largely hand-sewn construction.

A jacket-making method in which a layer of horsehair or wool canvas is hand- or machine-stitched inside the front panels to shape the chest, distinct from cheaper fused interfacing.

A tailoring style developed on Savile Row in the 1920s-30s that adds fullness across the chest and back for ease of movement while maintaining a structured silhouette.

A suit-jacket construction in which a floating canvas interlining is sewn, not glued, throughout the front, allowing the jacket to mold to the wearer's body over time.

A traditional training path in which a novice works for years under an experienced tailor, progressing from basting and pressing to pattern drafting and full garment construction.

A tailoring tradition from Naples, Italy, known for soft, lightly padded shoulders, minimal internal structure, and a relaxed, body-skimming fit suited to warm Mediterranean climates.

The line along a jacket lapel where the fabric naturally folds back; tailors shape it through pad stitching and pressing so the lapel rolls softly rather than lying flat.

A street in London's Mayfair district associated since the early 19th century with bespoke tailoring, home to long-established tailoring houses that hand-cut and construct made-to-measure suits.

A trade association of professional tailors that historically regulated training, quality standards, and apprenticeship, common in European cities from the medieval period through the 19th century.

An exaggerated men's suit with broad padded shoulders and high-waisted, tapered trousers, popular among Black and Mexican American communities in the 1930s-40s and controversial for its wartime fabric use.