Made to Measure Term for the Clothing Industry

Fashion Terms

What is made-to-measure clothing?  Is this the same as haute couture or pret a-porter?  Is made-to-measure the same as bespoke?  Wow, you sure ask alot of questions.

In summary, made to measure is half way between ready-to-wear and bespoke.  This means that the garment is originally made based on general size standards but finishing touches such as tailoring are done to make it fit better for a specific individual.

Made to measure typically refers to clothing that is sewn from a standard-sized base pattern. A tailored suit is a common example of a made-to-measure garment. The fit of a made-to-measure garment is expected to be superior to that of a ready-to-wear garment, because ready-to-wear garments are constructed to fit the manufacturer's definition of an average customer, while made-to-measure garments are constructed to fit each customer individually. However, made-to-measure items are seen by many to involve less workmanship than bespoke or "custom made" garments, as made-to-measure garments always involve some form of standardization in the patterning and manufacturing processes, whereas a bespoke garment is made entirely from scratch based on a customer's specifications. Typically, a made-to-measure garment will be more expensive than ready-to-wear garment but cheaper than a bespoke one.

Unlike bespoke garments, which traditionally involves hand sewing, made-to-measure manufacturers use both machine- and hand-sewing. Made-to-measure also requires fewer fittings than bespoke, resulting in a shorter wait between customer measurement and garment delivery. Made-to-measure is sometimes also referred to as personal tailoring.

A tailor or seamstress would be of assistance if you wish to have better fitting garments.

Learn the difference between Haute Couture, Ready-To-wear, and Prêt-à-Porter.

We hope that this helps answer some of your questions about made-to-measure clothing.

What's the difference between made to measure and bespoke?