Hey Prepsters,
A few months back, I had the honour of working with Indochino’s Director of Apparel Development and Merchanding, Tom Kearnan at their stunning Square One (Mississauga) showroom, to create a made-to-measure suit for myself. Not only is Indochino a brand I have always wanted to experience, but it is also a pioneer in the menswear space in terms of having started off as a website, where men across the globe could customize a suit and have it delivered to their front door. The retailer has become a modern mans staple, and has also opening bric and mortar stores. The store itself is menswear heaven. You walk in, and there are super dapper associates and beautiful fabric swatches, and the service is nothing short of immaculate.
The Experience
The Indochino experience started off by selecting through several fabric swatches. I really wanted to pick a fabric that was versatile, interesting, and could be worn as separates. The first option that came into mind was going for a burgundy wool, as it would have been perfect for the fall, and then Tom showcased this stunning mixed weave check fabric. The beautiful combination of navy with chestnut checkered striped was so perfect for the fall!
The next step was to get myself measured. I already had a general idea in the back of my mind to go for a shorter pant than I usually do, as it is one of the hottest trends in the suiting world. Plus, I saw how great it looked on the associates. The guys were great, they were super easy and made myself feel comfortable through the process.
We then selected the detailing of the suit. For this suit, I chose to go for a peak wide lapel, two button, one vent, and patch pockets for more of sartorial piece that could be worn multiple ways. Being a larger guy, I knew that it would be extremely rare to ever purchase an off-the-rack suit with a center vent that came in my size, so I was super excited to finally have a suit with just one vent.
For the interior lining, I wanted something with a pop that worked with the suiting fabric. We opted to go for a burgundy + polka dot print. For monogramming (which is the greatest thing to ever exist), I had to get the hashtag in there ;). We further customized it with pick-stitching for a luxurious look, a burgundy felt collar, and opted for functional buttonholes and a functional boutenniere. For my trousers, I opted for a pleat, which is a preference of mine, but it definitely looks more elegant… in my opinion.
A couple of weeks later, I received the package to my front door with the beautiful suit. For my first suit that is made, the staff let me know that it is standard to come in for an extra fitting to really perfect the suit. We slimmed the sleeves a little bit, and cinched in the chest area to define a waist (think Harvey Specter from SUITS)… and voila! The masterpiece as you see it in this blog post! Overall I loved the whole experience, the service and the product. Not to mention, unlike most made-to-measure suiting places, Indochino’s pricing is actually affordable for everyone!
Photography by Ahmad Hussain
For further information & to experience your very own Indochino suit; visit www.Indochino.com
I actually adore this