I wanted to give everyone an update on the progress of my VM Clothiers custom suit. I am very happy to say that it is now in my hands after being literally hand carried back from Hong Kong. Part 1 of this series can be found HERE.
I’m now in the process of putting it through a few real-world workouts. Overall, my immediate impression is a good one and I am very happy with the quality, fit, feel and construction.
I’ll get back to you with a more detailed review, but first I’d like to share some great pictures of the suit taken as it was being constructed in Hong Kong.
All of these images are courtesy of Vishal Mirpuri, owner of VM Clothiers.
My suit’s stencil
First, a stencil is created for each individual panel of fabric that will be sewn together. The stencil is based on the measurements and instructions taken from the suit’s order form. Order forms tend to be very detailed as there are so many variations available to the customer. They can range from basic options like single or double vents to exotic interior pocket configurations.
They then cut the individual panels of fabric using the stencil. Each customer’s stencil is kept on file for future orders.
Once the primary pieces of the garment are assembled, the master sewer takes over and begins the exacting process of sewing the jacket together. This includes major tasks, like sewing the arms to the jacket’s body and more detailed work, like creating button holes.
After the jacket is sewn together, finishing touches are made, including setting the jacket’s final shape. The photo at the top if the page shows this stage. The white basting thread is left in place until the jacket is ironed into shape.
Above, you see the tailor making some final adjustments during a quality control review. Each suit is inspected to ensure everything has been done correctly.
This is the point when it all comes together – measurements and construction, balance, details, style and the many unique variations that make a custom suit “custom”.
A rack of finished suits