Suit terminology, defined
Made-to-measure vs bespoke vs custom
Bespoke suits are cut from a pattern drafted from scratch for one person, with several fittings and largely hand construction. Made-to-measure adjusts an existing base pattern to your measurements with industrialised precision. A personal fit in a fraction of the time and cost. Off-the-rack is pre-made in standard sizes. Centi Sartoria is a Shanghai atelier of 200 house tailors producing made-to-measure suits in premium European cloth, factory-direct, in about 14 to 20 working days.
The three methods, side by side
| Bespoke | Made-to-measure | Off-the-rack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Drafted from scratch, unique to one wearer | An existing base block adjusted to your measurements | Standard graded sizes (38R, 40L…) |
| Fittings | Several, including a basted try-on | One measurement session; refinements over later orders | None, off-the-peg, alterations optional |
| Construction | Hand-canvassed, largely hand-sewn | Full- or half-canvas available, machine-led precision | Usually fused or half-canvas |
| Lead time | 8 to 12+ weeks | 14 to 20 working days at Centi Sartoria | In stock |
| Relative cost | Highest | Mid, a fraction of bespoke | Lowest |
| Best for | One-off showpieces, Savile Row purists | Brands & wearers wanting a personal fit at scale | Immediate, budget-led needs |
Lead time and minimum-order figures are Centi Sartoria's; bespoke and off-the-rack figures are industry typical.
Glossary
The terms a brand or buyer meets when sourcing tailoring.
- Bespoke
- A garment cut from a pattern drafted individually for one client, with multiple fittings and largely hand construction. The most exacting, and slowest and most expensive, method. The word originally meant cloth that had been "spoken for."
- Made-to-measure (MTM)
- An existing base pattern (a "block") adjusted to an individual's measurements and style choices, produced with industrialised precision. It delivers a personal fit far faster and cheaper than bespoke, and can still be built full-canvas. This is what Centi Sartoria produces.
- Custom
- A loose marketing umbrella that usually means made-to-measure, but sometimes only means choosing options (cloth, lining, buttons) on a fixed base. Always ask which one a maker means.
- Off-the-rack / Ready-to-wear (RTW)
- Pre-made in standard graded sizes and sold from stock, with optional alterations. The fastest and cheapest route, with the least personal fit.
- Full canvas
- A construction in which a layer of horsehair/wool canvas is floated through the whole jacket front, letting it mould to the body over time. The hallmark of a high-quality suit.
- Half canvas
- Canvas runs through the chest and lapels only; the lower front is fused. A balance of structure, drape and cost, common in quality made-to-measure.
- Fused
- The interlining is glued to the cloth rather than stitched. Cheaper and lighter, but can bubble over time and lacks the natural roll of a canvassed chest.
- Pattern block
- A maker's master template for a size or fit, used as the starting point for made-to-measure adjustments rather than drafting a new pattern from zero.
- Private label
- Goods a manufacturer produces under the buyer's own brand name. A boutique or emerging label can sell designer-grade suits as its own line without owning a factory.
- OEM / white label
- Original-equipment manufacturing. A factory makes to a brand's specification (OEM) or supplies a generic product the brand badges as its own (white label).
- MOQ (minimum order quantity)
- The smallest order a factory will accept. High MOQs lock out small brands; Centi Sartoria's made-to-measure MOQ is one suit.
- Ex-factory
- A price quoted as the garment leaves the factory, before freight, duties and any middleman margin. The most transparent way to compare manufacturing cost.
- Lead time
- The interval between a confirmed order and the finished garment leaving the workshop. Centi Sartoria's is roughly 14 to 20 working days.
- Basted fitting
- A bespoke try-on of a loosely tacked-together jacket, used to mark adjustments before it is taken apart and finished. Made-to-measure usually skips this step.
Common questions
What is bespoke?
Bespoke is tailoring cut from a pattern drafted entirely from scratch for one person, built largely by hand across several fittings. The most exacting and expensive way to make a suit. It sits at the top of a spectrum: off-the-rack (a fixed standard size) at one end, made-to-measure (a base pattern adjusted to your measurements) in the middle, and bespoke at the other. Centi Sartoria produces made-to-measure, not bespoke.
Bespoke vs custom, what's the difference?
"Bespoke" specifically means a pattern drafted from scratch for one person. "Custom" is a looser marketing term that often just means made-to-measure, a base pattern adjusted to your measurements, and sometimes means nothing more than picking options (cloth, lining, buttons) on a fixed size. When a maker says "custom," ask whether the pattern itself is adjusted to you; that is what separates real made-to-measure from a relabelled stock size.
Is made-to-measure the same as bespoke?
No. Bespoke is cut from a pattern drafted from scratch for one person, with several fittings and largely hand construction. Made-to-measure adjusts an existing base pattern to your measurements with industrialised precision. A personal fit at a fraction of bespoke's time and cost. Centi Sartoria produces made-to-measure, and it can still be built full-canvas.
What's the difference between custom and made-to-measure?
"Custom" is a loose marketing term. Often it simply means made-to-measure; sometimes it only means picking options (cloth, lining, buttons) on a fixed base size. Made-to-measure specifically means a base pattern adjusted to your individual measurements. When a maker says "custom," ask whether the pattern is adjusted to you.
Is made-to-measure worth it over off-the-rack?
If fit matters, yes. Off-the-rack is built to a standard size and rarely fits the shoulders, chest and waist of the same body equally. Made-to-measure adjusts the pattern to your measurements, so the fit is personal, and at Centi Sartoria it ships in about 14 to 20 working days, in premium European cloth, factory-direct.
Can made-to-measure be full canvas?
Yes. Canvas construction (full or half) is independent of whether a suit is bespoke or made-to-measure. A good made-to-measure house builds a canvassed chest, the floating horsehair-and-wool layer that lets the jacket mould to the body, rather than gluing a fused interlining.
How long does a made-to-measure suit take?
It depends on the maker. Bespoke typically runs 8 to 12+ weeks. Centi Sartoria's made-to-measure production is roughly 14 to 20 working days from a confirmed order, because the pattern is adjusted from a block rather than drafted and fitted from scratch.
What's the minimum order for made-to-measure?
It varies by factory. Many set high minimums that lock out small brands. Centi Sartoria's made-to-measure minimum is one suit, so an individual, a boutique or an emerging label can order a single piece or build a private-label line without committing to bulk.
Make it under your own label
Centi Sartoria builds designer-grade made-to-measure suits factory-direct, from a one-piece minimum, for individuals, boutiques and brands.