Iconic suiting and spiriting brand Brooks Brothers recently launched its exclusive Made to Measure service in India. It is a unique program blends expert tailoring with the distinct needs of the individual. One can browse a comprehensive portfolio of fabrics, hand-selected by our very own designers, and find exclusive patterns and colors not available in our traditional offerings. For further customization, you can choose one of the unique fits from within our collections of suits, sport coats and dress shirts. We recently got an opportunity to have an exclusive interaction with the Director, Tailored Services of Brooks Brothers, Mr. Andre D’Elia. The man, who is known for its customary made suitings across the globe, gave a sneak peak into the Brooks Brothers MTM services.
1. Bespoke tailoring is relatively a new concept in India, could you please elaborate, why it is important to invest in a well-tailored suit?
Brooks Brothers is not in the Bespoke business this is an important note that we make to our self’s first – we are in the Made To Measure business.
Nothing feels like a MTM suit, it is made based on the body measurements and posture of a person and unique to that specific person, another reason is the fabric, off the rack suits today are made with basic fabrics in color, while in MTM we source every season new styles and fabrics, we work with the best mills in the world, manly in Italy and use only the finest of wools and other natural fibers. Fit is the most important part of a MTM suit, a suits that fits is a suit your wear and not one that wear you, shoulders – collars, sleeves all are proportional to your body. There’s just nothing else like a MTM suit.
2. What does Brooks Brothers have in store, especially for the Indian Market?
We sourced and now even more since my visit will be sourcing fabrics that are more adequate to the India climate and use, still we will keep to our quality in using only natural fibers and fine quality, we also developed specific models – Mandarin collar jackets or Bandhgalas and might need to onside the development of market specific models. Coming to India to see and work with customers was a priceless experience, I am certainly more educated on the customer needs.
3. Describe the perfect Brooks Brothers Gentleman?
A perfect gentleman is one that first is always a gentleman, holding doors – pulling chairs the wardrobe is a compliment to how a gentleman is indeed, in Italy we have a saying “Vestments do not make the priest” – at Brooks Brothers we have many clients and most purchase from the whole range of products we have, they usually are introduced to BB as young men’s with a blue blazer/chinos and shirts and when they get their first job they purchase their first suit, our responsibility at Brooks Brothers is to make sure we uphold the tradition of proper dressing, while keeping current with the trends.
4. Do you find that style and trends in men’s fashion vary based upon location or are there other factors to consider?
A proper suit is proper all over the world, trends are different around the world but good looking and fine quality products are world trends.
5. The most common style mistake men make?
Try too hard. Wearing clothing should feel natural, the emotion of getting dressed is based on how you feel when you get up, don’t copy what the masses do, we all each have our own style we should find what it is and wear it.
6. Lastly, can you give some tips for dressing for success?
Invest in a few key products, a suit is one, shirts and good shoes, learn how to wear your clothes and feel confident in what you wear, well-fitting clothing gives you confidence and makes you feel special, never do it for other and always do it for yourself.
