Our nine-step process has stood the test of time and ensures that at the end of it you will have an exquisite hand-made bespoke garment that will last you a lifetime.
Start by consulting our staff about your wardrobe. With years of experience between them, they will be able to advise on your requirements and on exactly what’s necessary to build the perfect, flexible, working wardrobe. Once you have decided on the garments you wish to have made, our cutters will help you choose the best fabric. With 6,000 samples of cloth to choose from, our cutters have a gift of knowing what fabric will work best for any style, which is partly what makes their role in the process so pivotal.
Once the fabric is chosen and a style decided upon, the cutter takes your measurements from which he or she cuts your own personal paper pattern.
The paper pattern is laid out on the cloth and chalked around. The cloth is then cut by hand, leaving extra cloth at certain seams or ‘inlays’. This allows for the suit to be altered at a later date if your weight changes. Material trimmings, like natural wool, canvas and linen, are added to the garment’s construction to give the suit its classic Henry Poole & Co. silhouette.
The garment is then assigned to a highly skilled tailor. That same tailor will be dedicated to your needs so long as you remain a customer of Henry Poole & Co. The tailor will have a close relationship with you to ensure there is a continuity of service and consistency of quality. We feel it’s important that you trust your tailor to deliver your preferred cut and style.
The tailor canvasses the suit by hand ready for the first fitting. Our cutter fits the suit and at this point starts to alter the suit to fit and enhance your posture.
After the first fitting, the garment is marked up with all readjustments and then completely taken apart and re-cut. The paper pattern is adjusted at the same time so it can be used again for all future orders. The garment is then given back to the tailor to be prepared for the next fitting.
At the second fitting, alterations and amendments are refined, giving the suit its fit and comfort. The suit is checked over for break over shoe, seat of trouser and drape.
After the final alterations, a tailor hand-makes the buttonholes and hand finishes the suit inside and out. Only the best trimmings and pure natural fibres, such as hand silks, are used, giving the suit its longevity and lasting finish.
The Henry Poole & Co. suit is then ready for the final fitting. You’ll be given advice on how best to clean, press and care for the suit to maintain its shape. Each suit is numbered and logged so we are easily able to source any necessary materials to repair even minor damage that might occur. This logging and numbering process also means that subsequent orders will require fewer fittings and so the bespoke process for your second suit will be much quicker.
