What bespoke really means

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What bespoke really means

Pawan and Ashish of Knights & Lords on reclaiming the term that has begun to be used rather loosely

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Published: Fri 3 May 2019, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Fri 3 May 2019, 2:00 AM

Bespoke, a term used traditionally for an item made specially for someone and the genesis of which lies in tailoring, has evolved over time. Today, it has become a term that is used very loosely to sell everything - from burgers to buttons and everything in between. Recently, we even came across a real estate firm terming their service as bespoke. Mind you, it was a service that neither created something new nor required 'tailoring' anything to the client's needs. They simply mentioned that since they are able to find their clients a place exacting to their requirements, it is a bespoke service. This, of course, raised a lot of questions in our head as we have been used to a completely different understanding of the term 'bespoke', one that was coined four centuries ago within the realm of tailoring. Back then, it meant crafting a garment as per the specifications of the person commissioning it with utmost precision in a world where one could not say 'no' to any request as long as it was within the realm of tailoring.
In times like these, we still have people who come to us with something that exists solely in their imagination. Recently, we had a gentleman who wanted a representation of his Maserati car into a bespoke tailored suit. This meant the colour of his car had to match tone-to-tone with his suit fabric, the lining inside had to be custom-made with carbon fibre print to match the car's interiors, pockets inside exacting to the measurement of his key-chain and the breast pocket on the outside had to be in the shape of the Maserati trident logo among many other finer details that would put the soul of his car into the suit.
Almost all of our clients like to stretch the limits of 'bespoke'. Celebrities who come to us like us to take a step out of the ordinary by doing things like have their name or logo embroidered on the back of their jacket, creating custom printed fabric with their name or personal design and using it to craft shirts or suits and other such things. However, one particular commission that we had is perhaps one of our most memorable challenges because this gentleman kept excusing himself for a short break every 10 minutes during the initial drafting session. Upon inquiring why we couldn't have his uninterrupted attention for the 90-minute session, he mentioned that he was a chronic smoker and had no choice but to excuse himself every 10 minutes. Though he didn't ask us for anything, we took it upon ourselves to stretch the limits of bespoke and design a suit we knew he would appreciate as a smoker.
Without consulting him, we made individual slits inside his jacket that could hold five cigarettes. They were individually cut and had a thin elastic band on top to hold each cigarette in place so that one would not topple over the other. During the fitting, we showed it to him and the gleam in his eyes was one we have not been able to forget till date. He had a more stylish way to carry his cigarettes compared to stuffing packs in his trouser pockets, which would bulge for the entire day and make him feel uncomfortable.
In this day and age, the select few who are still able to bring into existence that which is otherwise just a figment of someone's imagination are certainly beyond every other service calling themselves 'bespoke'. What they create has the power and ability to bring about a dimensional shift in the wearer's inner being. They are, as our client once rightly said, beyond bespoke.
(Pawan and Ashish are bespoke tailors at Knights & Lords, a bespoke tailoring house in Dubai. They are inspired by the alchemy of craftsmanship and bespoke tradition aimed at re-designing the wearer's inner architecture. They have learnt the traditional craft of bespoke tailoring from Savile Row, London - considered to be the spiritual home of bespoke tailors even today. Visit www.knightsandlords.ae or email bespoke@knightsandlords.com)
wknd@khaleejtimes.com


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