"In which the writer compares the Bespoke Tailored Suit to the Bayeux Tapestry..."

You may not know this but a well-made suit works in much the same way as the Bayeux Tapestry. Just as that great piece of medieval craftmanship must look hideous from behind, so the well-made suit, on the inside, looks like an intricate network of stitchings that appear to go nowhere but which actually work together to create that elegant and seemingly effortless outward show of masculinity which every suit-wearer desires. Lest we then forget, let us look behind the suit to the people who make it work. As they say, behind every great suit lurks a great team of experts. I’d like to introduce you to them now.

First, there is The Cutter, who traditionally measures the customer and forms a pattern of the intended suit from the results. The Cutter, incidently, is usually male (although in this democratising age of online tailoring, when a woman can easily take a man’s measurements without causing offence, this isn’t always the case). The Cutter, then, is the visionary who puts the outline of the suit together from a collection of abstract figures.

Next in line are the individual tailors who make each part of the three-piece-suit from scratch. These include The Bespoke Coatmaker, The Bespoke Trouser Maker, The Bespoke Waiscoat Maker and sundry other Bespoke Garment Makers we don’t have time to go into. Each of these expert Tailors is responsible for sewing their garments by hand and machine.

I would now like you to meet a very special person whose job, although small and seemingly rather trivial, is necessary, as with so many other small things, to the overall success of the project. The Finisher, who is traditionally female, is responsible for sewing button holes, tidying up linings and stitching the edges of the garments. Industriously, she goes about her work until the customer and The Cutter are entirely satisfied with the results.

And there we have it! The finished suit is posted to the happy customer; and the expert tailors – that’s The Cutter, The Coat Maker, The Sundry Garment Makers, even The Finisher! – can sit back, relax and wait for the next order to come through. (Admitedly we have missed out the whole alterations process, carried out on all parts of the suit by highly skilled tailors, but I am merely giving you an overview.) If you’d like to take part in this beautiful process yourself, visit http://www.asuitthatfits.com/ and browse to your heart's content.

The Ancient Art of Tailoring - Online!

Do you remember or have you ever imagined standing in a tailor's, waiting for your inside leg, waist and chest to be measured, whilst staring intently at the wall, wishing they would just hurry up so you can go home? All so you can have the pleasure of forking out a massive chunk of cash for your 'bespoke tailored' suit? It's definitely not on the top of my list of favourite things to do. Now, thanks to the nice people at 'A Suit That Fits', things are beginning to change.

Bespoke tailoring has long been the preserve of stuffy Saville Row tailors. Just take a look at that ancient pair of scissors above and you'll see how far back the art of tailoring goes. In the early 19th century, British tailors were using steam, pressure and padding to mould woollen fabrics around the body. In the 1980s, when the high street sensed the need for suits at affordable prices, all this went out the window with the introduction of the 'ready-to-wear'. Here at ‘A Suit That Fits’ our approach falls somewhere between Saville Row and the High Street. We want to uphold the ancient art of tailoring whilst offering prices that customers can afford.

We're basically a group of young men and women who feel disgruntled by the price of tailored suits. We want to offer our customers affordable bespoke tailored suits without them having to fork out huge amounts of cash. Why, after all, should bespoke tailoring remain the preserve of those who can afford expensive Saville Row tailors when the rest of the British class system has, understandably, gone down the pan?

Jokes aside, our unique online process means that you can design and order your bespoke suit without having to step inside a tailor's. Give us your measurements and your style preferences, and with the help of our specially-designed 'Wizards' you can create the look you want. Our 'classic model' cashmere and satin suits start from £110. The price increases as you add extras, and you can add as many or as few as you wish.

Visit www.asuitthatfits.com to view our 25 different colours and our trousers, jackets and waistcoats.