The Custom Collection

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Soon after I embarked upon my tailoring career, I became increasingly appalled by my appearance at the end of the sartorial week; I looked sharp Monday thru’ Friday, but like a dog’s dinner at the weekend!

So, I set about redressing (pardon the pun) the balance by designing a few items of clothing which would take me from weekday to weekend in the style to which I had become accustomed i.e. perfectly tailored clothes which fit like a glove and which flattered this ageing clothes horse.

I referred to this menagerie of garments as Casual Bespoke, which is a term I used for many years to describe one’s civilian clothes i.e. those worn when I am not entertaining one’s customers; which consists mostly of three piece suits, with a double breasted suit thrown in for good measure.

The various incarnations of jacketsslackschinos and shirts have become something of a gauntlet as I tried and tested many different cloths and designs in the pursuit of the perfect staples for one’s wardrobe.

And, in the same way that I felt like a fish out of water when I embarked upon my sartorial journey – I had been shipped-off to Bangkok by Target USA, with a pair of shorts and flip flops to my name and advised in no uncertain terms that I would be wearing suits in the hottest country I’d ever visited, let alone lived in – I was entering uncharted territory by dressing smart casual. Where did it all go wrong?!

However, as we often do when we throw caution to the wind and relax our militant views on such things as dress code, I discovered a new found freedom in casual wear. Being able to reach into the wardrobe and pick a shirt, a pair of trousers and a jacket that would all work as well together as my suits did during the week, was a revelation.

As often happens when we discover something new, we find that others are discovering it at the same time and an increasing number of my patrons had begun asking for similar garments, though not for the weekend, but to bolster their weekday arsenal of suits because suits were becoming less and less part of their weekly arsenal; to take them from weekday to weekend and back again.

And given that I was standing shoulder to shoulder with these modern gentleman, waiting for our morning train to take us back into the workplace, we thought it would be a good idea for Brown in Town to create a collection of informal attire that was every bit as accessible as the suit, but no less smart or versatile. So, we have created the Custom Collection; Custom, which is the term used for bespoke in the USA, because the pieces are available as a ready-to-wear but made to order using either the customers off-the-peg measurements, or those provided by the customer or, in the instance of Brown in Town patrons, the measurements we have on their pattern.

In addition, certain design details can be changed upon request.

The Custom Collection will comprise eight pieces throughout the year – this may or may not have anything to do with our initials being B.I.T which is also the name given to a group of binary digits operated on as a unit, typically 8, which is referred to as one BYTE – to include 3 jackets; a winter warmer, a summer jacket and the essential blue blazer. Two styles of shirt; one with quarter cut-away collar and a double cuff, the other with a Kent collar and single cuff, to be worn open neck. Trousers will comprise a pair of chinos, a pair of worsted slacks and in the Spring a pair of tailored shorts featuring a turn-up and double pleat.

Those who follow @brownintownatelier on Instagram may well have seen our sneak preview of the initial pieces of blue blazerchinos and white cotton Oxford shirt. These items, together with this seasons jacket made with flannel from Fox Brothers, will feature on our website before end November.

Do feel free to get in touch if you would like to wax sartorial about the Custom Collection, or any other sartorial requirements which you may have.

All the best,

Brown in Town