Editor: Katerina Theocharis
An afternoon with Vassilis Bourtsalas at the iconic hotel King George, focusing on our common love: Bespoke Tailoring.
What, really, is Βespoke? Bespoke is clothing made to an individual buyer’s specifications and needs by a tailor. More specifically, something which is measured and made especially for one person. A garment that carries our personal characteristics.
Why You Should Go Bespoke
First of all, a bespoke garment has a way far better fit than a ready to wear one.
The fabric, the fit, the style is in total control of the buyer and the tailor. A bespoke suit is unique and made for only one person, it owns his personal characteristics and suits him perfectly.
The fabric is, also, an important factor. You will have uncountable options when you decide to buy a tailor-made suit. The color, the material, the texture, the pattern are some features you will be able to choose from.
A handmade garment which is without a doubt of high quality, will last long. It is unacceptable for a handmade product to be poor quality. It will stay unchangeable and it will be a timeless choice as it is a classic garment. And why not, we don’t buy something that is made in a mass-production factory. We buy something completely personalized.
Bespoke VS Made to Measure
It is crucial to know the difference between bespoke and made to measure when buying a new suit. The difference can be tightly defined, so you know exactly what you get.
The Made to Measure suit is like a ready to wear, but with the benefit of being cut to your personal dimensions and has the property of choosing the fabric and the style. The procedure of making a made to measure suit is like the one used on ready to wear garments, but you have more room for personal expression. You can use among different fabrics, buttons, linings and trimmings, while you can have your initials stitched inside your jacket.
Regarding the fit, the trouser and sleeve length, the chest, the waist and the trouser waist are made according to your personal measurements, so the suit should fit better than a ready to wear one. Because of the fact that made to measure deals with flat, two-dimensional measurements, it is not possible to fit as well as a bespoke. It cannot estimate how much you slouch or which shoulder is higher than the other.
On the other hand, Bespoke involves creating a suit from scratch. It can take any shape using any material and it is handmade. After discussing thoroughly with the tailor what your needs exactly are (style, occasions, materials), the tailor takes your measurements with meticulous observation of your personal characteristics (body type, posture). Then, he creates your own bespoke paper patterns, whereby cuts the fabric you have chosen. After several fittings your totally pesonalized suit that features superior fit is ready!
The bespoke suit would look and feel comfortable, as it would beautifully hug your shoulders, the back would be clean and would be refined and flattering. Furthermore, a bespoke garment should last longer than anything mass-produced, as the work that goes into everything is masterly and deliberate.
The Real Bespoke
“Bespoke Athens”: A place where expertise meets idealization.
A Sartorial Fashion House in Athens where you are going to meet one of the most educated and passionate, yet romantic lover of handmade garments, Vassilis Bourtsalas, who is the owner of the atelier.
Being absolutely conversant with haute couture for gentlemen, while providing choices of quality and elegance, he is going to take you on a journey through the sartorial world and help you create a perfect unique garment made exclusively for you.
His vision when he created Bespoke Athens was to establish a sartorial destination in Athens, where well-dressed gentlemen from all over the world would travel in order to get their clothes tailored. Secondarily, he envisioned to regenerate haute – couture for gentlemen in Greece and introduce the younger generation to sartorial philosophy.
One day, the Owner of Charvet asked him something that changed his whole point of view: “Are you planning to make orthopedic bespoke or fashion bespoke? You don’t know yet, you will find out through your clients”. This question inspired him to create clothes that have their own personality, style and fashion.
‘Personality’ for Vassilis Bourtsalas is related with the art of tailoring and he had a tough job making a case for concerning why a garment should be handmade. Handwork is used for styling purpose as well as for functionality and quality. Besides excellent fit and craftsmanship, the Bespoke garment must have style and character. Bespoke Athens has its own unique aesthetic quality, originated by Vassilis Bourtsalas’ lifestyle inspired by Old Classic Hollywood actors. He loves curves versus straight lines and admires anything innovative within ‘classic’.
The Looks
Michail: Purple Sciamat Double Breasted completely Unlined and deconstructed 100% Cashmere. 100% Wool Trousers by Bespoke Athens and sfoderata handmade tie by Chatolufsen. Total Look by Bespoke Athens | Watch by Longines | Bespoke Shoes by Kwnstantinos.
Vassilis Bourtsalas: Personal Bespoke Sciamat suit Double Breasted completely unstructured (no lining no canvas) made of blue with brown stripes Hield Super 150 Wool fabric. Total Look by Bespoke Athens.
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