26 Watergate St, North, Chester CH1 2LD
01244 317297

Bespoke

Origins of Bespoke 

Over the years a lot has been written about the origins of bespoke. Here’s our take on it.

The word bespoke is derived from the verb bespeak, meaning to “speak for something”. The particular meaning of the verb form is first cited from 1583 and given in the Oxford English Dictionary: “to speak for, to arrange for, engage beforehand: to ‘order’ (goods)”.

And as such the phrase crept into the tailor’s lexicon. The gentleman would arrange, or speak for, his desired cloth, ensuring that it would not be sold to somebody else.

Over the years, bespoke has become synonymous with the top end of men’s tailoring. Rather than being a reference to the cloth, bespoke now denotes the way in which the suit is created.

Crichton Bespoke Cloth

Bespoke Shirts

Founded as shirt makers more than 50 years ago, Crichton Bespoke’s heritage lies clearly in the creation of bespoke shirts. Since then we have perfected the craft, introduced our house style and now create shirts for a sartorially discerning client base on a daily basis. We are one of the few company’s still making shirts in the UK.

As with everything we do at Crichton, our shirts are cut in our Chester cutting rooms adjacent to our regency show rooms. You will be measured in the building by one of our cutters or consultants who will also talk you through cloth selection and styling details. We carry cloths by Britain’s finest shirting mills, offering limitless choice.

Once your individual shirt pattern is cut, the cloth is ordered. cut and skilfully sewn together by our team of experienced seamstresses. Choosing your first bespoke shirt is the gateway to the world of bespoke tailoring and the upper echelons of immaculate dressing.

All of our pieces are cut and made by hand on site in our Chester workrooms.

Book a Consultation

We have offices in the heart of Chester and can also arrange to meet clients in London, on Saville Row. Enquire here today and find out more or call us on 01244 317 297.

The Bespoke Suit

The bespoke suit is one of the most important and fundamentally classic creations in men’s tailoring. For many tailoring houses it is the work that defines them as a business.

Although the company’s origins are rooted in creating bespoke shirts, we have developed a reputation for elegant, timeless tailoring across all aspects of the modern gentleman’s wardrobe.

From formal dinner wear to hunting breaches; from boardroom attire to the perfect wedding piece, we are known for our dedication to ‘bespoke’ rather than any one style.

At Crichton Bespoke we have perfected the art of cutting a bespoke suit. We insist on three fittings, the first of which determines the customers measurements and allows us to cut an individual card pattern.

We would then consult with the customer on the cut and style to ensure a flattering outcome. They would choose their cloth from a library of cloth books, from only the finest mills, deciding on things such as weight, material, colour and purpose.

A few weeks later a base fitting allows us to check balance and drape before ‘ripping it down’ and re-cutting. The final fitting is about seeing a near complete suit on the person and making small adjustments to ensure the perfect fit. It is then skillfully pressed, named and dated and presented in our Crichton covers.

All of our pieces are cut and made by hand on site in our Chester workrooms.

Model Wearing Bespoke Suit

Visit Us

Investment in a beautiful tailored suit is a process of exploration, fine adjustments and a beautful fit. Visit us today and view our vast collection of fabric books and begin your bespoke journey.

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