Custom-Made Services - Bespoke Vs. Made To Measure Vs. Off the Peg

What do these terms mean? 

Most of our items have a huge range of size and colour options - in fact any item where you specified options from a drop down menu will be made to order just for you, as there are too many variants to hold stock in everything. 

If you order an item in an off the peg size eg. S,M,L or 8, 10, 12, or 34a,b,c the item will be made to fit our measurements for that size. Often this will be perfect for you, you can check your measurements against our detailed charts to check if they will work for you.

For a precise fit, you'll need to send us measurements (we'll always send you a list of the ones needed for each item once we receive your order).

We can either work straight from your instructions to leather (made to measure) with no fitting test,

or from instructions, via one or two cotton fittings to finalise the design before going to leather (bespoke)

Simply add the made to measure or bespoke service to your order on the item page

Bespoke and Made To Measure Services: What’s the difference?

 

Both services involve you sending measurements and having an individual pattern made for you.
Both have the same premium workmanship - all of our finished items take days of intricate, delicate hand work.
 

The difference between bespoke and made to measure items are the series of cotton fitting toiles sent to your home, and the time it takes to work through this fitting process. 

Made to Measure can be perfect for small things like undies, suspender belts, regular size bras, many skirts and some underbust corsets. All things where a quarter inch too big or small will not change the fit of the item at all.

Made to measure offers a quicker, less expensive alternative and sometimes that's exactly what you need.

Bespoke Items are perfect for when you need precision tailoring, examples would be tight jeans, tight fitted shirts, tight dresses, over-bust corsets and some plus size bras. All things where even a quarter inch too big or small could ruin the whole item.

 Ask Jules for advice if you are unsure. 

 

 

IN DETAIL
 
Our Bespoke Service

 

 

Upon ordering, we'll send you a list of measurements to take at home please respond within four weeks (see 'sometimes we have to cancel orders' below)

From these we will send your first fitting toile (a white cotton replica of your order) with a small checklist of things for you to look through.

You report back to us via email any alterations you wish.
It's a real help if you can send digital pictures with your instructions so that we can see in detail, how the toile fits you.

We will definitely need measurements rather than guestimates, doesn't matter whether in cms or inches, and we'll need your feedback within 14 days of receiving the fitting (see 'sometimes we have to cancel orders' below)

We will then adjust your pattern as necessary and send a new fitting or sometimes we can go straight to leather, most items only take 1-2 fittings

 

The important points to note are:

Please get your initial measurements over to us ASAP, and please report your fitting feedback to us within 14  days. Delays can cause fitting problems and your order may be cancelled (see 'sometimes we have to cancel orders' below)

Although custom-made items are a duplicate of your final agreed fitting, some people will still want to alter their finished custom-made order after it has been signed off and delivered.

Within limits, we can alter finished items, but we're not magicians and not everything is possible without completely deconstructing your item. Any changes to your item after they have been signed off and delivered are always treated as a new order and charged at our normal rate of £40 per hour plus materials and postage. There is a 1 hr minimum charge, then per 1/2 hr after that. 

The most common reasons for alterations after finishing are:

Using a guestimate instead of giving exact measurements (happens really often on waistbands) Always use a tape measure

Being on a diet or hoping to lose weight but not actually doing so

Going on holiday and changing shape. 

Taking ages between getting the fitting and reporting the details back to us.

All of these things have happened here several times within the last six months.

 

Those of you using the bespoke service are most welcome to make an appointment to visit the studio to have your toile fitted personally by Jules.  It's not compulsory to visit the studio, we can do it all really successfully by mail and internet.

Studio appointments are only available Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri  2-5

 

 

Our Made to Measure Service

 

We'll send you a list of measurements to take at home, it's all really straight forward and should be easy - you'll need a friend to help you take the measurements. We will use these measurements to make your personal paper pattern.

Please get your initial measurements over to us ASAP. Delays can cause fitting problems and order cancellations (see 'sometimes we have to cancel orders' below)

Although made to measure items are a duplicate of your instructions, some people will still want to alter their finished order after it has been delivered.

Within limits, we can alter finished items, but we're not magicians and not everything is possible without completely deconstructing your item. Any changes to your item after they have been delivered are always treated as a new order and charged at our normal rate of £40 per hour plus materials and postage. There is a 1 hr minimum charge, then per 1/2 hr after that. 

 

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO CANCEL ORDERS
Making custom orders is a collaborative process between us and you, and sometimes that relationship breaks down and we need to cancel the order/contract to protect ourselves from financial loss. The usual way this happens is as follows:

Failure to send measurements:

There are all sorts of valid reasons why this can happen and we've found the easiest least stressy thing for everyone concerned is simply to give a full refund for the amount paid, allowing you to re-order when everything has settled down and you are ready to go.

To keep everything running smoothly we now say that if a client has not supplied us any measurements within four weeks of their order, we will consider the order cancelled and refund the full amount paid.

Failure to give feedback on fittings sent:


When we send your fitting, we expect to get detailed feedback from you within a reasonable period of time, for argument's sake let's say within two weeks. If after three weeks we haven't heard from you then we will send you a reminder, but if you haven’t supplied enough feedback for us to continue work after four weeks we will consider the order cancelled by you and supply you with a Lux Tenebrae credit note for the amount paid minus a charge for the work done @£40 per hour plus materials and postage.