Custom-Made Services - Bespoke Vs. Made To Measure Vs. Off the Peg
At Lux Tenebrae, we create exceptional, handcrafted luxury leather goods. Because our pieces are individually tailored to order, it is vital to understand our production tiers and the strict boundaries governing final sales, hygiene, and client collaborations.
1. What Do These Tiers Mean?
Most of our collection offers an extensive range of sizes and configurations. Any item where you select options from a drop-down menu is technically crafted to order, as our independent studio cannot hold live stock for every potential variant.
Off-the-Peg / Standard Size
If you order an item in a standard size (e.g., S, M, L, UK 8, 10, 12, or traditional lingerie sizing like 34A, 32B, 34C), it will be built precisely to our master pattern specifications. This framework works beautifully for the vast majority of clients. We strongly advise checking your physical measurements against our detailed charts before purchasing.
Made-to-Measure (MTM) — Flat Fee: +£100
This tier utilizes our existing standard base patterns but implements specific, targeted adjustments to individual panels based on your personal metrics or hybrid configuration requests (e.g., adjusting a waistline or creating a custom hybrid bra cup). There is no mid-production test fitting; we cut straight into your premium garment leather using your specifications. All MTM items are strictly final sale.
Full Bespoke — Flat Fee: +£200
Our highest level of precision tailoring. We draft a completely unique paper pattern exclusively for your body anatomy and construct physical prototypes (fitting toiles) out of seconds-grade leather or mock materials. We iterate through these prototypes to perfect the silhouette before ever cutting into the final premium hides. All Bespoke items are strictly final sale.
2. Lingerie, Bra, & Underwear Hygiene Framework
Due to the intimate nature of luxury lingerie and the absolute enforcement of UK health and hygiene laws, strict rules apply to all bras, briefs, and body-contact garments:
- Protoype Fittings (Bespoke Tier): Any mock-up fitting toiles or prototypes sent to your home for underwear, body-contact panels, or bras are constructed using seconds-grade leathers or specialized mock materials. To maintain studio hygiene standards, these fitting prototypes can never be returned to our workshop. Once you have documented the fit via photographs and provided your feedback, you must keep or discard the prototype. We work solely from your digital feedback.
- Final Delivery Garments: All finished custom underwear and bras are strictly non-returnable, non-exchangeable, and non-refundable under any circumstances.
3. The Fitting Process in Detail
Our Made-to-Measure Protocol
Upon receiving your order, we will send you a precise list of measurements to capture at home. We will use these dimensions to construct your personal production pattern. Because we cut straight to leather under this tier, accurate measurements are paramount.
Our Full Bespoke Protocol
From your initial measurement profiles, we will construct and ship your first physical prototype fitting toile. You are required to review the fit and report back via email within 14 days of delivery.
High-resolution digital photographs detailing how the prototype sits on your body are vital to help Jules visually inspect the drape, tension, and pattern adjustments. Once feedback is finalized, we apply the changes directly to your master paper pattern.
Post-Delivery Alterations
While our custom pieces perfectly duplicate your finalized measurements or signed-off fittings, clients occasionally request structural alterations after delivery. Within physical design limits, our studio can perform post-delivery adjustments on finished leather items. However, because leather cannot be altered without intricate deconstruction, these adjustments are treated as a completely new commission and are billed at our standard bench rate of £40 per hour, plus raw materials and return tracked postage (subject to a 1-hour minimum charge).
The most common causes for post-delivery alterations include:
- Relying on "guestimates" or vanity sizes instead of pulling a firm physical tape measure.
- Bodily composition shifts, weight fluctuations, or travel delays occurring between the pattern sign-off date and final leather assembly.
4. Order Cancellation & Studio Boundaries
Crafting custom, bespoke leatherwork is an intense, deeply collaborative partnership. To safeguard our independent studio from catastrophic material delays and compounding administrative costs, we strictly enforce the following boundary thresholds:
Failure to Supply Initial Measurements
If a client fails to provide their necessary physical measurements within four (4) weeks of placing an order, the project will be automatically cancelled. We will issue a product credit back to your original payment method, subject to a deduction of our standard 4.5% payment processing fee to cover non-refundable bank transactional costs. This allows you to clear the order slot and safely re-order at a future date when you are fully ready.
Failure to Provide Fitting Prototype Feedback
When a physical prototype or fitting toile is dispatched to your home, detailed feedback and photographic assets are expected within two weeks. If three weeks pass without contact, a formal studio reminder will be issued.
If a client completely fails to provide the necessary feedback required to advance production within four (4) weeks of receiving a prototype, the order will be permanently aborted. In these instances, a Studio Credit Note will be issued for the remaining balance, minus a non-negotiable deduction billed at £40 per hour plus raw material costs to account for the specialized labor, patterning hours, and shipping overhead already expended by the studio.
Our uncompromising objective will always be to deliver a flawless, breathtaking fit. Let us build your piece beautifully, together.