I shopped around for a bespoke suit for a while, trying to find a place I felt confident could produce a good result. There are many places in London which adopt the model of taking measurements and ordering the suit from China. Cad and the Dandy make their items on-site at a reasonable price compared with the longer-established places on Savile Row. After some research and seeing some favourable articles in the national press I decided to give them a go.
I was buying a suit for attending a wedding with a tight deadline. I visited their City branch in Birchin Lane where I was fitted for a contemporary design costing £1300. The helpful staff committed to making the suit in less time than normal (at additional cost).
When going back to collect the finished suit, I'm afraid to say the finished item was less than poor. The jacket had pulls where it wasn't quite sitting snugly, the lining wasn't completely stitched together, and the trouser waistband made me look like Simon Cowell. Overall it was badly made, ill-fitting, and not at all like the contemporary cut I had asked for. The cut was more akin to a dated off-the-peg M&S suit. When I complained they admitted (after some time) that the quality wasn't quite up to scratch because the weight of the fabric was challenging to work with. They also informed me that the cut is just how they make suits. They offered to make the suit again to my specific requirements. I didn't have the suit for the wedding, but decided to give them another go.
The next suit received was an improvement, and they did listen to what I had asked, but it just didn't feel like it fitted correctly. After many fittings, I gave up as it was pretty evident we weren't getting anywhere . It's now sitting in the wardrobe collecting dust. I've since bought a suit from a well-known high street chain, and after one round of alterations have a suit which fits like a glove for less than a quarter of the cost.
Bottom line, if you want a bespoke suit, it's false economy using Cad & the Dandy. Whilst the staff are nice, they don't have the experience and expertise to really deliver an item of quality. My advice, save the hassle and expense, and buy off the peg and alter. read more