Tailoring

Tailoring cloth is judged by different criteria from any other category. Appearance matters, but performance under construction matters more: the fabric has to be moulded with heat and moisture, take a fused or canvassed front, hold a pressed edge, and recover from a day of wear without collapsing. A cloth that photographs beautifully and will not hold a press is useless to a tailoring factory.

Wool remains the reference point because it does all of this naturally. Polyester-viscose blends are the volume alternative: they hold shape well, resist creasing, cost substantially less and are the standard for uniform and corporate programmes, though they breathe less. Stretch suiting with a small elastane content has become mainstream for modern fits; it is comfortable and forgiving, but it moves under the iron and needs its shrinkage confirmed before bulk.

Weight sets the season and the silhouette. Around 200 to 250 GSM is the year-round suiting range. Lighter cloths near 180 GSM suit warm-weather tailoring but expose any weakness in construction. Trouser cloths run heavier than the matching jacket cloth in many programmes because the wear is harder. Gabardine, a tightly woven steep twill, is the classic trouser and outerwear construction for exactly that reason.