Made for You or Made to Sell? Understanding True Tailoring

Crafting each garment from scratch — where true bespoke tailoring begins. Made in Perth, designed for you. This is slow fashion, not off the rack.

If you’re thinking about having something tailored — a suit, a jacket, or a special garment made just for you — pause for a moment.

You might already have a few places in mind. Polished websites. Beautiful showrooms. High-end marketing. You’ve seen them on Instagram, in men’s style blogs, or at luxury wedding fairs. These places are well-established, reputable, and often associated with high style and elegance.

But here’s what most people don’t realise:

What you’re often stepping into is a retail experience — not a tailoring workshop.

You’re buying a product that has already been designed. A set style. A brand identity. You’re being guided by a well-dressed sales consultant whose job is to help you choose from an existing template. Yes, they’ll take your measurements. Yes, it’ll be adjusted to your body. But no — it wasn’t created for you. It was adapted.

And there’s a difference.

Style is what the brand sells. Tailoring is what a craftsperson does.

Now, if you’re after a particular look — something you’ve seen and admired — then going to a brand that specialises in that aesthetic makes perfect sense. They’ve refined that style and presented it beautifully. There’s nothing wrong with that. But what you’re buying isn’t bespoke. It’s made-to-order, with some personal adjustments.

If you’re looking to create something — something truly personal — then you’re not looking for a store. You’re looking for a workshop.

In a true tailoring studio, there is no showroom lighting or pre-designed range. What you’ll find is a cutting table, chalk, thread, cloth, and a tailor who works with their hands and their eyes — someone who drafts patterns, makes adjustments, and builds something from the ground up. For you.

That’s what I do.

I don’t just measure and pin. I interpret. I listen. I study how you stand, how you move, and what you want to project. And then I construct something that reflects you — not something already made.

And to those reading blogs about “the best tailors in Australia” — just know that many of those lists are really ranking brands. They’re not necessarily ranking the people who make garments from scratch. The titles would be more accurate if they read “Top Suit Brands in Australia” or “Most Stylish Menswear Labels.” And again — there’s nothing wrong with that. They’ve worked hard to establish their reputation, and the style they offer is often very refined.

But tailoring — true tailoring — is not about selling a look. It’s about creating one. It's not retail. It's craftsmanship.

I’m writing this as someone who lives and breathes the craft. I work in a studio — not a shop. I don’t carry stock. I carry fabric. I don’t show you a lookbook. I ask about your life, your needs, your style.

And from there, we build.

Sincerely,

Anthony Van Pham

Third-generation tailor

Perth Tailoring Co.