Moss Relaunches Its Tailoring Service
Robbi Hicks, Head of Creative for Moss, discusses how the brand is modernising tailoring through its new Custom Made service
Founded in 1851 as a British menswear brand Moss is defined by a heritage of material excellence and precision tailoring. Its collections of Custom Made suiting, refined ready-to-wear tailoring and contemporary casualwear continue to reflect its enduring focus on quiet confidence and timeless style. Here, Head of Creative Robbi Hicks discusses how the brand is evolving and what customers can expect from the relaunched Custom Made service.
Having been founded in London’s Covent Garden over 170 years ago, Moss has a long heritage in tailoring. How does the new Custom Made service represent the evolution of the brand and how does it bridge the gap between ready-to-wear and full bespoke tailoring?
I think giving people a choice on how they want the suit to look and feel is a real opportunity for us. Our off-the-peg is always a great option. However, if someone loves a fabric but wants it to fit in a way that complements their build, or they want it in a double-breasted style, or a different lining, custom made is a real option. We often find that for weddings the groom wants something really special – like unlined jackets, side adjusters, pleats on trousers or even the date of his wedding in the jacket – while his party will have the ready-to-wear to hire equivalent.
We use a fit block to get the right size and fit, whereas full bespoke is starting from scratch with a lot of fittings and a much higher cost. This gives people the feeling of a made-to-order service with a manageable price point.
Moss sources fabrics from Italian mills like Vitale Barberis Canonico and Drago. Why is it important for your clients to understand where their fabric comes from?
Nowadays, men are far more invested in what they wear. They understand fit, drape, fabric weight. Knowing our fabric is woven by a mill that also makes fabric for luxury fashion houses is a nice detail. It shows respect and knowledge of the craft, and this is important to a customer who’s investing a little more by choosing our custom made service.
From choosing lining fabrics and buttons, to deciding on lapel shapes and personalised embroideries, how do you help guide clients to make the right choice?
It all starts with the main fabric. Different materials have distinct qualities, which will shape the way the suit falls on them. It’s imperative to gain an understanding of how the customer would like the suit to feel: structured or relaxed, contemporary or heritage. These same principles guide the final details, such as lapel shape, fit and trouser finishes. The goal is to help them feel as comfortable and confident as they can be. As much as I’d like to dress everyone in what I think is a beautiful-looking suit, they may not feel as comfortable in it as I would. I will offer guidance when they ask for it, but I would aim for them to guide me into what they want out of their design.
How do you help clients navigate shade and skin type to find a colour that suits their complexion?
Generally, I think this is quite an archaic stance on clothing. In this day and age, I think that everyone can wear whichever colour they like and look equally as good as the next person wearing it. It’s not necessarily about what you wear, but how you wear it.
When it comes to patterns, what advice do you give clients on choosing a pattern that complements their body shape?
With the fabrics and patterns that we offer, the only rule I can think of is that vertical stripes will elongate your body. If you want to give the illusion of looking taller, try a navy vertical stripe. Steer away from vertical stripes if you want to navigate attention away from your height. The fabrics and prints that are associated with tailoring are very complementary to everyone’s body shape, making it an all-round easy wear for whoever is concerned.
As wedding dress codes become increasingly more relaxed, how is your Custom Made service adapting to ensure grooms and his guests still feel special away from traditional, more rigid formalwear?
Our embroidery service is paramount in this aspect. Having the personalisation of a date or initial can turn a good wedding suit into something designed specifically for the occasion. Choosing an Italian milled fabric from weavers such as Barberis, Solbiati, or E. Thomas can also make the garment feel particularly special, as these are a cut above the rest when compared to other high street suiting retailers. Different linings, such as unlined, mini buggy and soft shoulders, can change how a suit feels, which is particularly good if you want something lighter for warmer weather. Our Bemberg and Bottinelli fabrics can also add a premium touch to a lining.
What do you anticipate as the future of the Custom Made service?
It’s about ensuring that Moss continues to be front of mind for tailoring. We are always looking at opportunities to add to the service. Where a customer has something in mind, we want to have the capability to offer it, with highly skilled teams who can deliver it. We’re also updating fabrics every season, and adding fabrics exclusive to custom made. There are options for everyone. Because as we know, no two men or suits are the same.
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