Often I’m being asked by my clients how they can preserve their custom made garments in a way so they can last longer. The question is fair because of the investment they have just made on these garments, however it is often originated from previous bad experiences and bad habits. Here are a few tips to make your bespoke (or just any) garments longer.
1st. ..and foremost, if you have a well constructed garment, you are already a step ahead. Well crafted suits, sport jackets, trousers, etc, will last longer. Period. Cheap constructions will fall apart very quickly, especially after a couple of trips to the dry cleaners.
2nd. Properly store your custom made items. Always hang your suit or sport jacket or trousers after their use and leave them “breathe” before stacking them inside your wardrobe.
3rd. Don’t dry clean your suits/sport jackets too often. Dry cleaners tend to use the press to put the garments back in shape as well as chemical products to make them look perfect. If you steam and brush your garments often at home, you won’t need the dry cleaners more than 2-3 times a year.
4th. Don’t fill up your pockets with heavy weights. Heavy weights like big set of keys, cell phones, stuffed wallets, tend to stretch the fibers of the fabrics as well as the seams, damaging the look of the garment.
5th. Rotate your suits/sport jackets. Even if you have the best constructed suit in the world, if you wear it everyday and do not take the proper care of it, it will eventually wear out. Our advice is to build a quality basic wardrobe with more suits, trousers and sport jackets so you can rotate them and not worry about wearing them out.
Overall, just like anything else, the better you take care of your garments the more they’ll last. If you have any question, feel free to send me a note, I will get back to you ASAP!
Massimo Mattetti
Master Clothier in Miami
Owner of MASSIMO ROMA
1390 Brickell Ave Suite 160
Miami FL 33131