Pad stitching of lapels
and canvas:
Form, structure and souplesse for
unparalleled wearability
In the world of bespoke tailoring, there are many techniques that set a custom-made garment apart from mass-produced clothing. One of these specialized methods is pad stitching — an essential hand-stitching technique that brings structure, shape, and character to tailored pieces. Although it often goes unnoticed once the garment is complete, pad stitching plays a critical role in the fit and feel of a well-made suit, jacket, or coat.
What Is Pad Stitching?
Pad stitching is a hand-sewing technique used to attach layers of fabric, particularly the canvas interfacing, to the outer cloth of a jacket or coat. Typically found in the lapels, collar, and chest of a tailored garment, this intricate process involves a series of small, diagonal stitches that secure the canvas while allowing the garment to maintain flexibility. This technique ensures that the fabric molds beautifully to the shape of the body, resulting in a smooth roll of the lapel and a natural contour that machine-sewing simply cannot replicate.
The Role of Pad Stitching in Tailoring
The purpose of pad stitching is more than just attaching layers together. It gives structure and form to the garment, helping to achieve the desired shape that a bespoke suit needs. In the lapel, for instance, pad stitching provides the lapel with its roll—a crucial part of the silhouette in a tailored jacket. A skilled tailor carefully manipulates the fabric and canvas to ensure the roll is smooth and that the lapel sits correctly, with a look that is both elegant and relaxed.
Craftsmanship and Technique
Pad stitching is done entirely by hand, and the quality of the work depends on the skill of the tailor. Each stitch must be made with precision, balancing strength with flexibility. The spacing and tension of the stitches can vary depending on the location and purpose—closer stitches are used where more stiffness is required, while looser stitches allow for a softer drape.
The canvas used for pad stitching is traditionally made from horsehair and wool, chosen for its resilience and ability to shape over time. The canvas acts as the skeleton of the jacket, and through pad stitching, the tailor breathes life into the garment, giving it a three-dimensional structure that enhances the body’s natural lines.
A Hidden Masterpiece
What makes pad stitching truly special is that it is hidden beneath the fabric, invisible to the wearer but crucial to the overall quality of the garment. It’s one of those hidden details that embodies the essence of bespoke tailoring—an investment in craftsmanship that goes beyond what meets the eye. For clients, knowing that pad stitching has been used in the construction of their garment provides a sense of quality and tradition that fast-fashion alternatives simply cannot match.
Pad stitching is an art form that reflects the dedication and expertise of bespoke tailoring. It’s one of the many techniques that make a tailored suit fit and feel exceptional, offering a level of structure and comfort that only handcrafted garments can provide. Next time you see a beautifully rolled lapel or feel the structure of a perfectly tailored jacket, remember the hours of craftsmanship behind those seemingly invisible stitches.
For more insights into the craft of bespoke tailoring, explore our blog and learn what makes each garment truly unique.
Further Reading
For those who want to delve deeper into our craft, we recommend visiting our blog and reading the articles below:
Do you dress yourself, or do you buy clothes?
In our atelier we regularly receive requests to copy items. These are often garments that people have owned for years and that are no longer available in stores. You notice that a lot of quality clothing that used to be readily available in retail simply no longer exists. This is because quality products require a great deal of time, money and expertise.
Unfortunately we must conclude that we live in a zeitgeist where it is no longer about dressing people but simply about selling textiles with a whole lot of marketing. The result: poorly made and fitting clothing at a far too high price.
In this video you see how it can also be done, after years of wearing a jacket, we copy it (simply) so that the favourite garment can often be realised with improvements, gained through the progressive insight that comes from years of wearing it.
Introduction
In a world where “tailor made” increasingly means: “we take your measurements and modify a standard pattern,” the baste fit has almost disappeared.
Too expensive. Too time-consuming. “No longer necessary with modern techniques.”
But for anyone who truly understands what bespoke tailoring means, the baste fit is not optional. It is the moment when a suit transforms from a collection of patterns and cloth into a garment built around your unique body.
In this article, I take you through my own baste fitting — not as an expert, but as a client with a challenging body: a stomach, uneven shoulders, and a specific arm rotation.
Amy, our tailor, explains what she sees, why she corrects, and how she makes my body perform at its best inside a suit.
The shoulder line of a suit or jacket is one of the most defining elements of its appearance and fit. A subtle difference in construction can make a jacket look structured and formal or relaxed and natural. That’s why choosing a shoulder style is essential for anyone investing in a bespoke suit.
In bespoke tailoring, everything revolves around the balance between comfort, style, and the desired look. The way a shoulder is constructed influences not only the appearance of a suit but also how it feels and how it accentuates the wearer’s body shape. In this article, we discuss three commonly used shoulder styles: the Classic Shoulder, the Rope Shoulder, and the Spalla Camicia. We explain how they are constructed, what kind of look they create, and which styles or body types they suit best.
Working with a checked fabric, such as a camel-colored worsted flannel with a check pattern, demands craftsmanship and extra attention from the tailor. Carefully aligning the checks across seams and transitions is essential for a harmonious and professional final result.
Precise Pattern Placement and Cutting
To ensure the checks align perfectly, the pattern pieces must be placed with extreme precision on the fabric. This often means laying the fabric out single-layered rather than folded, giving the tailor full control over the placement of the pattern on the cloth.
The buttons on a jacket sleeve are more than mere decoration; they tell a story of style, craftsmanship, and tradition.
Below you’ll find a comprehensive guide to the different aspects of sleeve buttons – including their origins, variations, and what they reveal about a jacket’s quality.
The construction of a tailored suit is the hidden foundation that determines how your suit looks, how comfortable it feels, and how long it lasts. While the exterior – the fabric and the design – often receives the most attention, the true value of a tailored suit lies in its construction.
In this article, you’ll discover the differences between Full Canvas, Half Canvas, Unlined, and Fused constructions. We’ll delve deeper into the techniques, advantages, and limitations of each method, and how they shape the quality of your suit.
We’ll also guide you through the craftsmanship behind setting the canvas – the heart of a high-quality suit.
In the world of bespoke tailoring, there are many techniques that set a custom-made garment apart from mass-produced clothing. One of these specialized methods is pad stitching — an essential hand-stitching technique that brings structure, shape, and character to tailored pieces. Although it often goes unnoticed once the garment is complete, pad stitching plays a critical role in the fit and feel of a well-made suit, jacket, or coat.
The making of a bespoke suit is a process that revolves around precision, craftsmanship and personal attention. At De Oost Bespoke Tailoring we do everything we can to create clothing that not only fits perfectly, but also reflects your style and personality. Below you can read step by step how we make your suit in a traditional way.
Conductors worldwide rely on custom-made clothing to support them in every movement, from the first beat to the thunderous finale. A conductor’s suit has specific requirements: it must look representative and stylish, yet withstand intensive use. This requires tailoring at the highest level, where functionality and elegance go hand in hand. At De Oost, we combine these elements to create a suit that is as comfortable as it is durable, specially designed for the unique needs of orchestra conductors.
In the world of consultancy, especially at the top, it’s all about trust, reliability, and presence. This custom-made bespoke suit was crafted for a client working at KPMG, who frequently travels to England for board meetings. In the United Kingdom, wearing a high-quality, handmade suit at executive level is more of a rule than an exception, unlike in the Netherlands. Our client seeks a suit that effortlessly handles every situation, is stylish without frills, and exudes a strong, confident presence.
When it comes to custom or bespoke suits, the details truly make a difference. One of the most notable features that set custom suits apart from off-the-rack options is the armhole construction. A higher and smaller armhole is a hallmark of superior tailoring. But why is this the case?
In this post, we'll explore the reasons behind this design choice and how it enhances both the fit and comfort of custom-made suits.
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Introduction
When it comes to style and appearance, there’s nothing quite like a bespoke suit. The process of having a suit tailored to your exact measurements, preferences, and lifestyle is a unique journey that goes far beyond simply purchasing a garment. At our bespoke tailoring house, we believe in the transformative power of a well-fitted suit and the importance of the journey we take together with our clients.
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When you have your bespoke suit made to measure, your measurements are taken and then translated onto a paper pattern.
Patterns are the difference between bespoke suits and made-to-measure suits
For bespoke suits, this pattern is made per customer based on individual sizes and wearing preferences. Think about space to move around, so you can create the ideal and desired fit. Made-to-measure works with a standard pattern that is adjusted. You will then not have the ideal fit because you have to work with fixed margins and you will lose the balance between the sizes.
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In the current world of fake news we even see that the art and craft of bespoke tailors sometimes is being scrutinized by marketeers and sales driven clothing brands. This creates a devaluation of dress styles with the modern gentleman.
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A truly well-made and fitting (wedding) suit starts with personally taken measurements.
Measuring can be seen as a dialogue between the tailor and client.
This way you ensure that the suit fits well, looks good and is comfortable to wear. The personal measurements really make the big difference between a (wedding) suit off the rack and a tailor-made suit.
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Taking measurements is one of the most important steps when you want to have a tailor-made suit made
The measurements you have taken for your tailor-made suit form the basis for drawing your pattern and further assembling your suit.
The measurements are used to define your personal measurements and fit. So, important.
Measuring is done with a centimeter on the body when you have your suit made bespoke, and that is the correct traditional way of making a suit.
I need to have a new suit fitted myself, so we have put this measuring process on the video so that you know what to expect when you want to have a tailor-made suit made yourself.
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A good suit, what are its features?
A well-made suit has a number of features that, apart from the fit, make it easy to distinguish it from less well-made suits such as Made-to-Measure suits. The details of a handmade bespoke suit are easy to recognise and quite obvious when you know what to look for. So let's see what are the points to recognise a well-made suit.
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Why Should I Choose a Bespoke Tailored Suit?
Opting for a bespoke tailored suit comes with several advantages. Here are 10 + 1 reasons why you might consider having a bespoke suit made:
Perfect Fit: A bespoke suit is crafted to perfectly fit your body shape, providing unmatched fit and comfort.
Personalization: You have the freedom to personalize every aspect of the suit, from the choice of fabric to the buttons and lining.
Quality Craftsmanship: Bespoke suits are handcrafted by experienced tailors, resulting in superior quality and finish.
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What is an unlined blazer or jacket?
An unlined blazer has no lining on the inside of the jacket and/or sleeves. There are various ways to assemble and finish a blazer. Here, we specifically refer to the inner workings, and in the case of unlined jackets, the absence of an inner lining, eliminating the need for covering.
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Made-to-measure garments generally have a better fit than garments produced to standard measurements. However, it still gets limited by a number of factors that affect fit, such as:
Measurement errors: When taking the customer's measurements, measurement errors may occur, which means that the final garments do not fit properly.
A blazer stripe is not for the faint of heart. Especially when the model is double breasted.
Let's take a little journey to go over this bespoke tailored suit and what it features and why.
There are three main categories of clothing: off-the-rack, made-to-measure, and bespoke
Off-the-rack clothing is standard produced clothing that is sold in the store. These clothes are made according to the standard measurements and designs and are readily available for purchase. Off-the-rack clothing is generally the least expensive option and offers limited options for fit and design.
A bespoke suit is always purely tailored for 1 specific client with many possible customizable options to make it more personal and exclusive
These options can be part of the construction method, which techniques are used to tailor the suit, and in the model and style options.
Below you will find a variety of ideas and possibilities regarding models and styles. We are an advocate for the finer details which are not directly perceptible but help to create an aura of ‘Understated Confidence’.
“The difference between something good and something great is in the details.”
Bespoke tailoring is a manner of clothing production whereby the design, the fit, the fabric and the details are entirely tailored to the wishes of the client.
Contrary to made-to-measure garments, which are based on existing patterns and sizes and have few and limited options for alterations, bespoke tailoring begins with a blanco sheet and every detail of the garment will be designed and altered to meet the client’s specific requirements.
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Fit of MTM Suits vs Bespoke Suits
Naturally, a bespoke tailored suit represents the pinnacle of fit for the serious sartorial enthusiast and suit wearer. This is because all factors influencing the garment are perfectly tailored to your wishes and are in balance with each other. Between off-the-rack suits and bespoke suits lies the made-to-measure suit, which in the Netherlands is often sold as 'real tailor-made'. The moment you start critically examining it with an expert eye, you quickly see through this and find quite a few points for improvement in the fit.
There are 3 methods when you need to buy a new suit
1. RTW = Brands from the peg.
2. MTM = Made to Measure, often promoted and misused as genuine tailored suits. Nowadays the standard for a 'tailored suit'???? Or are you fooling yourself here?
3. Bespoke Tailoring = a suit made by a tailor by hand. All features are purely made for you with your purpose in mind.
Let's call this performance engineering for people who see their appearance as personal branding and don't settle for less.
In short you could say that Unlined or Unstructured jackets are the most natural fitting and draping jackets
Before we go into the benefits of an unstructured jacket, we need to do a short history lesson first. After WW2 the majority of men would wear a suit because they had to. Alongside that we have seen men who aspired to create their own success and businesses which led to different play fields with new dress codes and possibilities to express yourself with your personal style. Actually we could see them as the contemporary Dandy.
De Oost Bespoke Tailoring is a house of craft and passion so we can tailor using several ways of construction
This is a short explanation about the 4 common methods used by Bespoke Tailors.
Full Canvassed Jackets
Traditionally, men’s suits were constructed with a layer of horsehair canvas underneath the wool fabric shell. This canvas holds the shape of the suit and keeps it from sagging or deforming, much like the foundation of a house keeps it upright. The canvas is cut to the jacket’s shape, then the wool is stitched to the canvas. Over time, as you wear the jacket, the canvas conforms to your body’s shape, creating an excellent fit.
White-Tie Outfit for a Freemason Debuting at the Wiener Ball
For a Thai gentleman making his debut at the Wiener Ball in Vienna, we created a fully bespoke three-piece suit made to measure. A commission that demanded precision at every level, because the Wiener Ball is not just any gala evening. It is one of the most formal and most iconic balls in the world, where the dress code is taken seriously and every detail counts.