Isetan Men's Net conducted an in-depth three-month documentary following tailor Yamaguchi as he created a single suit. What was his first experience of ordering a suit? We will cover how the comfort and details differ between British and Neapolitan tailoring, which are completely opposite styles, and other topics that will serve as a guide for anyone considering ordering a suit.

Updated on Wednesday, February 22nd

① Fabric selection and measurement

In early February, Yukihiko Hatori, a stylist at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th floor, Business Clothing/Made-to-Measure, visited tailor Yamaguchi. After joining Isetan Men's, he worked in the custom shirt department before taking on custom suit orders at Made-to-Measure, truly dedicating his career to suits. He is a stylist with great passion for suits and enjoys the deep trust of his customers. Hatori, who says he owns about 20 suits due to his work, visited Yamaguchi this time to request a custom-made suit, due to a certain "trigger."

Minoru Hatori : Since becoming a made-to-order specialist three years ago, I've come to feel that my appearance doesn't quite match the suits I wear. I'm also on the shorter side, so I'm rarely seen as my age. With my 30th birthday approaching, I've developed a strong desire to wear suits that are appropriate for my age. I'm also married and have children, and I'll be attending their graduation ceremony soon, so I need a suit that's suitable for formal occasions as well. Every day, I try to choose a suit to wear based on the customer who comes into the store. Because of the nature of my job in customer service, I'm very conscious of the impression I make on people. Furthermore, many of our customers have suits made for important events and ceremonies that mark milestones in their lives. Among those customers, many also want to make a good impression.


Hatori: It was while I was pondering these things that I came across Mr. Yamaguchi's suits. I remember being surprised by how incredibly lightweight and comfortable they were when I tried on a sample. Most of the suits I usually wear are British-style, structured "reinforced suits" with thick shoulder pads and an emphasized waist, and the fabrics I choose are heavy, so it was even more so.
Therefore, I decided to take the plunge and order my first custom-made suit, hoping to increase my knowledge of suits and experience the rounded, lightweight comfort of Neapolitan suits, which are the opposite of British styles, and to create a more "mature impression" through my attire. While listening to these requests, I worked with Yamaguchi to select the fabric and take measurements. This time, I chose a lustrous and very lightweight fabric from the Italian company Drago.


Regarding Mr. Yamaguchi Hatori's requests, when creating this suit, comparing the Neapolitan silhouette with the British suits he usually wears reveals several key points. For the jacket, the length will be adjusted, the shoulder line will be made more natural, and volume will be added to the chest. For the trousers, ensuring a firm crease line will create a more refined impression. Furthermore, regarding measurements, Yamaguchi says he only takes the basic three sizes plus the bare minimum of shoulder width, length, and sleeve length. This is because being too fixated on dimensions makes it difficult to create the pattern and affects the finished product. He says this is something he learned in Naples and has interpreted to arrive at his current method. He also identifies the customer's body balance concerns while taking measurements and determines which points to add or subtract to create a more beautiful and dignified finish. At this stage, he has a rough image of the finished product in mind.

Updated on Friday, March 31st

② Cutting

This project follows the first-ever bespoke tailoring experience of Nobuhito Yamaguchi, a tailor on the 4th floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , and a stylist on the 5th floor. In the second installment, we'll show you how to transfer the pattern onto the fabric and cut it out, based on the measurements taken in the previous installment.


First, we create a pattern based on the measurements we've taken. Previously, we used a method called "direct cutting," where we drew lines directly on the fabric with chalk and cut it out, but now we create and keep a printed pattern.


Yamaguchi's cutting technique is based on what he learned from various tailors in Naples, and he has interpreted and derived several cutting methods in his own way. Furthermore, when drawing lines on the pattern, he tries not to be too constrained by dimensions, but rather to draw smooth and beautiful lines like a painter drawing a picture. He says this is something he learned from his teacher in Naples, because the lines he draws will directly influence the lines of the garment.


Furthermore, the fabric scissors she uses were made by the British company Wilkinson over 100 years ago, and she says they are "something she wants to cherish for a lifetime."

Next time, we'll show you how stylist Hatori actually tries on the jacket and pants in their basted state and how the alterations are made.

Updated on Wednesday, April 19th

③ Basting and fitting

This project follows the first bespoke tailoring experience of Nobuhito Yamaguchi on the 4th floor and a stylist on the 5th floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . This time, we'll introduce the process of the second fitting.



"Normally, this step would be done with the sleeves attached, but to suit this project, we did another fitting with the sleeves not yet sewn on. The bodice was about half finished at the fitting stage," said Yamaguchi.
In this stage of the process, pockets, lapels, and upper collar are added, and it's said to be the time for customers to start thinking about how to coordinate their bespoke suit.

Left: Silhouette during the initial fitting; Right: Silhouette after the current fitting.

Last time, we focused on "body shape correction," which involved making adjustments to make the suit fit the body better.
In contrast, this time, we'll focus on "corrections to enhance beauty," creating the desired atmosphere and making subtle adjustments. The process of refining and solidifying a soft, natural image requires meticulous attention to even the smallest details, which is said to reveal valuable insights.


With the alterations to the Yamaguchi jacket, the silhouette ends up looking a little too compact and slim, which is not the "adult" look that Hatori wants to project. As a result, it looks too form-fitting and makes her appear childish.
While keeping in mind the balance with the shoulders that were corrected last time, I've made the waist slightly looser while maintaining the defined waistline.

Hatori: Compared to the previous fitting, the adjustments to my shoulder width and waist have been made, and I feel like I'm getting closer to the look I want. I was also surprised by how beautifully the jacket lapels roll up.
Regarding the waist, it's the widest and most roomy of all the jackets I own, but the silhouette is well-defined, so I didn't feel any anxiety.
I always tried to make clothes compact to fit my body, but that was actually the opposite of the look I wanted to create. Through this project, I feel like I've gained a deeper understanding of the importance of silhouette.

Yamaguchi says that while the adjustment may be less than 1 cm in some cases, this slight difference can greatly affect the finished product and the impression the wearer has.


Yamaguchi also made further adjustments to the crease line of the pants, ensuring it falls straight down beautifully and firmly.

Regarding the Hatori pants, they have a loose waist and a deep rise, which feels unfamiliar. However, Ms. Yamaguchi advised me that "by using braces to hold the pants in place, making the rise deeper and ensuring the pants fit snugly against the groin, you can effectively achieve a leg-lengthening effect."
Combined with the visual effect of the straight downward crease line, it makes my legs look longer, even though I'm short.

Hatori continues, "With easy-order alterations, there are limits to how beautifully you can make your legs look, but with full bespoke tailoring, you can consult with the tailor directly and achieve a beautiful silhouette, which is one of the great things about full bespoke tailoring."

Next time, we'll move on to the final stitching to attach the sleeves, following this step.

Updated on Friday, October 27th

⑤ Center stitching

This project follows the first bespoke tailoring experience of Nobuhito Yamaguchi, a tailor on the 4th floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , and a stylist on the 5th floor. This time, we move on to the intermediate stitching process.


During the second and third sessions, we conducted fittings and adjustments to the jacket and trousers to ensure they fit the body better and bring them closer to the desired "adult" image.
Now, we'll finally put on the jacket with lapels and sleeves to check its overall finish. We'll walk around in it, swing our arms from side to side and up and down to observe how the garment moves, and determine if any final adjustments are needed.


Yamaguchi : Last time, we made adjustments to the silhouette to bring Hatori-san closer to the image he wanted to project. Compared to the initial fitting, I got the impression that the suit has really settled in nicely this time.
Regarding the jacket, the adjustments have been made exactly as intended. This time, I'll check the movement and then I plan to slightly tighten the waist before concluding the adjustments.
As for the trousers, the crease line now falls straight down, so we'll proceed with the finishing touches.


Hatori: First of all, the jacket is incredibly light. Not only is the fabric I chose great, but it's so light I almost forget I'm wearing it. Plus, it has sleeves, and this is the first time I've worn a garment with such small armholes. It's so easy to move my arms. Most jackets I've worn before would catch on my arms and elbows, so I didn't have this much range of motion. When I lower my arms, there are no unnecessary wrinkles, and it feels very natural. Also, the silhouette of the back is beautiful, so I look great from behind, and I love the way the collar fits snugly. The volume of the shoulders, the waist, and the line down to the hem don't make me look skinny, and it doesn't create an unpleasant sloping shoulder silhouette. It balances out my body shape, which I used to be self-conscious about, so I feel like it's even closer to the image I had in mind last time, and I can't hide my amazement at the possibilities of a fully bespoke suit.



The trousers have a perfectly straight crease line, which looks great from above and is quite captivating. The back also drapes nicely from the hips to the hem, making the hips appear higher. Furthermore, the lines that I couldn't achieve with previous easy-order trousers, even with multiple alterations to make my legs look thinner and longer, are now perfectly aligned, and a long-standing problem has vanished (lol). From the side, they look a little wide, but from the front, thanks to the effect of the crease line, they don't look too wide and I feel they have a beautiful silhouette.

Updated on Friday, November 3rd

⑥Completion

"It was my first time ordering a fully bespoke suit, and it was a fresh and wonderful experience," says Yukihiko Hatori, a stylist at the Business Clothing/Made to Measure section on the 5th floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , where he received his suit from LA SCALA , run by tailor Nobuhito Yamaguchi on the 4th floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . "It's a suit I want to wear on special occasions," he proudly adds.

"That's a well-balanced suit," I was complimented.

I've worn it three or four times since it was made, and I can feel it becoming more and more comfortable each time I wear it. My colleagues and superiors in the made-to-measure department I'm in charge of keep asking me, "That's a beautiful suit. Where did you get it?" and they touch it in all sorts of places (laughs). Customers ask me, "Can you make suits like that here?" and people from our business partners compliment me, saying, "That's a well-balanced suit," so I really feel that the difference is being conveyed.


The jacket has a beautifully balanced shoulder width and waistline, and the front cut curves nicely along that line, emphasizing the sloping shoulders but creating a masculine silhouette. The gentle roll of the lapels helps to conceal a thin chest, and the sleeves are not too narrow, matching the body's proportions.


The finished product is even better than what we envisioned when we discussed it with Mr. Yamaguchi.

I was nervous at first when I was getting my suit made by Mr. Yamaguchi, but as we talked, the conversation expanded to personal topics and discussions about clothes, and I grew to like his personality. He understood my initial idea of "wanting to look mature, and wanting to wear it on certain occasions," and then created something even better, which I think shows he sees things on a different level. Talking with Mr. Yamaguchi made me realize that I, too, was able to reconsider the meaning of "wearing a suit." As someone who sells clothes in a store, it was a very valuable learning experience, and I think I can apply it to my customer service going forward.


It's fun to get ideas for new ways to dress.

The more I wear a La Scala suit, the more I appreciate its quality, and my imagination starts to expand, wondering, "What would it feel like to wear it in a different fabric?" Also, since I mainly handle British styles in made-to-measure tailoring, my wardrobe is centered around British clothing, but I've started wanting some shirts and ties with a softer image that would go well with this La Scala suit. I'm particularly interested in BORRIELLO shirts and TIE YOUR TIE ties in the "La Corta Artigiano (Artisan Group)" section of the International Luxury department on the 4th floor.


It's packed with many charms that you won't find in ready-made clothing.

After my suit was finished, I made sure to wear it to my child's daycare, and the reactions from those around me were completely different (laughs). I experienced firsthand the quality of La Scala suits, so I would definitely recommend them to everyone. Bespoke suits are expensive, but they concretely realize the image of "how I want to be, how I want to be perceived." I think they are full of charms that ready-made clothes don't have.

Also, an Instagram account has been launched where you can experience the charm of La Scala even more! Mr. Yamaguchi himself will be sharing the process of making a suit from his own perspective. Please follow the account @sartoria_lascala and check it out.

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*Reservation Method: Reservations are accepted in-store or by phone. 03-3225-1111 (Main Number) / Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 4th Floor = International Luxury Contact Person: Nobuhito Yamaguchi
*We will ask for your preferred date and time for your visit, and then we will discuss your order with you when you come to the store.

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*All prices include tax.

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th Floor = Men's Tailored Clothing
03-3352-1111 (main representative)