The custom-made suit market - France (2023)

1.2 A growing global market

The global men's suit market was valued at $**.*** billion in ****, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of *.**% to ****.

Global men's suit market size projection World, **** - ****, in $ billions Source: ****

Population growth and rising incomes in emerging countries are the main factors driving market growth. Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to fashion and accessories. Rapid urbanization has led to more office work, prompting modern consumers to spend more on fashionable, stylish and durable items. Men's suits today embody versatile attire, suitable for both formal and informal occasions.

Europe is the biggest market for men's suits, accounting for around **% market share. North America follows, with a market share of approximately **%[***]. Unfortunately, we do not have access to figures for the made-to-measure suit market, but we can assume that this market has followed and will continue to follow the same trends as that of suits.

on a global scale, the main players in the made-to-measure suit segment are major suit brands that also offer a made-to-measure range:

Corneliani Etro Kiton LVMH Armani Tom Ford Paul Smith Hugo Boss Valentino Canali Boglioli Kering Burberry Ermenegildo Zegna Prada Dolce & Gabbana Hickey Freeman Hermès

Among the world leaders, there are also ...

1.3 A national market in structural decline

The made-to-measure suit sector is an extremely specific one, about which we unfortunately have very little information. We can, however, draw on a broader market, encompassing made-to-measure suits, to identify trends in this segment.

In INSEE's NAF nomenclature, made-to-measure suits come under subclass **.**Z: "Manufacture of outerwear". This subclass includes :

The manufacture of men's, women's and children's outerwear from woven, knitted and non-woven fabrics, etc. (***) Manufacture of all types of clothing, made-to-measure by tailors, seamstresses and dressmakers The design and manufacture of haute couture garments Manufacture of parts of the items listed[***]

Outerwear manufacturing market size France, **** - ****, in billions of euros Source: ****

The French outerwear market is growing strongly after a complicated period following the health crisis. The market had been in decline since ****, but fell sharply in **** to sales of *.*** billion euros. The sector then experienced strong growth, reaching sales of *.*** billion euros in ****(***), exceeding the four-billion threshold for the first time since ****.

Unfortunately, we don't have the necessary data to estimate the size of the made-to-measure suit market, but it certainly follows the trends of the outerwear market.

The market's decline up to the health crisis can be explained by two different factors. On the one hand, the ...

2.1 A must-have in every French woman's wardrobe

Made-to-measure is both an act of pleasure and, increasingly, an act of responsibility. unlike compulsive purchases, a made-to-measure piece is thought through, imagined and created. Made-to-measure fits perfectly into a sustainable approach to consuming less and better. Made-to-measure also reflects a quest for elegance and distinction, far removed from the bland, impersonal suits of ready-to-wear[***].

However, while the majority of French people still own a suit, its role has changed considerably over the last few decades. In the **s, it was the daily garment of men, whatever their social status and wherever they went: work, home, street, stadium... However, from the ****s onwards, suits began to disappear from the streets, and were reserved exclusively for the world of work.

Since the ****s, the professional world has also been affected by this movement. While suits used to be the benchmark attire worn in the office, this has not been the case for several years now, with the rise of more casual attire (***)[***].

Number of suits sold France, **** - ****, in millions of units Source: ****

The volume of suits sold in France was divided by more than * between **** and ****. Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain the same figures for made-to-measure suits, but it's totally ...

2.2 Demand hit hard by the rise of Friday wear, startups and telecommuting

The latest trends in workplace clothing:

Adopted in France since the early ****s,"casual Friday" offers employees the opportunity to dress down on Fridays and leave behind the eternal suit and tie. However, far from being confined to Fridays, this movement has gradually gained ground and is now applicable to every day of the week in many companies. Even the more traditional sectors such as banking, insurance and auditing have gradually been won over[***].

The transition was gradual, starting with the disappearance of the tie, followed by "mix and match", i.e. wearing a different jacket and pants, and finally the abandonment of the suit. This was done in favor of "streetwear" clothing, whose French market was estimated at *** million euros in ****, representing **% of the clothing sector's market share[***].

Startups have also played an important role in the social deconstruction of suit-wearing. The arrival on the media scene of successful, simply-dressed entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg has given rise to a whole generation of "startuppers".generation of start-up entrepreneurs convinced that wearing a suit is not a guarantee of quality work, but, on the contrary, a sign of respect for established rules and a lack of innovation[***].

The ...

2.3 A generation Y demanding made-to-measure suits

Paradoxically, despite the end of the compulsory suit era, Generation Y pays close attention to what it wears and refuses to put the suit to death. The rejection is more that of uniform-type clothing, destined to be worn every day. The demand for elegant, sophisticated outfits still exists , and while the suit segment is destined to decline, the made-to-measure suit segment has not said its last word.

Born between **** and ****, the men of Generation Y, for example, were impressed by the bespoke suits worn by Harvey Specter in Suits and Don Draper in Mad Men. There's a real desire to look good in the workplace. However, this desire has traditionally been hampered by the high prices charged in the made-to-measure industry, which are ill-suited to the budgets of young executives. In recent years, however, brands such as Tailor Corner have responded to this demand by offering made-to-measure suits at prices comparable to those charged in the ready-to-wear industry, and with lead times that are as short as possible.industry, with short lead times and innovative ideas, particularly for taking measurements, to meet the demands of a generation of men in a hurry (***)[***].

What symbol does wearing a suit represent for you? France, ...

2.4 E-commerce and second-hand: two major fashion trends that are also appealing to the made-to-measure suit market

The e-commerce sector is becoming increasingly important in the fashion market. In ****, the fashion/clothing category was the most popular sector for online purchases, accounting for **% of all sales, followed by footwear at **% and bags and luggage at **%. According to Fevad (***), **% of French people believe that e-commerce saves them time[***]. Hockerty is a brand that offers its customers the opportunity to design their own made-to-measure suits on their website, without having to visit a boutique. To do this, the brand has developed an online *D configurator that allows customers to adapt their measurements.

Another trend in the fashion world is the growing awareness of environmental issues, which is prompting many French consumers to adopt more responsible consumption, notably by turning to second-hand items. Although every suit is tailored to its owner's body type, there is a second-hand segment in the made-to-measure suit market. Thrifting, or the purchase of second-hand clothing, once confined to thrift shops and flea markets, has recently expanded into the online space with the emergence of several players such as Savvy Row in the UK and Le Vestiaire du Renard in France. These online platforms offer high-quality clothing at affordable prices, stimulating consumer interest in the concept. Inspired ...

2.5 Weddings: a source of demand for made-to-measure suits

With ***,*** weddings in ****, this ceremony represents a major source of demand for made-to-measure suits[***]. There is a willingness on the part of brides and grooms to reduce the costs of their wedding by making savings on various expenditure items. However, outfits are only the *ᵉ expenditure item on which the French are prepared to make savings, good news for the made-to-measure suit sector.

If you were planning such a wedding, on which of the following expenditure items would you be tempted to make savings? France, ****, percentage of respondents Source: ****

There has been a decline in the number of marriages in France (***): a contract between two adults, of different or the same sex, to organize their life together. It establishes rights and obligations between the two contracting parties, in terms of material support, housing, property, taxes and social rights. The number of PACS has more than doubled since ****, reaching ***,*** by ****[***]. Although PACS are less frequently celebrated than marriages, they still represent a potential source of demand for made-to-measure suits.

2.6 Seasonal demand

We can study the seasonality of sales using Google Trends, which gives us the frequency with which search terms are used.the results provided by the site indicate the frequency of use of a specific keyword in a given region and during a defined period, compared to the region where this keyword is most used.e and during a defined period, in relation to the region where this keyword is most used, the latter having a value of ***. For example, a value of ** means that the keyword was searched for half as often in the region in question. A value of zero indicates that there is not enough data for this keyword in the specified region.

evolution of search frequency for the term "bespoke suits" on Google France, **/**** - **/****, in search frequency Source: ****

There is a seasonal pattern to demand, with search peaks in January every year.

3.1 A structural decline in the number of jobs and companies in the outerwear manufacturing industry

In the INSEE NAF nomenclature, made-to-measure suits come under subclass **.**Z: "Manufacture of outerwear", which comprises several categories (***).

Number of establishments and workforce in the Outerwear Manufacturing industry France, ****-****, in units Source: ****

The number of establishments in the outerwear manufacturing industry has been declining for over a decade. Between **** and ****, the number of companies in the sector will have fallen by **.*%.

Workforce in the outerwear manufacturing industry France, **** - ****, in units Source: ****

Headcount, meanwhile, fell by **.*% between **** and ****. In general, the number of employees has fallen at a slightly slower rate than the number of establishments, which is probably due to a majority of closures of very small companies, with a lesser impact on employment.this downward trend in the number of players in the industry can be explained by the combined action of the structural decline in demand in this market, leading to numerous restructurings, and competition from low-cost labor countries such as Turkey, Romania and above all China[***].

3.2 Focus on tailoring in France and the return of women's tailoring

The tailor's trade encompasses the manual production of iconic garments for men's wardrobes, including suits consisting of jacket, pants and sometimes vest, tuxedos and coats. The tailor's trade can also extend to the production of women's suits.

Until the ****s, made-to-measure suits were widespread among French men. Since then, however, the ready-to-wear wave has largely taken over, reducing the proportion of made-to-measure suits to a trickle. Since the ****s, however, a wind of revival has been blowing through the made-to-measure suit industry. This has been made possible by the very high margins achieved by ready-to-wear companies in the suit segment. According to estimates, the manufacturing costs of ready-to-wear suits account for only **% to **% of the total selling price. Made-to-measure suits are therefore not only better-quality solutions, but also solutions at a price comparable to that charged by the major ready-to-wear chains. What's more, tailors enjoya much more appreciative and loyal clientele than the major brands, which also enables them to build their reputation through word-of-mouth [***].

The tailoring profession is supervised by the Fédération nationale des Maîtres-Tailleurs de France, which deplores the drastic decline in the number of tailors in France.

number of tailors France, **** - ****, in units Source: ...

3.3 The main players in the made-to-measure suit market and competition with ready-to-wear garments

The made-to-measure suit market is made up of many small players (***), but some major luxury fashion groups also offer made-to-measure services.

The LVMH group, for example, offers this service in its Paris boutique on avenue Montaigne through its Louis Vuitton brand[***]. LVMH is the most valuable fashion group on the stock market, with a capitalization of nearly $*** billion in September ****, surpassing Nike by more than $*** billion. Dior completes the podium. According to Forbes, Louis Vuitton is the world's most successful fashion brand, with a brand value of $**.* billion, ranking *ᵉ in Forbes' overall ranking, which includes all brands, not just fashion.

Capitalization of the three biggest fashion brands World, October ****, € billion Source: ****

Louis Vuitton is the most valuable French brand worldwide in ****, with a value of €**.* billion. Hermès, which also offers made-to-measure[***].

Faced with the growing trend towards masculine elegance, the major players in the ready-to-wear sector, particularly in Italy, have significantly improved the quality of their production. They have paid particular attention to the precision of pattern-making and the quality of assembly, with interlining making a strong comeback. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to surpass ready-to-wear, with only those houses with a genuine tailoring culture able to ...

3.4 French players' strategies

The use of new technologies:

More and more brands are using the help of technology to speed up costume creation processes and improve the quality of the final products. One example is Tailor Corner, which uses a computerized system to ensure a seamless process. Patterns are adjusted using specific software in their design offices, then transmitted directly to the workshop. Fabrics are cut by computer-controlled knives, and some seams are machine-sewn, all under expert supervision and continuous quality control.

Made in France production:

Smuggler, a brand owned by insurer Molitor, Dgpa owes its revival to its refocusing on French manufacturing, after being placed in receivership. The group's factory in Limoges represents one of the last bastions of French know-how in men's drapery[***].

New distribution channels:

Starting from the premise that **% of men like to feel well-dressed, but that **% of them don't like shopping because of the influence at the point of sale, tailor Tailor Trucks has come up with a new value proposition. Its founders created the Tailor Trucks, a truck that has been going out to meet the brand's customers since February ****. This solution is a real selling point, since customers don't have to go to the store; they can ...

4.1 Typology of the made-to-measure suit offer

There are several categories within the world of made-to-measure suits, the two main ones being custom-made and made-to-measure.

Choice of style:

Thermobonding: the interlining is attached to the outer fabric with a hot iron and resin. This is an inexpensive technique, but less resistant to the passage of time. Semi-interlining: traditional interlining for the top of the jacket and fused fabric for the bottom Traditional interfacing: a technique that consists of adding a horsehair tailoring fabric and a rigid canvas bib to a jacket. Glue is not used in traditional interfacing. The element is sewn in with the rest of the costume, which allows the canvas suit to age much better than others[***].

Measurements:

Half-measure: the tailor takes an existing pattern and makes the corrections required by the customer. These modifications respond to anatomical peculiarities (***). Half-measure is an affordable version of the made-to-measure suit that has gained in popularity in recent years. Grande mesure (***): a customer asks the tailor to create a new pattern especially for his new constume. Bespoke also means making the garment entirely by hand. This is a time-consuming service, requiring around two hours for measurements, followed by two or three intermediate fittings, each lasting an hour. This ...

4.2 Clear deflation in the made-to-measure suit market

In INSEE's NAF nomenclature, made-to-measure suits come under subclass **.**Z Manufacture of outerwear, which comprises several categories (***).

Producer price index for the Other outerwear market France, October **** - August ****, index base *** in **** Source: ****

Production prices for outerwear have been on a downward trend for several years. In ****, they were more than **% below their **** level.

This downward trend in production costs can be explained by the fact that, with demand falling each year, manufacturers are striving to lower their prices to retain their customers, or even win back some of their competitors' customers. Overall, therefore, there is a tendency towards price competition in this market.

This downward trend in market prices has had a definite impact on the decline in the number of players in recent years (***). With margins squeezed by deflation, many companies are running out of cash and going bankrupt. This problem mainly affects traditional tailors and smaller companies trying to compete with the big groups in the ready-to-wear industry.

Another way of explaining the fall in production costs is the arrival on the market of the low-cost version of made-to-measure, where customers enter their measurements online from their home or office. These sites offer a wide choice of fabrics, ...

4.3 Price examples for made-to-measure suits

The table below shows the prices of several French tailors in different ranges.

More generally, prices vary mainly according to the level of technical expertise required:

Ready-to-wear: between €** and €*,***; Demi-mesure: from €*** to €*,***; Made-to-measure: prices from €*,***[***].

5.1 Strict regulation of the made-to-measure suit market in France

The art of tailoring:

The January **** decree law for the defense of the tailor's art governs the use of technical terms of the tailor's trade such as "made-to-measure", "tailor-made" or "traditional manufacture". It includes several articles defining what tailoring is and under what conditions the related vocabulary can be used to promote a product or a store[***].

The text in question, which has remained unamended since its inception, has now regained its relevance in defense of a trade which, unlike the situation in the ****s, is currently enjoying a revival. However, like many laws in France, it is often ignored and transgressed on a daily basis without consequence.

In-store sales:

In-store sales are subject to certain rules, as summarized by Legalplace:

Safety and accessibility standards[***] [Service Public Mandatory employee signage Indication of prices inside and outside the store in euros and including VAT Mandatory contribution to SACEM if music is played on the premises

Clothing labels:

Clothing labels must include :

Composition label: this is mandatory and must be affixed to the product, legible and written in French. Care label: this is optional, but helps to avoid professional liability in the event of care-related problems. Size designation: this can be numerical or ...

5.2 The law on the fight against waste and the circular economy :

Law no. ****-*** of February ** introduced or reinforced several rules relating to waste and the circular economy. Summarized in a study by the Fédération française du prêt-à-porter féminin, the main measures concerning ready-to-wear are as follows:

Ban on the destruction of unsold non-food items

Article ** introduced, as of January *ᵉʳ ****, an obligation to reuse, repurpose or recycle unsold new clothing, for which these actions present no threat to safety, health or sustainable development.

Reinforcing the bonus-malus system

Marketers who design or import their products in an environmentally-friendly way (***) benefit from a financial bonus. conversely, retailers who fail to do so will be subject to financial penalties. [***]

Reinforced labelling

**% of French people want to consume better and differently. To meet this demand, the law requires marketers to communicate with consumers. [***]

as of January *, ****, the environmental qualities and characteristics of products must be visible at the time of purchase.

In addition, environmental or environmental and social labelling will be tested and then made compulsory, as a priority, for the clothing textile sector, following the entry into force of a provision adopted by the French government.the European Commission has launched the PEF (***) project.

Simplification of Picto Triman

as ...

6. Segmentation

• Brioni
• Arnys
• Cifonelli
• Camps de Luca
• Rives Paris
• Faubourg Saint Sulpice
• Lanificio Cerruti (Piacenza grupo)
• Les Nouveaux Ateliers
• Atelier Mesure Paris
• Francesco Smalto
• Les Deux Oursons
• LVMH Groupe
• Kering
• Scabal
• Samson
• L'apiéceur
• Artling
• Hugo Boss
• Giorgio Armani
• Burberry
• Blandin & Delloye
• Smuggler
• Atelier NA
• Hockerty