Style in the Suit

Tom James

Since 1966. Vertically integrated. We Come to You with Fine Clothing. All of these phrases reflect the ingenuity of one man, Spencer Hays. A self-made businessman, Spencer took his love for fine clothing and his fine business sense to form the world’s largest manufacturer and retailer of custom men’s (and women’s) clothing.

He worked full time for The Southwestern Company after college. He was busy. He traveled a great deal. He loved fine clothing and began thinking of the advantages of having an easier and more satisfying way to shop. The concept for Tom James was born out of that desire.

Over the years, Hays and Tom James Company acquired the companies that made the suits and shirts and the mills that made the cloth. Other clothing companies round out the holdings of the Tom James Company. Today there are over 100 locations in the US and internationally. Nearly 500 clothiers carry the Tom James label to successful people across the US, Canada, England, France, Australia, Netherlands and Dubai.

HUNTSMAN

With our team of experienced cutters, tailors, finishers and a presser, we hand-cut and hand tailor all of our clothing in-house at Huntsman, ensuring that the highest standards are maintained at every stage. Over 80 hours of workmanship go into creating each garment with skills being passed on through generations.

The bespoke process starts with you discussing your needs with our sales manager, before selecting cloth and styling details. One of our cutters will then measure you. Our cutters often take over thirty measurements and configurations in order to get a thorough blue print of your body, before then hand drafting your individual paper pattern. This is then cut out and chalked onto your chosen cloth. Once the cloth has been “struck,” it is put into a bundle together with the linings, pocketing, canvasses and buttons (known as trimmings)in preparation for making. It is then sewn together by your dedicated coatmaker,ready for the first fitting.

After the first fitting, a new pattern is cut, taking into consideration any alterations that need to be made. The baste is then ripped down, remarked and recut. Your coatmaker will then carry out structural work in preparation for the next fitting. After the second fitting the garment is finished by hand. The collar and sleeves are sewn in and button holes, felling and edge stitching completed. The coat is then pressed prior to a third fitting. Further alterations, if required, are carried out and clothing is then pressed a final time before delivery.

At Huntsman we use tailoring techniques that have remained unchanged for hundreds of years, much like our values; our hands-on passion for tailoring remains at the very heart of our business.