Measure for measure: Armani

Giorgio Armani extends his custom-made service to womenswear

Style 2 Oct 2021

Giorgio Armani has expanded his Made to Measure service

Giorgio Armani has expanded his Made to Measure service for men to Made to Order for women

It seems that among those who binged The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix was one Giorgio Armani, a certain resident of a palazzo in Via Borgonuovo, Milan. Of course, the series was notable for its period elegance and style, but the Italian master of understated tailoring appears to have been mostly taken with the game at the heart of the series.

‘Thirty-two pieces, 64 squares, limitless possibilities,’ he explains. ‘The art of chess is the perfect metaphor for the Giorgio Armani Made to Measure service. A work of skill and calculated precision that brings to life timeless pieces, perfectly embodying a unique blend of contemporary and classic.’

Giorgio Armani Made to Measure for men launched in 2006. The premise is simple. If you like the Giorgio Armani look, but want something more unique, more personal, Made to Measure gives you the option of co-designing your very own Armani suit.

The Armani Made To Order service includes tailored jackets, trousers, skirts and coats all available for an injection of personal style
The Armani Made To Order service includes tailored jackets, trousers, skirts and coats all available for an injection of personal style

Sitting between ready-to-wear and bespoke, Made to Measure offers a perfect balance of customisation and convenience. While ready-to-wear, as the name suggests, allows you to walk out of the store with your new outfit, it does mean that you could well bump into someone wearing the exact same thing. Plus, the fit will always be an approximation, naturally. Fully bespoke on the other hand, while delivering a garment that has been wholly created for you, requires a lengthy process where an individual pattern is created for you. It is consequently pricey, too.

Made to Measure has some of the benefits of bespoke but without the complexities of the bespoke experience, plus the long waiting time and the hefty price tag. Instead, your garment is crafted from an existing model that is adapted to fit you. At Armani, customers are invited to choose from a range of styles of jacket, trousers and coats to find great bases to work from. Adjustments are made for fit, and you are guided through the stages of constructing a sartorial garment: there are fabrics to choose from and details to select, such as buttons and linings.

For those who have been Armani fans for a while there is even the possibility of sourcing fabrics from the archive to revisit an old favourite in a new guise. Best of all, you will take receipt of something that has been made specifically for you, to not only fit well, but also reflect your character.

This season sees the launch of Made to Order for Giorgio Armani’s womenswear
This season sees the launch of Made to Order for Giorgio Armani’s womenswear

But while this service has been available for men for 15 years, an equivalent is now being rolled out to women. This season sees the launch of Made to Order for Giorgio Armani’s womenswear.

The conventional thinking would suggest that women have couture as their custom-made option. But this doesn’t really hold. Giorgio Armani certainly makes couture for women – his Armani Privé collection – but these pieces are treated by designer and customer alike almost as works of art.

But what women haven’t been able to get easily is beautiful tailored clothing made with personal adaptations. And the fact that Giorgio Armani is unveiling this service makes perfect sense. He made his name in the ’80s by pioneering the modernisation of tailoring – deconstructing the jacket, making it more comfortable, and in so doing, he developed a new type of sartorial wardrobe not only for men, but also for women, who now had access to smart, tailored pieces that were also elegant and feminine.

Armani’s customers can now create women’s jackets, trousers, skirts and coats to their own taste. The day jacket is the backbone of the offer, and there are six different styles to choose from: double-breasted or single-breasted; one, two or four buttons; peak or shawl lapels, or Mandarin collars. There are tuxedos too, to pair with trousers or skirts, and a flowing black tuxedo dress with satin lapels and cuffs.

Fine materials are on offer for these pieces: velvet, cashmere, wool crêpe and silk cady. Being a Made to Order service, customers also get to select their preferred linings, buttons and piping. There are three shirts and a top available for special crafting too.

The Giorgio Armani Made to Measure and Made to Order services, for men and women respectively, are available at Giorgio Armani flagship boutiques globally, including the Sloane Street store in London. Prices for Made to Measure for men start at £2,700, and for Made to Order for women at £2,600; armani.com