Bespoke and Ready-to-wear (often abbreviated as RTW) are two commonly used terms in fashion. They may not be so popular in the foreign scene but here in Nigeria, you’ll hear them frequently. In fashion, when making some clothes, you have to take the clients exact measurement and use it to cut the dimensions on the fabric. This is one of the key differences between bespoke and RTW.

Bespoke means made for a particular customer. Bespoke clothes require the sizing of the customer they are made for. The clients get to pick first-hand the style and design of their clothes, the embellishments and even the finishing. Couture is a french originated word that can be used to refer to bespoke clothes. Bespoke clothes include high-end dresses, bridal gowns, aseobis, Ankara fashion, suits, jumpsuits, and evening and red-carpet dresses.

Ready-to-wear clothes also known as prêt-à-porter (in french) are made without any particular client in mind. They are made in various sizes, either using the UK, US or other sizing charts and are available for anybody to buy, according to your peculiar size. RTW outfits give the designers room to express their creativity and make their designs not based on the client’s specifications. Clothes you buy at a store or boutique are RTW made by a designer. Some types of Ready-to-wear clothes are two-piece outfits (a top and bottoms; either skirt, trousers or palazzo that match and go together), dresses, gowns, jumpsuits, rompers, blouses, pants, swim wears, casual and lounge wears of different styles and fabrics.

Some ready-to-wear outfits are made to order whilst some are made to measure. For designers in Nigeria, made-to-order clothes are prior designs only made for a customer when they order them. That is, the designer has made a prior outfit and if you like it, you order that particular outfit in your size and it is made for you. Made-to-measure designs are almost bespoke but they are not made to the customer’s specifications. They are previously made designs but the designer has to measure the client’s physical body to make the clothes.

Hopefully, you can tell and understand the slight but present difference between the variations of clothes a designer has to make after reading this article 🙂 Some fashion designers have particular niches they concentrate on while others make all types of clothes depending on their designs. Whichever niche you choose to base on, what matters is that you deliver quality-made clothes to your clients 👍🏼