In an age ruled by hoodies‭, ‬sneakers‭, ‬and algorithmic fashion‭, ‬the sound of scissors slicing through superfine wool has never felt more radical‭. ‬The chalk marks‭, ‬the tape measure‭, ‬the hum of the sewing machine‭ ‬-‭ ‬these are the symphonies of a craft that refuses to fade‭. ‬In ateliers from Savile Row to Sheikh Zayed Road‭, ‬the art of bespoke‭ ‬tailoring is quietly reclaiming its place‭. ‬But this time‭, ‬it isn't about power dressing or old-world formality‭. ‬It's about rediscovery‭ ‬-‭ ‬of self‭, ‬of style‭, ‬of permanence in a transient world‭. ‬

After years of‭ ‬“casual everything‭,‬”‭ ‬men are finding their way back to structure and intention‭. ‬The tailored suit‭, ‬once a corporate uniform‭, ‬is now a personal signature‭. ‬It's no longer about looking like everyone else‭; ‬it's about looking the best version of yourself‭. ‬

The Revival of Craft and the Rise of a New Tailoring Generation‭ ‬

Luxury today is less about logos and more about labour‭. ‬The new connoisseur doesn't just buy‭ ‬-‭ ‬he commissions‭. ‬He knows his fabrics by feel‭, ‬not label‭; ‬he speaks of drape‭, ‬stitch count‭, ‬and silhouette as fluently as any tailor‭. ‬Post-pandemic‭, ‬when fashion swung toward ease‭, ‬men realised that comfort doesn't have to mean compromise‭. ‬The rise of Brunello Cucinelli's soft tailoring‭, ‬Loro Piana's unstructured jackets‭, ‬and Zegna's effortless‭ ‬“tailoring off-duty”‭ ‬aesthetic has redefined what elegance can feel like‭. ‬Even streetwear loyalists are discovering the allure of a perfectly rolled‭ ‬lapel or hand-stitched buttonhole‭. ‬

“Bespoke has become the new expression of quiet confidence‭,‬”‭ ‬says a Dubai-based stylist‭. ‬“A man in a beautifully cut jacket doesn't need to announce himself‭; ‬the details do the talking‭.‬”‭ ‬This quiet return to the needle is part of a broader shift‭ ‬-‭ ‬from fast to slow‭, ‬from disposable to deliberate‭. ‬In a culture obsessed with speed‭, ‬bespoke tailoring offers the rare luxury of‭ ‬time‭. ‬

Walk down Savile Row and you'll find heritage houses like Huntsman and Anderson‭ & ‬Sheppard still bustling‭ ‬-‭ ‬but also new names rewriting the rules‭. ‬Thom Sweeney has made British tailoring lighter and more relaxed‭. ‬The Anthology in Hong‭ ‬Kong fuses Neapolitan ease with London precision‭. ‬P‭. ‬Johnson from Sydney has built a cult following among men who prefer their‭ ‬suits breezy and poetic‭. ‬These modern tailors understand that the suit is no longer about obligation but expression‭ ‬-cutting softer shoulders‭, ‬half-lining jackets‭, ‬and experimenting with earthy tones and technical wools‭. ‬Even traditionalists like Rubinacci‭, ‬Kiton‭, ‬and Caruso are embracing individuality‭, ‬proving that tailoring today is less uniform and more an autobiography stitched in superfine wool‭.‬

Global Renaissance‭: ‬From Savile Row to Sheikh Zayed Road‭ ‬

Nowhere is this sartorial revival more visible than in the Middle East‭ ‬-‭ ‬and increasingly‭, ‬in India‭. ‬In Dubai‭, ‬bespoke culture thrives‭. ‬The city's clientele‭, ‬cosmopolitan yet rooted in tradition‭, ‬has embraced suits that tell stories‭. ‬At Ascots‭ & ‬Chapels‭, ‬Savile Row craftsmanship meets desert sensibility‭, ‬with clients requesting lighter fabrics‭ ‬-‭ ‬linens‭, ‬silks‭, ‬and blends‭ ‬-‭ ‬suited for Gulf climates‭. ‬The palette is evolving too‭: ‬sand tones‭, ‬sage greens‭, ‬and midnight blues now replace boardroom blacks‭.‬

‭ ‬Across the Arabian Sea‭, ‬Mumbai is witnessing its own bespoke renaissance led by Tennasi‭, ‬the atelier founded by Jeet Tailor and‭ ‬Jeet Khatri‭. ‬Their work fuses Neapolitan ease with Bombay boldness‭ ‬-‭ ‬structured yet soulful‭, ‬handcrafted yet modern‭. ‬Their clientele spans software billionaires to Bollywood stars‭, ‬all drawn to a‭ ‬refined minimalism rooted in Indian craftsmanship‭. ‬The atelier feels more like an art gallery‭, ‬with bolts of Loro Piana fabric displayed like paintings‭. ‬Every detail‭ ‬-‭ ‬the soft lapel roll‭, ‬hand-padded canvas‭, ‬secret embroidery‭ ‬-‭ ‬speaks of modern elegance‭. ‬Together‭, ‬Dubai and Mumbai are redefining the new gentleman‭: ‬discreet‭, ‬confident‭, ‬and precise‭. ‬In a‭ ‬world of excess‭, ‬restraint has become the ultimate indulgence‭. ‬

The Art‭, ‬Science‭, ‬and Soul of Tailoring‭ ‬

Every bespoke suit begins not with a pattern‭, ‬but a conversation‭. ‬The tailor studies your posture‭, ‬your stance‭, ‬the way you move‭. ‬Then comes the cloth‭ ‬-‭ ‬perhaps a Loro Piana summer fresco or a Dormeuil flannel‭ ‬-‭ ‬each chosen for purpose and place‭. ‬The process unfolds over weeks or months‭: ‬canvases hand-padded‭, ‬lapels rolled‭, ‬sleeves set to mirror your natural stance‭. ‬Details like horn buttons‭, ‬silk linings‭, ‬and secret monograms turn the ordinary into intimate luxury‭. ‬

Technology‭, ‬once viewed as a threat to craftsmanship‭, ‬is now its collaborator‭. ‬3D body scans capture hundreds of measurements in‭ ‬minutes‭; ‬AI patterning ensures precision while tailors focus on artistry‭. ‬Zegna and others offer hybrid digital experiences‭ ‬-‭ ‬clients can begin online‭, ‬finalise fittings in person‭, ‬and have their patterns digitally archived for life‭. ‬In this fusion of hand and algorithm‭, ‬the suit becomes timeless‭ ‬-‭ ‬both artifact and innovation‭. ‬

The Modern Suit‭: ‬Confidence‭, ‬Character‭, ‬and Continuity‭ ‬

For decades‭, ‬the suit stood for conformity‭. ‬Today‭, ‬it stands for confidence‭. ‬From Pharrell's pearls and cropped jackets to Federer's sneakers and Chalamet's experimental silhouettes‭, ‬tailoring has become a canvas for personality‭. ‬The modern tailored man doesn't try to blend in‭ ‬-‭ ‬he refines how he stands out‭. ‬His suit doesn't scream‭; ‬it whispers‭. ‬It is the quiet antidote to fashion's noise‭.‬

Every era has its power code‭: ‬the 1980s had padded shoulders‭, ‬the 2000s had logos‭, ‬and the 2010s had sneakers‭. ‬The 2020s are about intention‭ ‬-‭ ‬clothes that mean something‭. ‬Whether it's a navy capsule wardrobe or bold double-breasted linen‭, ‬luxury now lies in longevity and purpose‭. ‬Dior Men‭, ‬Louis Vuitton‭, ‬and‭ ‬Brunello Cucinelli all embody this‭ ‬“humanistic luxury”‭ ‬-‭ ‬elegance anchored in ethics‭, ‬craftsmanship‭, ‬and individuality‭. ‬

Somewhere in DIFC‭, ‬a tailor leans over his workbench‭. ‬A bolt of Loro Piana wool catches the light‭. ‬His client stands in silence‭ ‬before the mirror‭, ‬the jacket fitting like a second skin‭ ‬-‭ ‬effortless‭, ‬authentic‭, ‬alive‭. ‬When he leaves‭, ‬the tailor folds the suit‭, ‬dusts off the chalk‭, ‬and reaches for another roll‭. ‬The‭ ‬ritual continues‭ ‬-‭ ‬quiet‭, ‬patient‭, ‬timeless‭. ‬Because the needle‭, ‬long thought forgotten‭, ‬has returned‭. ‬And with it‭, ‬a reminder that true luxury isn't what you wear‭, ‬but how much of you is stitched into it‭.‬

MENAFN21112025000049011007ID1110380416