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Whenever an article is published, in a fashion magazine, dealing with the subject of a
"Custom Suit", the impression, that is created in the mind of the consumer invariably, is
that it is a mysterious process, that can only be afforded by the well heeled where
money and time are no object.
Since today there is a strong resurgence in the market for customized clothing, it is
well to lift the veil of secrecy and look at the subject in a more realistic way for
the better understanding and benefit of the consumer.
A custom suit doesn't have to be hand tailored nor does it have to require multiple
physical fittings to achieve a customer's satisfaction.
Since some of the most prestigious ready to wear suits on the market today are
machine made, the argument for hand made becomes moot, when it comes to producing a quality garment.
Also, since the purpose of the customary fittings is both to fit the body as well
as to enhance its characteristics, if mathematical formulas and design principles are utilized
to achieve the same task, then we would accomplish the same objectives by using the alternative of
new and more modern scientific methods.
What is Mass Customization?
We can classify what is available on the market today into 4 categories:
- Ready to Wear - You buy it as it is.
- Special Order - It is a ready to wear produced outside of the normal manufacturing process.
- Made to Measure - An existing pattern is used with some limited modifications
determined either by measurements or a try-on garment that comes closest to
the customer's size, or both.
- Bespoke or Custom - A pattern is drawn from the customer's measurements. The customer
selects the cloth and the style. Multiple fittings are needed throughout the process
to ensure the perfect fit.
Mass customization then, is the ability to duplicate the bespoke process on a
mass basis. Today, very sophisticated CAD/CAM systems for the creation of custom
patterns are readily available on the market. The hand cannot come close to duplicating
the intricacy of what those machines can do. Once the fabric and the style have been selected,
and a custom pattern is made to each set of individual measurements, the garment can be
assembled by machines or by hand or a combination of the two. The manner in which a suit
is assembled does not have a bearing on the type of a garment it is.
Industry's Lack of Progress
The reason for the lack of progress so far by the clothing industry in the U.S. and abroad
in pursuit of mass-customization, has been their inability to provide the proper fit.
Since tailoring will always require multiple fittings and the process has always been
considered an art and not a science, the solution for this dilemma has been elusive.
The prevalent misconception, in the industry, has always been that the accuracy of the
physical measurements is the most critical element of the process.
Consequently you'll find that over the
years many devices have been invented and many approaches have been used to accomplish
the measuring task. These inventions and methods have culminated with the recent invention
of the body scanners which have been prototyped at great cost and tested in a great variety
of situations. Their successes have been limited at best. The reason being is that body
scanning is a part of the solution, but not the total solution. (Further explanation will follow.)
Accuracy of Measurements
If we step back to analyze the situation we find the logic that a computer can measure the
body better than a tailor might be true, but doesn't necessarily hold true under scrutiny,
and would depend on how you look at it. A recent article about the famous Italian tailor
Caracene stated that they are very proud of their measuring process of 35 measurements yet
they still require 3 fittings. Many other famous tailors throughout the world, will
certainly concur with Caracene in this regard. The question is then, why the need for the
mandatory fittings even after the experts have supposidly taken accurate measurements!
To find the answer, we have to go back to the fundamental question of what is the essence
of tailoring.
Illusion of Symmetry
It is a well known fact that tailors never hesitate to state to their clients that they
have the ability to make an individual look taller, thinner and better proportioned than
his body actually portrays. Putting it differently, they don't only make the suit fit
their client, they can also make that person fit into the suit. In other words, they are
saying that in addition to the physical fit, they can change the proportions of a
person's physique by creating the illusion of symmetry, using their skill of molding
the garment into the desired image. In summary, what all this is saying is that the
accuracy of the initial measurements of the body, although important, are secondary to
the fittings. Since these are, in any case, going to be altered through the multiple
fittings, which addresses the symmetry of the garment, it shows that the initial
accuracy of them, is certainly not the central element of what makes a suit fit.
Missing the Critical Piece
If we reflect on the point just made, we come to the conclusion that physical
measurements are only one element (maybe 20%), among many others that are necessary to
making a suit fit. One other element, which has proven to be of critical importance
involves the mandatory fittings which must always be executed by accomplished tailors.
Unless this step is acknowledged, addressed adequately, and
automated, mass-customization will remain a challenge, still to be addressed.
The Clothing Science Solution
A number of years ago, after our own research and adventure with a well-known domestic
suit manufacturer in New York into automating the capture of physical dimensions,
the reasoning stated above, of the critical importance of the fittings and not necessarily
just the capturing of the physical dimensions, became clear to us. The patent we presently
hold is not about a method of taking the physical dimensions, which we have simplified greatly,
rather it is about how we accomplish the necessary try-ons of
tailoring by scientific means without the need to have an expert do the actual fittings
on the individual's physique.
A Mass-Customization Breakthrough
As a consequence, we are able today to deliver a true CUSTOM-MADE garment and
NOT A MADE TO MEASURE, with 98% accuracy on the first try, with no fittings,
regardless of both the shape of the physique or the expertise of the individual taking
the measurements. We don't even need to take the awkward inseam measurement.
The initial measurements can be accomplished with a minimal amount of skill. They
are simple to take, non-subjective in nature, easy to learn
and do not require personal training or any special tools. After all, we have made it
possible for the consumer to buy custom clothing on the web and to take their
own measurements!
It is this ability that makes it possible for us to confidently offer our products and
services to consumers via this modern medium of the internet, while guaranteeing their complete satisfaction.
Application For The Marketplace
Present Situation in the Market
If we look at the market for Made To Measure clothing today, we find that the process
involves the retailers on the one hand and the manufacturers on the other.
From the retailers' side, while they are very knowledgeable about how to sell the product,
they are not necessarily capable of adequately instructing
the manufacturer regarding the fit of the garment. Conversely, the manufacturer knows
how to make the suit but not necessarily how to make it fit based on the limited
or erroneous instructions that came from the retailer. Consequently final alterations
are always to be expected, they do become a big problem for both retailers and manufacturers
and rejects and dissatisfaction by the consumer are too often the results.
Thus the reason why the volume of made-to-measure remains small and the stores are
unable to successfully offer custom clothing on a large scale. Consequently they are
not able to respond to the present consumer's demand for custom clothing, nor reduce
their ready to wear inventories as they would like to.
Body Scanning Technology
As was mentioned previously, since the physical measurements are only about 20% of the
total process of producing a successful custom garment, it has become obvious from the many
tests that were conducted by well-known manufacturers and retailers that the accuracy of
the measurements generated by the body scanner, haven't necessarily proven to be the
solution, in and by themselves. Therefore, it becomes necessary at this point to identify the
many other steps that are of critical importance to making a suit fit. In order to put
the importance of the physical measurements and body scanning into proper perspective.
Try-ons and Fittings
As was also discussed previously, since try-ons and fittings are an integral part of
the tailoring process, they, too, must be addressed. As long as the responsibility
for blue-penciling the pattern, which defines the fit, the posture and the symmetry of the garment, continues to be
shared between the retailer and the manufacturer, with neither side clearly in charge,
problems will always ensue, as everyone knows.
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Since try-ons and fittings are an integral part of
the tailoring process and can't be
eliminated, the logic will tell you that unless they are acknowledged, addressed and
automated, mass-customization will not be possible. |
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Defining Mass-Customization
A definition of mass-production can be the deskilling of a highly complex process. For
mass-customization to happen, the process has to be deskilled on the retail side where
the sales people do not have to be expert technicians and on the manufacturing side,
where they can concentrate on what they do best, which is to make the suit without having
to interpret and rely on the incomplete or inaccurate information coming from the
retailers. The current method used by retailers and manufacturers, results
in each side blaming the other for why the suit doesn't fit.
Achieving Mass-Customization Today
All the elements for mass-customization from the CAD/CAM systems to the ability of the
manufacturers to produce singles are readily available in the marketplace today. The
benefits of such a system are well-known and much sought after by retailers and
manufacturers, as a way to respond to consumer's demand and reduce the
costs of ready to wear inventory.
What is standing in the way is the ability of the industry to deskill and simplify the
process, and to eliminate costly final alterations and non-deliverables thus making
Custom Clothing available on a wider scale. Since experience has shown that the accuracy
of fit can't be achieved without the customary try-ons regardless of the accuracy of the
initial physical measurements, a system that automates the proverbial try-ons is the
only missing link for mass-customization to become a present reality.
A Centralized Expert System
Since it is not feasible or economical to achieve mass customization by having every
salesman in every store become an expert fitter by his or her own rights, you need to
create an expert system that, through the use of it, every salesperson in a large
multi-unit store organization with a minimal amount of training and expense, will become
an expert.
This expert system, although readily available to all the stores at all times, with all
it's benefits, will only need to be placed in one central location, without the need to
incur the cost of a system in every store. All the custom orders will be generated and
sent to the manufacturers from the one central location where the expert system is in
place and consequently, quality control is applied to every order.
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In short, the centralized expert system will control the fit of the garment and be fully
responsible for it, while the retailer will concentrate on selling the garment and the
manufacturer on making it. |
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Availability of Such a System
We are very happy, at Clothing Science, to let you know that we are in a position, today, to
provide the industry with such a system. It is a system that has been fully tested for many years
and has proven itself in the market beyond any doubt. It will be self-contained and completely
independent for each entity. We will provide the training as well as the use of our patented
software. This system is geared to a large entity and is not as applicable to a small
concern. We welcome your inquiries.
For your inquiries, questions or your comments, feel free to contact us.
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