MADE TO MEASURE
May 2023
Back catalogue:
Week of Wonder is an Aarhus-based made-to-measure fashion firm founded in 2020 by designer Trine Vestergaard, who trained at Nottingham Trent University in England.
The firm’s concept reflects her experiences from the conventional fashion industry and from September Salon, which she ran from 2015 to 2020 together with fellow designer Mette Bjerregaard, who now runs Salon Salon.
September Salon produced made-to-order collections based on deadstock materials from luxury brands. The collections were presented in two annual salon events and produced in fixed sizes after clients had placed their orders. A similar concept was later adopted by other brands, including Proem Parades.
Made-to-measure is a familiar concept in men’s fashion. Both shops and mobile companies offer to deliver suits and shirts adapted to the wearer’s measurements.
In women’s fashion, the concept is less established.
Made-to-measure is a good alternative to ready-to-wear, the company avoids stock, the customers get clothes that are adapted to their personal measurements without the higher cost of bespoke tailoring.
‘I want to produce affordable clothing for career women who appreciate that, season after season, they can buy trousers, jackets and shirts that fit their individual body types,’ says Trine.
‘I prefer wool, cotton and linen. My style is based on classic men’s fashion, and the factory I work with in Portugal has a traditional made-to-measure production.’
In Aarhus, where Week of Wonder has its office and showroom, you can book an appointment anytime. In Copenhagen, Trine pops up a couple of times each season.
I made an appointment because I would like a pair of trousers that fit me and had sufficient leg length. On Week of Wonder’s Instagram account, I spotted a gorgeous fabric.
Week of Wonder’s pop-up showroom has a collection on display that is not replaced from season to season but is continually developed and presented on Instagram and in newsletters.
‘I use my design training in my work with the samples and when I guide the clients to find the variant that works for them,’ Trine explains.
Most of her fabrics come from English weaving mills but she also occasionally comes across deadstock materials from luxury brands. In addition, her clients can choose from the collection of fabrics that the Portuguese company uses for their menswear.
On the table, there are binders with a wide selection of textile samples ranging from basic but high-quality fabrics to exclusive high-end options. There are also leather samples for the men’s shoes for women that are also part of the collection. Like the clothes, the shoes are available in different widths, qualities and colours.
The only off-the-shelf item is knitwear produced in Latvian from Italian yarn (merino wool in the same quality I used in my own designs years ago).
The actual measuring involves so-called size sets, a basic collection consisting of two types of trousers, a jacket, a coat and a shirt. This allows for extensive, if not quite infinite, variation.
The process begins with the size that comes closest to being right. This is then adjusted for fit and personal preferences, with professional guidance throughout, of course.
All the modifications are recorded and entered into a computer program that sends the information to Portugal, where a robot then sets to work cutting and sewing.
In a month, I can expect to receive my new trousers in the mail.
Were you surprised to hear that the clothes are sewn by a robot? That is how most of the clothes you see are made, whether we are talking about high-end or high-street brands.
I am pleased to know that the production takes place in Europe, that the fabrics are high quality, that the workmanship is perfect, judging from the samples, and that the fit means I will continue to use my trousers until they are worn out.
Learn more about Week of Wonder here
Bagkataloget:
Week of Wonder er en Århusbaseret ”made to measure” modevirksomhed etableret i 2020 af designer Trine Vestergaard, som er uddannet på Nottingham Trent University i England.
Konceptet hviler dels på hendes erfaringer fra den konventionelle modebranche, dels på erfaringer fra September Salon, som hun i perioden 2015-2020 drev sammen med sin designerkollega Mette Bjerregaard, som nu står bag konceptet Salon Salon.
September Salon producerede ” made to order” kollektioner af ”dead stock” materialer fra luksusbrands.
Kollektionerne blev præsenteret på salonevents to gange om året og derefter produceret i faste størrelser, når kunderne havde afgivet deres bestilling.
Et koncept som siden er taget op af andre brands for eksempel Proem Parades.
”Made to measure” som koncept er velkendt på herresiden. Der findes både butikker og omrejsende virksomheder, som tilbyder måltagning og hurtig levering af måltilpassede habitter og skjorter.
Mindre etableret er konceptet på damesiden.
“Made to measure” er et godt alternativ til ”ready to wear”, som firma undgår man at producere til lager, som forbruger kan man erhverve tøj som er måltilpasset uden at gå så langt som at få skræddersyet.
”Jeg gerne lave prismæssigt tilgængeligt tøj til karrierekvinder, som værdsætter, at de sæson efter sæson kan få bukser, jakker og skjorter, som passer deres individuelle kropstyper”, forklarer Trine.
”Jeg foretrækker uld, bomuld og hør. Min stil tager afsæt i den klassiske herremode, og den fabrik, jeg samarbejder med i Portugal, hviler da også på et klassisk herre ”made to measure” koncept”.
I Århus, hvor Week of Wonder har kontor og showroom, kan man altid booke en tid. I København popper Trine op et par gange hver sæson.
Jeg har bestilt tid, fordi jeg vil have et par bukser, som sidder godt, og som er lange nok i benene. Jeg har på Week of Wonders Instagram spottet en metervare, som jeg drømmer om.
I Week of Wonders pop-up showroom hænger en kollektion, som ikke skifter fra sæson til sæson, men løbende udvikles og formidles via Instagram og nyhedsbreve.
”Det er i arbejdet med prøverne, og når jeg vejleder kunderne i at finde netop deres variant, jeg bruger min designfaglighed”, forklarer Trine.
Hun henter primært sine tekstiler på engelske væverier, men falder også nu og da over ”dead stock” materialer fra luksusbrands, ligesom hendes kunder kan trække på den kollektion af metervarer den Portugisiske virksomhed tilbyder til deres herrekunder.
På bordet ligger prøvemapper med det stort udvalg af tekstiler, fra det helt basic men gedigne, til det meget eksklusive, desuden findes læderprøver, som kan bringes i spil til de herresko til damer, som også er en del af kollektionen. Sko, der lige som tøjet, kan fås i flere vidder og i selvvalgte kvaliteter og farver.
Eneste hyldevare er strik produceret i Letland af Italiensk garn (merinould), i samme kvalitet som den jeg selv benyttede for år tilbage da jeg var i branchen.
Måltagningen foregår ved hjælp af ”size sets”, en dogmekollektion med to varianter af bukser, en jakke, en frakke og en skjorte. Med det udgangspunkt kan der varieres, ikke det uendelige men næsten.
Man tager udgangspunkt i den størrelse, man tilnærmelsesvis passer. Den tilrettes både i forholdet til pasform og i forholdet til individuelle ønsker, under kyndig vejledning naturligvis.
Alt noteres og tastes ind i et computerprogram, som ekspederer informationerne til Portugal, hvorefter en robot går i gang med at tilskære og sy.
Om en måned kan jeg forvente at få tilsendt mine bukser.
Studser du over at tøjet er robotsyet? Sådan foregår produktionen af langt det meste af det tøj du præsenteres for, såvel når vi taler high end brands som highstreet brands.
Jeg glæder mig over at produktionen foregår i Europa, at metervarerne er i høj kvalitet, at forarbejdningen at dømme efter prøverne er perfekt, og at pasformen gør, at jeg kommer til at bruge mine bukser, til de er slidt op.
Related stories
The blue yarn
THE STAGE IS SET
A GIFT LANDED ON MY DESK
Mindelser (Recollections)
