While the past decade has seen many an Instagram account charting the rise and rise of streetwear, a certain crop of Melbourne tailors have remained steadfast in championing classic style. During a time when fleeting trends reign supreme, tailoring makes for a safe bet, with Melbourne tailors like Trunk Tailors and P. Johnson keeping things interesting by reimagining tried and true techniques and traditions for the landscape at hand. Infusing suiting and separates with a welcome dose of hyperlocal flair, the best tailors in Melbourne are proving that sartorial sophistication is anything but stale.
What is the difference between made-to-measure and bespoke suiting?
Before we delve into the best tailors in Melbourne, a word on made-to-measure vs. bespoke. Of late, the two terms have often been used interchangeably, however there is a vast difference between the two.
Truly bespoke tailoring is a rarity in Melbourne, Australia, with only select tailors offering the service. The proper bespoke process requires between 25 to 40 body measurements to ensure the suit is the perfect fit to not only your proportions, but posture and gait. The pattern is then created from scratch and completely unique to each customer. Bespoke tailors typically require between three to five fittings prior to having the garment approved by the customer. While tailors typically have a certain house style which should be taken into account when making your selection, bespoke suiting allows for infinite customisation opportunities. The bespoke suiting process can take anywhere from two to ten months from beginning to completion.
Made-to-measure suiting was introduced as a faster and more affordable option to bespoke suiting. The made-to-measure process sees a few body measurements used to customise a pre-existing pattern (often customers can select from multiple patterns). There is often the ability to choose from a selection of fabrics and styles, however customisation opportunities are limited in comparison to bespoke suiting. Made-to-measure offers a better fit than a standard off-the-rack suit, without the cost and time required by bespoke suiting.
The tailors on this list tend to offer both bespoke and made-to-measure services, with some (like Trunk Tailors) sitting in the space in between.
Related: The 12 Best Tailors In Sydney
The best tailors in Melbourne in 2024
Sitting at the intersection of tradition and innovation, the best tailors are rewriting the capital’s sartorial lexicon. Rethinking notions of suiting one stitch at a time, these are the best tailors and clothiers in Melbourne.
1. Christian Kimber
Dedicated to defining and refining true Australian style, Christian Kimber embodies the “if you know, you know” aesthetic at the centre of the quiet luxury movement. Doing away with the conventional approach to suiting, the brand’s made-to-measure service spans smart casual, cocktail, and formal categories, each interpreted through an Australian lens and striking the right balance between comfort and elegance. Suiting and separates are made in collaboration with Italian artisans and crafted from fabrics of the same origin.
Founder: Christian Kimber
Price: separates from approx $500AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: Portugal and Italy
Boutique address: 1D Rose Street, Armadale 3143; 264 Johnston Street, Fitzroy 3065
2. P. Johnson
Established in Sydney in 2009, P.Johnson is one of the country’s most notable sartorial exports — and it’s not hard to see why. Since its inception over a decade ago, the homegrown brand has expanded to New York, London, and, naturally, Melbourne. Translating Italian techniques and practices to the Australian man, P.Johnson suiting and separates are refined yet unstuffy, cut with traditional techniques to ensure a sense of softness and a beautiful drape that moves with the body.
Founder: Patrick Johnson
Price: Chinese-made suiting from $1495AUD; Italian-made suiting from $2895AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: Shanghai, China and Tuscany, Italy
Boutique address: 3rd Floor, 145 Russell St,
Melbourne VIC 3000; 29 Thomas St,
Windsor VIC 3181
3. The Cloakroom
Founded in Brisbane in 2007, The Cloakroom has since expanded to Melbourne, Montreal, and Tokyo, bolstered by their reputation for fusing classic and contemporary tailoring. Boasting panoramic views of the city from level 46 of its architecturally designed Southbank location (complete with a bar for an après-fitting cocktail), The Cloakroom provides both made-to-measure and fully bespoke services; the former made in China and Japan, and the latter exclusively in Japan. The house style harkens back to the gentlemanly style of yesteryear, infused with a contemporary touch.
Founder: Andrew Byrne
Price: China and Japan
Partner atelier/workshop: Chinese made-to-measure suiting from $1775AUD; Japanese made-to-measure suiting from $2995AUD; Japanese-made bespoke suiting from $4995AUD
Boutique address: Shadow Play by Peppers, Level 46/308-320 City Rd, Southbank VIC 3006
4. The Bespoke Corner
The brainchild of tailors Miles Wharton and Rami Mikhael, The Bespoke Corner was founded for gentlemen who seek to make an impression without uttering a single word. Adapting European techniques for the Australian landscape, The Bespoke Corner offers a truly ‘bespoke’ (ha!) experience, as well as a made-to-measure service. From their showroom in Toorak, clients can select from English and Italian fabrics and dictate every element of their suiting down to the last stitch.
Founders: Miles Wharton and Rami Mikhael
Price: Atelier Primo suiting from $1200AUD; Italian-made suiting from $2500AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: Atelier Primo (location unspecified) and Atelier Officina (Tuscany, Italy)
Boutique address: 36 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
5. Tomba
The louche irreverence of Italian tailoring is one that translates well to the archetypal Australian way of living. Approachable and optimistic, Melbourne tailor Tomba designs pieces intended to be worn—and borrowed—for years to come, with garments that work equally as well on women as they do on men. Offering both ready-to-wear and made-to-measure services (the latter from the house’s light-filled showroom in Melbourne’s north west) using fabrics from prestigious mills like Loro Piana, Ariston, and Carnet, Tomba tailoring is for those who don’t take themselves too seriously.
Founder: Thomas Cattapan
Price: made-to-measure suiting from $1100AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: China
Boutique address: North West Melbourne (address provided upon enquiry)
6. Oscar Hunt
Founded by Chris Edwards in 2010, Oscar Hunt specialises in made-to-measure suiting. Adopting a quintessentially Australian approach to tailoring, Oscar Hunt garments take on laidback, unfussy tone when it comes to business and casual wear. However, they also offer formal and black tie suiting options—from unassuming tuxes to statement velvet dinner jackets. Complete with an in-house whiskey bar, lounge, and open tailoring workshop, a fitting at Oscar Hunt is a decidedly relaxed experience.
Founder: Chris Edwards
Price: suiting from $999AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: Shanghai, China
Boutique address: 3/43 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
7. Sarti Tailors
The team at Sarti Tailors go beyond fit alone, working to create suiting and separates that reflect the idiosyncratic style of their wearers. With over a century of collective experience, Sarti Tailors reconcile traditional techniques with modern technology to produce bespoke and made-to-measure suiting and shirting that promises to stand the test of time.
Founder: Celia Coate
Price: made-to-measure suiting from $2250; bespoke suiting $POA
Partner atelier/workshop: Europe and Asia
Boutique address: 281 Cecil St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
8. Germanicos Bespoke Tailors
Established in 1999, Germanicos Bespoke Tailors is one of the few true bespoke tailors in Melbourne. European fabrics meet functional details, executed with a certain Melbournian flair. Making suiting for those who prefer to stand out, Germanicos Bespoke Tailors make use of patterns in abundance, with their checks and plaids favoured by a heady list of homegrown celebrity clientele, including Hugh Jackman and Ruby Rose.
Founder: John Tellis
Price: made-to-measure suiting from $990AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: unspecified
Boutique address: 550 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
9. Trunk Tailors
Offering an entirely handmade service—across both made-to-measure and bespoke—Trunk Tailors suits are made from scratch in a small family owned workshop, overseen by the brand’s master tailor. Specialising in suiting as well as odd jackets and trouser, the house’s extensive array of fabric partners means there’s something for every occasion; from Loro Paina cashmere in winter to Italian seersucker in summer.
Founders: Jack Liang and Homie Yang
Price: suiting from $1650AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: Hong Kong
Boutique address: Suite 204/220 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
10. Adriano Carbone
Adriano Carbone is the name you hear whispered in rarefied circles. Descended from a long time of tailors, the master tailor has over three decades of experience in the industry and has a loyal following among celebrities and parliament members alike. His boutique in the Block Arcade exudes old school charm and serves as the setting for not only consultation and measuring, but the creation of every garment. Each suit is made with fabrics from the world’s most lauded mills (think Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna) and is designed with its wearer in mind, tailored to fit each client’s body type, preferences, and lifestyle.
Founder: Adriano Carbone
Price: made-to-measure suiting from $1800AUD; bespoke suiting $POA
Partner atelier/workshop: made in Melbourne
Boutique address: 100 Elizabeth Street The Block Arcade, Melbourne VIC 3000
11. American Tailors
Founded in 1950 and currently helmed by Tony Ranieri and Sebastian Giacobello since the late 1990s, American Tailors remains committed to the traditional craftsmanship that have long made it a go-to for in-the-know Australians in need of a suit. Sitting on Melbourne’s stylish Bourke St, the American Tailors store also plays host to a thoughtfully curated array of grooming products and ready-to-wear items from Europe’s most formidable ateliers; think Castangia 1850 suits and Johnstone of Elgin knitwear. When it comes to suiting, American Tailors offers both a made-to-measure and bespoke service; the former crafted in Italy and the latter in the flagship’s upstairs atelier.
Owners: Tony Ranieri and Sebastian Giacobello
Price: bespoke suiting from approx. $5000AUD
Partner atelier/workshop: made-to-measure in Italy; bespoke made in Melbourne
Boutique address: 68 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Words by T. Angel
