Whether it’s branded as the slow-fashion movement or the rise of made-to-order pieces, there’s no denying that conscious fashion brands offering bespoke services have become more and more prominent over the last few years. “In terms of sustainability, it’s the most responsible way of manufacturing,” one designer told me this week. And it’s true. Offering a made-to-order business model means that brands only create what they actually sell, minimising the possibility of waste and oversupply—one of the industry’s biggest contributors when it comes to impacting the environment negatively.
Historically, the notion of made to order might’ve conjured up images of intricate wedding gowns or Savile Row–worthy suits. Recently, however, we’ve seen an ever-growing list of contemporary labels offering more bespoke services at a much more reasonable price, and they’re creating the kind of items you’ll want to wear every day, not just on special occasions.
This week, I spoke to nine UK-based designers behind this new guard of made-to-order brands and was delighted by how passionate each and every one of them was. Not only is each creative in this list constantly making decisions with sustainability front of mind, but they’re also all driven to craft special pieces customers will cherish for years to come, offering the perfect antidote to the concept of wear-once fast fashion.
Whether you’re a minimalist, a maximalist or somewhere in between, I’ve found a made-to-order label that will suit an array of aesthetics. So scroll on to discover a brand you will love. Don’t forget to follow your favourites, and remember, before you get carried away, the brands below often release their collections in staged drops. This allows the designers and their teams time to hand-make the garments before reopening their stores to more purchases. This means that often you have to be quick to purchase a piece you love, so following the brand on IG is the best way to stay up to date.
