What makes a tailoring house stand out? Matthew Gonzalez reveals the elements that define a house style and how he creates suits made to live in, not just to wear.
Video Transcript [Lightly Edited for Clarity]:
Raphael: Welcome back to the Gentleman’s Gazette! We’re here with Matt Gonzalez.
Matt: Good to see you. How are you?
Raphael: Excellent, thank you for being here. We’re at the Arterton Lounge. Do you meet customers here sometimes?
Matt: I do, yeah. I do all of my fittings here, with the exception of the few clients who prefer me to visit their homes or offices. All the cutting is done next door. I do some of the sewing next door, but most of everything that is made is made within about a kilometer of here. I have coat makers on Savile Row and trouser makers in SoHo.
Raphael: Just over half a mile!
Matt: Yeah, very good point.
Raphael: But Matt, you’re originally from the US?
Matt: Yeah, I was born and raised in Long Beach, California, just south of Los Angeles. I didn’t move to London until I was 21.
Raphael: But in the meantime, as a custom tailor, you’ve had experiences at Thom Sweeney, Dunhill, and Huntsman. Now you’re out on your own, so you’ve seen quite a bit.
Matt: I’ve been really fortunate, actually. I would not have dreamed of being able to work for some of the places that I have been able to before I moved to London. I’ve been very lucky in that regard, to see such a diverse range of house styles, construction techniques, and how different businesses operate within our industry.
Raphael: Which brings us to the topic of today’s video. We’re going to talk about house styles, how you find a house style, and how you find a tailor that maybe suits your style. It’s an interesting topic because sometimes I remember, I was in Hong Kong once, and you say, “Hey, what’s your house style?” And they’re like, “We do whatever you want!” That can be overwhelming because sometimes, with bespoke, it’s a new thing that’s created, and it’s hard to imagine what it’s going to look like. But if there is a specific house style, you can look at it and see: what you see is what you get.
Matt: Exactly. It helps ground your own sense of style. I mean, it would be very weird if you went to a car dealership, and they said, “Oh, we can do anything, any style you want, any design; we’ll make it right now.” You go to Ferrari for a reason, you go to Bentley for a reason, you go to Mercedes for a reason. The same really applies to tailoring. One of the interesting elements of our conversation today is that most people think of Savile Row as these long-established houses with rich traditions. But these newer tailors, like myself, are in the process—in real time—of creating our own house styles, and there are a variety of reasons why we choose the paths we go down.
Raphael: So, you mentioned Savile Row, and Savile Row is known for—not just the street itself but the different houses, right? There’s military influence, maybe more business suit-like styles such as Anderson & Sheppard with their drape cut. You wouldn’t go to them and say, “Hey, make me a completely unstructured, Neapolitan-style jacket with pick stitching all over the place.” The result would be odd.
Matt: Yeah. Actually, going back to the car reference, the owner of Huntsman once told me, “You wouldn’t walk into Ferrari asking for a Bentley,” and I think the same applies to tailoring. You wouldn’t go to a house that is known for structure and roped shoulders and heavy canvasing and ask them for a Neapolitan jacket.
Raphael: So, what are the elements that you would look for, or a potential customer would look for, to identify the house style?
Raphael: So, what are the elements that you would look for, or a potential customer would look for, to identify the house style?
Matt: It’s really a bit of research to start. You want to look at what imagery those houses are putting out, read up about them, and if you have the opportunity, the best thing you can do is shop around. When I was on Savile Row, we would have clients come in and say, “I have an 11:00 appointment with you, a 12:00 appointment with your next-door neighbor, and a 1:00 after that.” Being new to bespoke, they would spend a day doing their research, seeing what house fits their style and what culture within that house fits their personality.
Raphael: So, would you say, when you look at pictures or mannequins, that you just look at the overall impression and see if you like it? Or, if you’re a little more into the subject matter, would you look at details like the gorge height, the drape, the shoulder width, the structure, or things you can’t see, like how stiff a garment is? Do you have a kind of checklist that can help people be aware of things they might not otherwise think of?
Matt: I mean, really, we could create a checklist right now off the top of our heads. But generally speaking, because so many different types of people go to bespoke houses, there are different levels of knowledge and understanding. When looking at your checklist, I’d say the very first line is, “Does the house you’re interested in ignite some kind of interest or spark within you?”
Raphael: Like an emotion?
Matt: Yeah. When you go to a museum, if you see a beautiful painting that everyone loves, but you don’t, it might be because you don’t have a particular interest in that artist. You might find a different artist that somehow speaks to you on a level you don’t consciously realize. The same is true with style. We all like certain styles. I might like something that you don’t, and vice versa. You have to make sure it ignites some kind of interest or passion.
Raphael: Well, that makes sense. And I also think, if you’re, let’s say, at Savile Row, and you’re in love with British style, and you want something very traditional, like Henry Poole, you might say, “I want that dinner jacket because they were the first to do that.” If you’re into history, then that’s a great place to start. But you also have to realize that the person you’re speaking to might not be the one doing all the work. There might be a head cutter, and different people involved in the garment, and you may not speak to everyone actually working on it. Then there are individual craftspeople who can do something start to finish, and the only person you talk to is the one who does the entire work. And then there’s the chemistry—there are many elements.
Raphael: Oh, totally. I mean, I would say, with those two examples, it’s very rare now that someone does everything. The basic structure of our business now makes it possible, and there are a few people who do it, but generally, you won’t be able to speak to everyone involved because many hands make a single bespoke suit. But you want to see a little bit of the house culture. Some people like a more formal environment, while others want something a little more approachable and casual. You’re going to have a significant time investment when you commission a bespoke suit. You’re going to do multiple fittings and spend, probably, a few hours over the four months it takes to get something delivered.
Raphael: Plus treble cost.
Matt: Yeah, so, you want the entire process to be enjoyable. It’s not just about getting a great suit, because Savile Row and the bespoke industry are the benchmarks of quality. None of us would be a tailoring house if we couldn’t deliver very high-quality suits. Then you have to look at those additional elements of the process. What does it mean to have a suit? Is it enjoyable? Do you get along with the people who are looking after you? Do you just like being in the space?
But if we go back to the individual elements, if we were to create a checklist, starting from the top and going to the bottom, what would be the first items to look at?
Raphael: But if we go back to the individual elements, if we were to create a checklist, starting from the top and going to the bottom, what would be the first items to look at?
Matt: So, we want that initial spark. After that, you want to look at your lifestyle. If there’s a tailor that specializes in heavy, structured, really formal, almost military-like tailoring, you might not want to wear that if you like wearing jeans and t-shirts all day. Even if you’re going to wear a suit once a year, putting on a very structured suit might not necessarily align with your lifestyle.
Raphael: And it could be other elements, right? It could be like, “Oh, is it a denim shirt on the mannequin, or is it a starched-front shirt?”
Matt: Exactly.
Raphael: That gives you the vibe of the tailor; it could be another thing. Okay.
Matt: Yeah, you want to make sure there’s compatibility with your personal style. From there, you just want to ask questions. Every tailor I’ve worked with, or worked for, has always asked pretty much the same questions: “How often do you want to wear the suit? Where are you wearing this suit? What do you like when it comes to style? Who do you think dresses well?” Those kinds of questions start to eliminate the cloth options we’d show anyone coming into our showrooms. We have tons of cloth.
Just behind the cameras over here, I have 5,000 or 6,000 swatches that we could go through one by one. But if I know you’re not looking for an overcoat, well, that takes away 30 or 40 options. If I know you hate everything except for dark charcoal or dark navy, then we’re eliminating a lot of others. If I know you like lightweight cloths because you don’t want to be weighed down, we’re filtering out everything that doesn’t apply to your individual circumstances.
Raphael: Well, plus, you could argue, how does the cloth relate to the house style? Sometimes, certain tailors like to work with particular cloths, and they do it particularly well. So, you can say, “Hey, if I like a lightweight silk material, they’re really good at that. Maybe another tailor is great with super heavy tweeds; they may even have dead stock and unusual options that the other tailor might not.” That’s how it relates to that house style.
Matt: Exactly, yeah. That ties into the house style and some of their heritage. That’s why Italian tailors are known for light, soft tailoring—because of the climate. It’s warmer, so they didn’t want to wear heavy tweeds or flannels. They looked for linens and open weaves and removed a lot of the canvasing. So, that fits; that house style is very organically created from the geography.
Raphael: Yeah, and I think many people look at the lapels and say, “Oh, I like a wider lapel,” or, “I like a skinnier lapel.” What’s also really important in the overall look is the gorge height and the gorge angle.
Matt: Yes. I have a relatively square lapel. I try to keep it as high as possible, but you don’t want something that’s too high because then you can’t really work the collar, and it looks inelegant.
Raphael: Yes.
Matt: I’m not a particular fan of a very angled gorge line. I think it’s very indicative of the 1990s or early 90s tailoring. You’d have these really long collars with really low, angled gorge lines. For example, if you look at Bill Clinton’s old suits when he ran for president, they just looked really droopy to me, for lack of a better word.
Raphael: Yeah, and some Italian tailors have a rounded gorge line, right? You can have a broken one, like the Knize lapel or whatever it is. But then there are elements like the shoulder padding, right? What are you going for there? Or maybe you are a vintage enthusiast, and you want that very specific 1930s look. Then you should go with a tailor who specializes in that.
Matt: Absolutely, yeah.
Raphael: Because if someone comes to you and says, “Hey, I want a 1920s suit,” what are you going to say?
Matt: I mean, if someone was absolutely dead set on getting a suit from me and wanted a 1920s style, I would, one, say, “Listen, this isn’t what I normally do. I can try my best and work with you,” but I would have to set their expectations at the same level as my own because the last thing we want to do is disappoint anyone. But 1920s really isn’t where I come from in terms of my historical or aesthetic inspiration, so it’s not something that I cut on a daily basis.
Raphael: Yeah, I mean, we can get back to that later. That’s what you want to understand from the tailor: what is their mindset? What is their inspiration? Is it from the 1930s, 40s, 50s, or 60s? Or is it maybe more of a contemporary take?
Matt: Yeah. I mean, it might not just be rooted within a decade; it could be in a subculture. Some people might want something that’s a bit rock and roll, while others might want something that looks very military. Then you go into specific styles of jackets. If you’re getting a Norfolk jacket, you probably want something very tweedy and countryside, so we’re not going to look at rock and roll inspirations for a Norfolk jacket.
Raphael: Or maybe you want a shantung silk to say, “Hey, I want to intentionally mix it all up!” Okay. Then the other thing is looking at the waist suppression and the darts. What’s their regular style? Is it extremely hourglass-shaped? Is it more relaxed? Is there more drape?
Matt: Yeah, and so again, that goes into what the house does best. I like a much softer, more organic line. I don’t like extreme shaping because I don’t feel like it’s as comfortable for me to wear, and I think the people who come to me agree with that. They want something that’s easy to throw on, feels natural, but still has some shape.
Raphael: And you just mentioned comfort, right? I think it’s great. Oftentimes, when you’re at the tailor’s and they have a bunch of garments, sometimes there’s something that may somewhat fit you, and you can try it on and just see how it feels.
Matt: Absolutely.
Raphael: How are my arms moving around? I don’t like garments where I feel like, “Oh, my arm movement is roughly constricted.” I go around, throw up my arm, and try to make unusual movements because, to me, that’s important.
Matt: Totally. I think that, in my experience—and I’ve said this for a while now—I have had the great privilege of having bespoke suits for many years, ever since I moved to London and worked in the industry. But it wasn’t until I started my own tailoring house that I felt the most comfortable in my suits. Even though my suits were fit to me, they were often cut in a British style that was much more formal than my own house style. So, I felt like I had to meet the suit halfway. I had to stand up perfectly straight and really fit into the suit that fitted me.
How is the process of developing your own house style? What are all the considerations that are going into it for you?
Raphael: Interesting! So, how is that process of developing your own house style, then? What are all the considerations that are going into it for you?
Matt: I mean, as I said, it’s really a real-time process that we’re right in the middle of. I looked at all the houses on Savile Row. They have so much tradition, coming from being military tailors or country estate tailors. I don’t have any of that as a company, so I had to look introspectively at what interests me, what’s stylistically exciting, and what’s timeless. One of the elements of bespoke tailoring that really interested me from the outset was this idea of timelessness and multi-generational clothing—clothing that gets passed down.
I know this is probably well-trodden territory, but one of the traditions of having four buttonholes on your cuff is that only three of them, according to bespoke tailors, should be working. The top one should be a sham. The reason is that when that jacket gets passed down, if the person who inherits it has longer arms, we can remove the sham button, lengthen the sleeve, and add another buttonhole at the bottom. It looks like it was still made for them. That detail, to me, describes the pursuit of timelessness. We try to cut things that will last 20, 30, or 40 years, if possible.
“That detail, to me, describes the pursuit of timelessness. We try to cut things that will last 20, 30, or 40 years, if possible.”
Matthew Gonzalez
Raphael: But there’s also an approach that you or a tailor may have to a suit, right? Some tailors may say, “Hey, I make a camo suit,” or, “I make safari jackets.” And I look around at the world, and it’s changing, right? We’re not seeing three-piece pinstripe suits as much. We’re seeing more casual garments and things people wear every day. I mean, this concept of a bespoke suit being something very formal might shift to a bespoke suit being something I wear casually, or maybe I only wear a jacket and don’t even wear a full suit.
Matt: Yeah, I mean, I’m wearing separates today, and you’re wearing separates today, so I think that’s indicative of the fact that “classic charcoal two-piece suits are the uniform of the modern man” doesn’t really apply. I like to look at clothing that has comfort, functionality, and fit. The style is then informed by all that. When I looked at my own house style, after years of research, I did a master’s degree in the history of design…
Raphael: Oh, interesting!
Matt: …and I focused on menswear. I looked at all the decades of the 20th century and came to the conclusion that mid-century American style was the most timeless.
Raphael: Interesting!
Matt: Anything before that seemed more costumey to the modern observer, and anything after that also seemed very costumey.
Raphael: So, you mean just in relation to clothing, correct?
Matt: Some also in industrial design, but yes, mainly clothing.
Raphael: Okay, yeah, because in my mind, Art Deco is the last total style where you had the toaster, the wallpaper, the light fixtures, your desk accessory, your ashtray—everything was in that uniform style. I think Mid-Century Modern, although popular, doesn’t quite have that, but in terms of men’s suits, it’s definitely there, right?
Matt: Yeah, and you would see that in some architectural design and some industrial design. But when it comes to menswear, post-war American design has a simplicity that allows the character of the individual to shine through. You know, if you look at Jack Kennedy’s suits…
Raphael: Slimmer lapel.
Matt: Yeah, slimmer lapel, but also very simple in design. They had that flat sleeve head that wasn’t skin-tight; it was a bit fuller through the body and chest. It was a slightly longer coat, which I would say isn’t necessarily what I cut as much. I don’t do particularly short, but I don’t go as long as they used to.
Raphael: It’s not like Anderson & Sheppard’s length. They’re always quite long.
Matt: Yeah, you know, some of the Savile Row tailors do a little bit longer. I try to just cover the seat; that’s my rule of thumb, but….
Raphael: So, interestingly, for example, I myself have a very long torso. If you cover my seat completely… it depends, right? If I look at the side view and try to get the perfect 50/50 angle, for me, that will look different than for someone who has a really short torso. Do you go just for bum height, or are you actually going for proportions?
Matt: Well, we look at proportions. There are a few technical things that I do, like taking measurements and dividing those up. But I also take photographs of each person’s posture, and then I physically look at the photograph and see how that relates. So there’s a lot of art that goes into it—it’s not just one particular formula. And that’s what fittings are for. I might start with completely covering the seat, but realize we need to go up half an inch or an inch, and we do that at the fitting.
Raphael: You know, oftentimes, when it comes to bespoke suits or garments, people talk a lot about jackets, and that’s fine. They’re more complex from a technical point of view, right? The way everything holds together—the canvas—a lot of time is spent on the jacket. But I’ve found that pants are actually something I wear even more often than a jacket because I always wear pants. I don’t always wear a jacket. I have bigger thighs, so I’ve always had trouble finding pants that fit me. Maybe because of that, I’ve looked more into trousers.
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: One thing I’ve found is that there are lots of details that go into a great-fitting trouser, and there are also lots of style differences. Do you have a particular house style for your trousers?
Matt: So, I like a single forward-facing pleat. I cut a fairly easy trouser leg over the thigh, and I don’t go particularly narrow. For me, I think I’m wearing 17-and-a-half-inch bottoms at the moment. For reference, I have a 41-inch chest and I’m about 5’10”, so it’s not very wide, but it’s kind of right down the middle. I’ve always tried to be as neutral as possible in my design choices because, in my opinion, going for that neutrality allows longevity when it comes to your suits.
When I first got into tailoring back in 2007 or 2008 in London, really skinny lapels were the most fashionable. But having a bespoke suit with a one-and-a-half-inch lapel really takes away from that timelessness. I try not to go too wide or too narrow. I also look at your body, so maybe if you’re incredibly tall and broad, you might need a 5-inch lapel because that will look best on you, but that doesn’t mean I would do 5-inch lapels for everyone.
Raphael: So, a pair of pants—I find the rise height extremely important, and I like really high-rise trousers.
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: I think they’ve fallen out of favor in general, but that’s certainly something to look at. Now, with bespoke, it’s one thing; you can basically create the pattern and do whatever you want. But especially when it comes to made-to-measure, I’ve noticed that even though they take all your measurements, they have limitations with their patterns. Sometimes you can only go as high up as they can go, right? The system doesn’t allow for more. So, if that’s what you want, it’s really important that you understand, “How high can I go?”
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: And do I like that feel? Do they focus on only side adjusters or belt loops? Most of the time, people can do both.
Matt: Yeah, you know, I’d say even in made-to-measure, having side adjusters or belt loops is pretty common. I’m wearing Daks adjusters on these trousers today just because they’re a little easier to wear. So, that’s more of a bespoke style detail you can look for when you go to a tailor, if you like it.
Raphael: But it’s just like building a house. If you want to, you can spend a lot of time thinking about each and every little detail of your suit or garment. Or, the house style helps you by not having to make all of these decisions, knowing there is a coherent style that works well. Because sometimes, when you have all the options, you get excited. You’re like, “Ooh, I can have this pink lining,” or, “I can have this photograph lining of my dog,” and then, “I can do this,” and, “I can do the contrast buttonhole,” and, “I can do the angle here,” and then the overall thing looks just off.
Matt: Yeah, I mean, even when you’re presented with all of those options, you’re right, it can be overwhelming. But also, it can be tempting to do something for the novelty of it. I wouldn’t argue that bespoke tailoring is about novelty. You know, maybe if you have a wardrobe with 30 bespoke suits, then, yeah, go nuts, do the silly things. But because bespoke tailoring is so expensive, and it takes so much time, if you don’t have the budget to have multiple bespoke suits in your wardrobe, really consider, “What’s going to be the best investment for you? What’s going to last the longest in your wardrobe? And what’s going to feel right to wear, not just today, but also when you’re 10 years older than you are now?”
So, when you have other aspects of a house style, such as culture to consider, what role does that play?
Raphael: So, when you have other aspects of a house style, such as culture to consider, what role does that play?
Matt: Well, I mean, it’s a really interesting element because culture, or individual heritage, is probably the most significant factor when creating your own house style. I don’t have the history that Savile Row has, but I have a personal history. Some people may know that, to date, I am the only American to have worked and cut on Savile Row, so I bring something different than most of my peers. And when I was forming my own tailoring house, I decided to use that as the source of inspiration.
Raphael: And you also have a Mexican father…
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: …and a Palestinian mother…
Matt: Right.
Raphael: …and we all have influences. I have a Brazilian father and a German mother; I grew up there and live in the US. These are all influences you have.
Matt: Absolutely.
Raphael: And I think you showed me a pair of Mexican belts with silver and gold intarsia. They had a bit of a Western belt resemblance…
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: …but they were distinctly different. And you had a duffel bag with a more tribal-patterned fabric. I can see this is more your style. You also wear denim shirts sometimes, right?
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: So, it’s a very different look, and if you take those aspects into a style, that can also greatly affect them.
Matt: Well, that’s absolutely true. When I was making my own suits under my own name, I felt the freedom to really experiment. That’s when I wanted to try: how does a bespoke tailor make a Western shirt? How do we make things? How do we add elements, like these vintage ranchero belts, to a wardrobe that makes them stand out but are also completely unique? Because those belts are all one-of-one. They’re all vintage and are getting new leathers put on here in England. They are elements of my history but also uniquely Anglo-American in the style that I’m creating.
Raphael: What are aspects you think go into a house style?
Matt: So, you’re going to start with your overall silhouette. That’s the forefront of any house style. What silhouette are you trying to bring to the table? That includes the length of the jacket, the width of the shoulders, the structure, and the width of the lapels. For example, when I said I would make a 5-inch lapel on someone who’s very big, that would still be in keeping with my house style because I have certain proportions in my head. Italians are often famed for having much shorter jackets. The English are known for having much longer jackets. So, already there, you see those two cultural distinctions. And then you start to consider shoulder construction, canvasing—those are your house styles.
Raphael: Although, you know, it’s funny. Sometimes, if you look at these old books from the 80s, right, they talk about, “American style is soft and unstructured,” and, “Italian style is like this.” But you look today and you’re like, “Well, that’s not the case anymore.” And, you know, rules—there’s lots of rules. Like, we have the lapel buttonhole, and it’s cool, there’s tradition, and often there’s a history.
Why do we have the buttonhole in the lapel? Because it was just a flap back, and there was a button on the other side. Over time, it disappeared. And all those things, but it’s easy to just say, “Oh, there’s this rule, and I need to abide by it.” I think today things have changed. You can wear whatever you want, whenever you want to wear it.
Matt: Yeah, I am not a big fan of the “rule book.” I totally agree that if you’re going to an event where you’re wearing a uniform that is literally written down for you to follow, that’s fine. Follow the rules of the letter. Or, if you’re going to an occasion where it’s codified—like if you’re going to a White Tie ball—well, wear an evening dress coat. It’s called a White Tie ball; don’t go in wearing a dinner suit.
Other than that, tailors have made up the rules over the last 200 to 300 years, and there were rule breakers within that timeline. So, we should know that we have the ability to wear clothes how we want, especially now. We are more accepting of individuality now than we ever have been. There are no absolutes that must be followed for you to comport to some standard of menswear.
Raphael: And there’s no more white wigs or Victorian gentlemen. People don’t dress like Beau Brummell; we don’t have the silk velvets. I mean, you can have that, but it’s actually a lot of work, and so…
Matt: Oh, totally.
Raphael: Style is always fluid, and it changes. Rules can be helpful to make it easier, but oftentimes, I think if you’re really stuck on the rules, it’s more a judgment about yourself, where you say, “I’m insecure, I’m not super confident in my style, and I need some rules to help me along.” What’s your take on that?
Matt: Well, yes and no. I think the rules are a great starting point, but knowing that we can make these decisions, it’s important for everyone to remember that you don’t need to religiously follow them.
Raphael: Yeah.
Matt: And that’s why—and this goes back to my whole philosophy on mid-century American style—I often see, maybe once every year or every other year, the BBC will have an article about a young couple who decided to live their entire life like it’s 1944 or 1935. They have period homes and cars and dress, and the reason why that’s noteworthy or newsworthy is because it stands out so much against the rest of the modern world. I would argue that if I lived my life with everything from the 1960s—clothing, cars, etc.—people would just think it looks amazing.
Raphael: Maybe not with female clothing. That would definitely look more costumey.
Matt: Yes, and that’s why I really stick with American menswear specifically. But think of the cars from the 60s, especially the late 60s…
Raphael: It does stand out.
Matt: It stands out, but it’s not as costume. If I saw someone driving a Jaguar or an Aston Martin from the 1960s, I wouldn’t think, “Oh, they’re dressing up;” I’d think, “I really wish I had that.”
Raphael: Yeah, it’s an interesting take. I think one could look at the individual elements…
Matt: Oh, totally. I mean, even, like, I did a whole paper on watch design, specifically watches of World War I. I don’t know if you know about trench watches and how they were essentially just pocket watches with little lugs soldered onto them. The cases were cut out for a bit of protection, like a shrapnel shield for your wristwatch. They look great, amazing, but very much of their time. Again, looking at 1960s-era watches, I would definitely wear them and feel very formal and put together without feeling costume.
Is there anything else you think is important when looking at a house style?
Raphael: So, is there anything else you think is important when looking at a house style?
Matt: From the house’s or a potential new client’s perspective?
Raphael: Both!
Matt: I’d say, from the house’s perspective, it’s important to feel truly authentic. By that, I mean you’re living and believing in what you’re doing. It’s so hard to manufacture style that you don’t like.
Raphael: Yeah.
Matt: And so, as much as I would love to produce three-piece charcoal suits for city bankers in the 60s, that’s not where I stand as an individual.
Raphael: So where do you stand?
Matt: I like wearing things that are a little bit more casual. When I have business suits, I don’t do a two-button or a one-button; I do a three-roll-two. It just feels a bit softer; it feels a bit more me. I do softer shoulders. Everything about my business suit, in my house style, if you want one from me—if you want a Matthew Gonzalez classic business suit—you would get a three-roll-two in a charcoal herringbone, maybe with a dark green lining on the inside, just to give that little bit of difference. But it would still be elegant and simple enough to not be too showy.
Raphael: So, considering the world is getting more casual, you’re more a tailor for, like, the modern man…
Matt: I try to be!
Raphael: …who doesn’t want the traditional Savile Row look?
Matt: You know, I think they want the classic Savile Row construction, the technique, and the heritage of making, but might not necessarily want the structure and the formality that goes along with a lot of Savile Row suits.
So, Matt, if you had to break it down, if there was one thing that really helped you establish your house style, what was that?
Raphael: So, Matt, if you had to break it down, if there was one thing that really helped you establish your house style, what was that?
Matt: When I first branched out on my own, I was going through some old books I had in my house, and I saw an image that transformed my perspective on tailoring…
Raphael: And what was that?
Matt: …and really created what I call Anglo-American tailoring. And I actually brought a book in for you here.
Raphael: Okay!
Matt: It’s this book I got in New York many years ago called Remembering Jack. It’s all about John F. Kennedy.
Raphael: Bring it up here! Nice! Cool!
Matt: So, this is an image of John F. Kennedy on, I believe, a campaign tour…
Raphael: Yeah…
Matt: …and you can see…
Raphael: Putting the leg up!
Matt: …putting his leg up, his hand, wearing his sunglasses, and I thought, “There is not a single element of that pose that is British.” I could not imagine some aristocrat sitting like that, wearing a bespoke suit. And I thought, “This is the foundation of my tailoring house.”
Raphael: Nice! So, it seems to me like, you know, it’s more relaxed.
Matt: Absolutely, and it’s what really made me start telling people that I create suits that are made for you to live in, not to be in. And that’s really been a defining characteristic of my house style.
Raphael: Oh, that’s interesting. So, basically what you’re saying is, “I want the suit to be part of your life.”
Matt: Yeah.
Raphael: “I don’t want you to feel like you have to fit into the suit.”
Matt: Exactly. This is about you putting your hands in your pockets. It’s about you finishing your day after work and just feeling comfortable enough to throw your jacket over the back of a chair for an hour while you relax for a moment.
Raphael: You’re just sitting down on that park bench or wall, not thinking about whether it’s the best for your fabric.
Matt: Yeah. You know, there was a great story. I saw a friend that I hadn’t seen in many years, and I met her daughter for the first time. We were catching up, and the first thing I did—I was wearing a suit—was kneel down on the pavement to say hello. My friend said, “Oh, you’re wearing a suit!” And I said, “Don’t worry about it; that’s not a big deal.” I want to have a nice moment, and then we can worry about anything else.
Raphael: Of course, you can always make a new pair of pants.
Matt: Exactly. It’s a suit that you can live your life in. That’s what’s so important.
Raphael: Nice, nice, good! I mean, that’s a good starting point. That goes beyond, “What is my gorge height?” or, “What is the size of my buttonhole?” or, “Is it a Milanese buttonhole?” That has nothing to do with it but is really part of the house style.
Matt: Yeah, that’s the emotional…
Raphael: It’s intangible.
Matt: Exactly. That’s the emotional kind of connection you have with a style, and that’s why I put it at the top of the list.
Raphael: Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for sharing that.
Matt: Oh, I’m so pleased I could. All right, thanks so much. Cheers!
Have you ever worked with a bespoke tailor? Tell us about your experience or what you’d look for in a tailor in the comments below!