Every custom piece at Philip Sparks Tailored Goods Inc.’s Toronto tailoring studio starts with a consultation. Our tailors will ask about your needs and concerns around custom jeans and workwear. From here, we will start to look at cloth. Your choice can help us narrow down the design elements. Then we will talk about the details. Things like rise, waist suppression, hem width, yokes, top-stitching colour, pockets and waistband details will all be discussed. Once we have designed your custom workwear pieces, a tailor will take your measurements. We want to provide you with the best possible experience and a piece that fits like a glove. In order to make this happen, we feel it is of utmost importance that the individual taking your measurements and fitting your piece is the one responsible for drafting and cutting your piece. Expect a workwear consultation to take up to one hour and allow 6 to 8 weeks for the completion of the pieces. A deposit of 50% will be taken to start with the balance due when your pieces are complete. If your timelines are tighter, we are always open to considering a quicker turnaround.

Workwear is usually finished with felled seams that are not easily altered. For this reason, your first fitting is a “muslin,” or a mock-up in a test fabric so details and fit can be adjusted. This appointment is when we can pick buttons, rivets, finalize top-stitching colours and discuss any other trims.

Your next fitting will be in actual cloth but with some extra seam allowances not yet cut down (or felled) so we have room to verify changes made in the muslin and make adjustments to what will be the final fit. Once we have made any final adjustments and confirmed the fit and details of your workwear pieces, more permanent finishes like bar tacks, rivets, buttons and buttonholes will reinforce your final garments.

The final fitting will be with the finished piece in your fabric choice, but our service does not end here. We live through the life of your custom workwear. We love to see pieces worn and they can be brought back to the shop for mending throughout the life of the garment. Visible mending and patching on workwear can add not only to the life of the garment but also to the character of the piece.

Custom jeans are made for your body and to your preferences. Off-the-rack jeans are available as they come, already made. Of course, if you find the fit of jeans-off-the-rack challenging, then custom jeans are a great option for you. But even if you are finding jeans off the rack that meet your general fit needs, exploring custom denim can offer you a much higher quality product that will last longer. Our tailoring team stands behind the product, mending throughout the life of the piece.

At least three fittings after the consultation will be required. Plan for 6 to 8 weeks after the consultation for your pieces to be completed. Depending on our production schedule, we may be able to consider shorter times.

When it comes to workwear and jeans, we work almost exclusively with selvedge materials sourced from Mills in the U.S., Italy and Japan. Check out our blog post Back to Workwear where we discuss the history of denim as well as what we learned from a trip to the famous Kuroki denim mill in Japan.

Yes, we make custom denim for women, men, trans and non-binary people. We can cut for all body types and all genders regardless of fit and design preferences.

Yes we make custom shirts including chambray and other workwear shirts that are made with more durable cloth, stitching and finishes. Workwear shirts may also be designed to include workwear details like extra pockets, selvedge placement and custom embroidery for western workwear designs.

Yes we make custom chore coats, from trucker or denim jacket inspired pieces to French chore coat and workwear inspired pieces. At our Toronto tailoring studio, we make custom chore coats in selvedge materials but also in more durable wool cloths like Harris Tweed. These piece are usually unlined with felled or bound seams. We also make hybrid pieces where workwear crosses with traditionally tailored blazers.

Yes we make custom denim and trucker jackets. These can be classically seamed and fitted or loosely cut with a pleated front.

The cost of custom workwear we make in Toronto varies based on details and material choices. A custom pair of jeans at Philip Sparks Tailored Goods Inc. starts at $1,400. Work shirts and chambray shirts start at $1,200. And unlined chore coats or denim jackets start at $1,600. Ask us about special pricing for returning clients and repeat orders.