It’s rare for a suit to fit perfectly right off the rack, and with alteration costs adding to the price, a new suit can be an expensive and time-consuming exercise.
InStitchu is a business offering all the benefits of the made-to-measure experience to Australian customers by mastering automated technology.
“The average Aussie male is spending $150 to get each suit altered and then if you’re not happy with the fit of the garment, then too bad you can’t return it,” says Co-founder James Wakefield.
Founded in 2011 by high school friends, Robin McGowan and James Wakefield, InStitchu has generated an average growth rate of 116% year-on-year since inception.
Co-Founders Robin McGowan and James Wakefield at Institchu's Sydney (Clarence St) showroom. Source: SBS
With the business recently acquiring their biggest competitor in Australia, George & King, they expect a $4.5 million revenue boost next financial year.
Much of the growth can be attributed to InStitchu’s omnichannel business model, seeing revenue split between online sales and a network of showrooms across Australia, New Zealand, and New York.
The concept grew from their personal experience when entering the workforce after graduation.
“We’d just entered the workforce and like all young corporate guys we needed a corporate wardrobe, we needed suits and half a dozen shirts and that’s a very expensive process,” says James.
“At the same time, we saw people going to Thailand getting suits made over there and we thought let’s build a technology platform that can link consumers anywhere in the world with high-quality tailors in Asia.”
InStitchu’s online platform allows customers to enter their measurements, select fabric and style and customise almost every detail.
To appeal to men who are both time-poor and after a physical luxury experience, they have 10 showrooms where customers get measured, have a whisky and are taught about how to book online for future orders; encouraging them to re-order the high-quality suits.
A customer having his measurements taken at Institchu's Sydney (Clarence St) showroom. Source: SBS
“All our suits are manufactured offshore in China. We only use Australian merino wool for our fabrics, and so we’re Woolmark certified,” explains Robin.
“For all our core range products and suits, you’re able to get a really high quality 100% Australian merino wool garment for under $1000 bucks in 3-4 weeks.”
They keep their overheads lower than other companies by using automated technology.
As soon as a customer places an order, all of InStitchu’s partners get messaged - from the fabric miller to the Chinese manufacturer.
The clothing brand uses an in-house tech developer team to oversee their technology driven strategy.
Swatches of suit fabrics that customers can choose from when customising their suit order. Source: SBS
The digital system means Institchu does not need to hold stock and inventory.
However, it means placing full trust in their manufacturing partners to deliver a quality product.
Their recent partnership with the Dayang Group, one of the world’s biggest suit manufacturers, has allowed them to set the ambitious goal of getting a suit’s turnaround time down to three days.
It’s an ambitious model giving traditional suit retailers a run for their money and reimagining the retail experience in formal menswear.
