A Suit of One’s Own

I’ve been cutting and fitting suits for years. I’ve seen hundreds of shoulders, watched nervous grooms fidget under tape measures, helped fathers build wardrobes from scratch, and answered questions about sleeve breaks with the kind of calm people only seem to muster in barbershops and tailors’ shops.

Tailoring is personal, maybe more personal than people realise. Yes, it’s about craft. But it’s also about translating how someone feels into how they look. And while I’ve always loved doing that face-to-face, I have to admit: this new online custom suiting platform we’ve launched? It kind of surprised me. Not because of how techy it is (though it is sharp), but because of how true it feels to what we’ve always done.

At Rembrandt, we’ve been making suits in New Zealand since 1946. The technology may have changed, but the purpose hasn’t: we’re still here to help you find the right fit; for your body, your life, your story.

The platform itself is simple. You sit down (maybe at your desk, maybe with a drink in hand) and start building. There are hundreds of fabrics — linen, wool, cotton — in all sorts of patterns, colours, weights. You choose your lapel shape, your pockets, your buttons. You add a monogram, maybe some contrast stitching if you’re feeling bold. And all of it updates in real time, right there in a 3D window.

It’s strangely absorbing. You start with something blank and end with something yours. It’s like quietly assembling an outfit and a version of yourself, one choice at a time.

We call it a configurator, but it’s more than that. It’s a conversation between you and your suit, between style and function, between past and present. It reminds me of the moment in a fitting where someone tries on a jacket and just knows. That quiet nod. That shift in the shoulders. That feeling of: “Yeah, this is me.”

A good question. You measure yourself, yes but we walk you through it with visual guides and calm, no-nonsense instructions. Or you can pop into a store and we’ll do it for you. Either way, once your measurements are in, we tailor the pattern to your exact shape and proportions. If anything’s off, we’ll fix it. No drama.

Tailoring, after all, is a precision game. It’s where millimetres matter. And we’re not about to let a website change that.

What I love most is how people customise their pieces. Some go classic: navy wool, notch lapel, horn buttons. Others choose things I wouldn’t have thought of — champagne linen with a chocolate brown lining, a double vent, stitched initials inside the breast pocket.

That’s the beauty of it: these suits aren’t just suits. They’re wedding day statements, interview armour, Friday night blazers, the first suit someone’s bought that actually fits.

And it doesn’t stop at suits. You can customise shirts and trousers too. Choose your cuff, your collar, your pleats. Build an entire wardrobe if you want to.

This isn’t about automating away our craft. It’s about extending it. You still get us, the tailors, the team, the experience. Just in a format that fits a bit better into real life.

We’re still here, measuring shoulders, hemming trousers, tweaking sleeve lengths. We’re just also here, online, letting you do the same from your kitchen table, your office, or wherever you find yourself.

Head to our website. Try the configurator. Spend a little time. Choose your cloth. Adjust your vent. Zoom in. Zoom out. Take it slow. It’s not just shopping, it’s building. Once your order’s in, we’ll get to work. In 4–6 weeks, you’ll have your custom suit, boxed and ready. And if you’ve got a deadline, let us know. We’ve done enough weddings to know time can move faster than expected.

I still think the best suits come from conversation from watching someone tug at their cuffs and say, quietly, “This feels good.” That doesn’t change, whether it’s in a fitting room or behind a screen.

A suit should feel like a second self. Made for your life, your shape, your story. That’s the work I love. That’s the work we still do.