Design
Quality of Materials
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service I’ve gotten away with cheap suiting for a long time.
It started with ghastly navy blazers from Kohl’s, paired with khakis, a white Oxford shirt and a pattern tie, reminiscent of a private prep school lad who’d rather be repping his Vineyard Vines.
I then progressed to off-the-rack suits from H&M as the fashion trends regressed towards looks from the 70’s and 80’s, like plaid, slim-fit suits.
This trend lasted for a while, and my tenacity to wear a light gray and blue plaid suit with black Chelsea boots was enough to cover up the fact that the suit fit quite poorly.
My next stop? Men’s Wearhouse.
My brother was getting married and the suit I was getting “fitted” for as the best man looked nice enough for me to purchase, rather than rent. While the fabric and construction of these suits are usually nice, no one would correctly place them in the category of “bespoke suiting”, as the fit showcased a little too well.
At that point in time, bespoke suiting implied a centuries-old, family-owned suit store in London with wall-to-wall mahogany paneling and prices that would make my head spin.
When a friend of mine passively mentioned that a company called Indochino made custom suits for around $500 a pop, my curiosity was piqued.
Could Indochino be the answer to my suiting problems?
Skip Ahead
What Is Indochino?
Indochino was founded by Kyle Vucko and Heikal Gani, two college friends from their time at the University of Victoria, Canada.
It all started when Mr. Gani needed a suit for a conference, and as Mr. Vucko watched him struggle to find a fashionable, affordable, well-fitting business suit, the idea dawned on him to create a company that solved this problem.
Indochino was born.
Having no prior experience in the fashion industry, the partners approached building the business from the viewpoint of the customer, and sought to build a compelling draw of value first.
Their business premises were simple, but not simple to achieve: provide stylish and affordable custom suits, deliver them in two weeks, and back it with a Perfect Fit Promise, which entails unlimited tailoring until the perfect fit is achieved.
To expand their distribution, Indochino started exclusively online, which was an unheard of option for custom suiting. Regardless, the business model worked so well that they have since expanded to 79 brick-and-mortar stores in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
The name Indochino is meant to make it clear that they make their suits in China. The company is headquartered in Shanghai, where they pay tailors premium wages and offer equitable working conditions.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Custom Suit from Indochino
If you’re in the market for a custom suit but don’t want to pay over a grand, Indochino should be on your radar.
Despite these being affordable suits relative to heritage bespoke offerings, if $450 at a minimum still strikes you as an unapproachable price, a custom made piece from Indochino likely isn’t your best option right now.
Another consideration is how close you are to an Indochino showroom. While you can order a custom suit completely online, if it doesn’t fit perfectly and you’d like to get alterations, that process is much easier to do at a showroom where you can work with a tailor in person.
If you don’t live near a showroom, Indochino offers reimbursement up to $75 for you to take the suit to a local tailor. Depending on what you need done, $75 might not cut it.
From what I can tell, if you live near an Indochino showroom you can schedule as many appointments as necessary until the suit fits perfectly, free of charge.
Although Indochino provides detailed videos for how to get every measurement they need to create your custom suit, working with a tailor in person who can give advice on style and fit considerations is invaluable.
You can still get an excellent fitting, custom suit exclusively through the online process, but I recommend going to a showroom if you have the ability.
I like that Indochino offers a huge selection of customization options, like lapel style, buttons, linings, and monograms. However, the suit I had made didn’t fit as well as I’d hoped from a custom fitting. That said, the brand offers a Perfect Fit Promise and is still a solid choice for custom-made, affordable suits.
Indochino Suit Review
I live in Baltimore and the closest showroom is in Washington, D.C.. For those of you who have never visited this portion of the United States, the drive from Baltimore to D.C., despite being close on paper, is a special sort of hell.
Despite that, I wanted to get a full, custom-suiting experience and see what Indochino was all about, so I made the trek down to a showroom.
I also ran through their online instructions for getting the measurements needed to make a custom suit, and I was impressed with how simple it is to go through. It’s best if you have someone else to help you take the measurements, but it’s not impossible to do it solo.
In-Store Experience
Indochino showrooms, at least the one I went to, exude class and manly, modern style. Cognac leather couches, recessed, moody lighting, dark metal detailing, and suits as far as the eye can see set the tone quickly.
Once paired with a showroom representative, the first step is to determine the fabric you’d like for your suit. All available fabrics are conveniently displayed in long strips that you can take a close look and feel of, which is another aspect I appreciate over the online experience.
I was looking for something popular but with a little flair of style, so I picked a Harrogate Glen Check charcoal fabric. This fabric has a nearly-imperceptible plaid pattern, which brought the bit of flair and refinement I was after.
With the fabric picked out, it was then time to run through all the design details of the jacket and pants. I went with a two piece suit, but they do offer vests as well for a classic three piece.
The design considerations are plentiful, but not overwhelming. Some of the jacket customizations include the lapel style, pocket angle and style, button placement and material, internal lining pattern, and a monogram.
The pants are a bit more straightforward, and most of the customization is in whether or not you want them pleated.
I found that having a store representative to bounce ideas off of was useful, especially in the event that they’re current with suiting styles and give unbiased opinions about what works best with your body shape and the suit you’ve constructed so far.
Once the design specifications were made, it was time to do a fitting. Fittings are done in their spacious changing rooms, and with template pairs of jackets and pants that will be close to your size.
The representative will then use pins to take in or let out the jacket and pants in various areas that will create a more precise fit for your frame, while taking into consideration your preferences. I like to shoot for slim suits, so I had the representative take in a fair amount on the pants.
Once the pinning is done, the store rep takes measurements with tape, and enters them into the digital profile he’s already started for your suit.
At that point, all I had to do was wait 2-3 weeks for my suit to be delivered to my front door. It’s worth noting that due to supply chain issues, the current expected delivery time is 4-6 weeks.
Unboxing
My suit showed up in a sleek, classy looking matte black box within 3 weeks.
As we all know, the shipping process can be a bumpy ride for packages and this suit was no exception.
Despite having a cardboard folding template inside the jacket to keep it structured, my suit jacket was badly wrinkled upon removing it from the box, and the pants weren’t in much better shape.
This isn’t a huge deal, and obviously a quick fix with a steamer or iron, but it’s a bit of a hassle. The first thing you want to do is put on the suit and see how it looks, and the amount of wrinkling can take away from the overall presentation, sometimes to the extent of obscuring how the suit really looks.
With my first try-on I spent more time than I would have liked looking at the wrinkles. However, this could have just been a particularly rough trip for my suit. I’m sure others have opened Indochino suits to find a nearly unwrinkled jacket and pants inside.
Jacket Design Details
Apart from the fabric having a bit of flair, I wanted to include some subtle details with my jacket that might make it stand out to the keen observer.
The first of these details was the lapel style. I went with peak lapels, which have a bit of attitude and a sharper facade without making me look like a New York mob boss.
I went with standard shoulders, to have some structure but not too much, and a half canvas interior. You can choose either half canvas or unconstructed, for the chest interior. I chose half canvas because it helps with shape retention and includes a bit more fabric for the colder months, when I would likely wear this suit.
If you’re looking for a more casual, summer suit, I recommend going with the unconstructed interior. This will have less fabric, and therefore be more breathable and flexible.
Summer suits often have rounded patch pockets on the left breast, but I opted for a welted pocket due to its classic, sleek style.
I wanted this to be a formal suit, but not too formal, so I chose two buttons for the front closure. Three is more formal and double-breasted is another level entirely. Indochino has several options besides these if you have something very specific in mind.
When it came to pocket flaps, I was tempted to get no flaps for the sleek, minimal look, but my store rep advised me to get pocket flaps, as they can be tucked in to achieve the no flaps look. This is the best of both worlds, as I can choose flaps or no flaps, depending on the occasion.
Instead of straight pocket flaps, I asked my store rep his opinion on slanted flaps, as I was curious if this would be another subtle aspect of style I could include. He was enthusiastic about this design feature and said it would frame my upper body more to give the classic ‘V’ shape.
I liked the idea of this, but only after trying the suit on did I realize that the combination of slanted pockets and aggressive, peak lapels accentuates creates an hourglass profile that looks less masculine than you might want.
I probably should have realized this in the design process, but I was trusting that my store rep knew what he was talking about. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
The store rep you get paired with and their experience plays a large role in the design process, especially if you don’t know exactly what you want and you rely on their advice. The particular rep I had seemed fairly young and inexperienced, however, so I’m sure my experience is in the minority.
That being said, the suit wasn’t ruined. I prefer less of an hourglass profile, but others might not mind that.
The last details to get in place were the lining and monogram. Indochino offers a huge number of linings for the jacket with some wild designs, from jellyfish in an aquarium to cartoon soccer balls on a green background that looks like it was once the print on a child’s blanket.
I went with a twisting, coiling, black snake design that I thought brought some subtle mystique to the jacket.
For the monogram, Indochino gives the option to choose both font color and type. I went with a simple, white Times New Roman, “DJM.”
Jacket Fit
The jacket fits well overall.
It’s snug across the chest without being too tight, and the shoulders frame my torso well without adding extra padding. When the front closure is buttoned, there’s no ‘X’ across my chest from the fabric pulling too tightly.
The sleeves are the appropriate length to allow a bit of the cuff of my dress shirt to show. I would have preferred if the tailors took in some of the sleeve material, or at least gently tapered the sleeve down to the wrist.
I don’t have particularly huge arms, and sometimes the extra fabric can roll and bunch in a way that makes the suit look frumpy.
The jacket length is perfect and comes down to the line made with the top of the pant’s inseam.
I like the weight of the jacket as well. It’s made with 95% wool and 5% cashmere, and the resulting fabric is a midweight blend that’s heavy enough to be warm for fall and winter, but not too heavy that you’d sweat profusely in the warmer months.
Suiting fabrics are often graded according to how fine the wool fibers are. These wool fibers are then twisted into yarn to make the actual fabric. A finer wool can be twisted more finely, which lends a more luxurious feel to the fabric and generally costs more.
This grading is represented by the values, “Super 120” through “Super 150”. The higher the Super value, the finer the wool, and the more luxurious the resulting fabric. Fabrics with lower Super numbers, while less fine, are more durable.
The Harrogate Glen Check fabric has a rating of Super 140, which is quite luxurious, but definitely still durable. The jacket feels sturdy and like it wouldn’t rip or tear easily, but still has a light, refined feel.
I’m a big fan of the Harrogate Glen Check’s subtle plaid pattern and the overall charcoal color. A charcoal suit is appropriate for a host of different situations, and the plaid pattern gives me a slightly unique style among all the other charcoal suits out there.
Pants Design Details
The pants for the Harrogate Glen Check suit offer less design options, which is understandable. The first consideration is pleating.
Pleats have made a comeback in recent years, but in the minds of many they still exist as an obsolete fashion that phased out in the 60s. Indochino recommends pants without pleats, since most of their suits are geared towards the classic, slim cut style, but it’s a matter of personal preference.
I opted for pants without pleats, as that seemed to fit the overall profile of this suit well. I like pleated pants, but they didn’t feel necessary here.
The next choice is between a blind hem and cuff at the bottom of the pant leg. A cuff generally makes a suit look more casual, so I went for a blind hem, which doesn’t show stitching or excess fabric.
The only other options for customization are whether you want belt loops or side adjusters, and the option to include buttons for suspenders inside the pants.
It’s always a good idea to include buttons for suspenders, even if you don’t think you’d ever wear a good pair of suspenders with this suit. Better to have them and forget about them than to not have them and wish you did.
I kept the classic belt loops and left the side adjusters off, and my pants were ready to be made.
Pants Fit
The Harrogate Glen Check suit pants fit well enough, but not great.
The primary area of concern is the waist, which has nearly an inch of wiggle room. I remember during the fitting asking the store rep if the waist should be taken in, and he said once I tucked a shirt in there it would be the right size.
This, unfortunately, isn’t the case. I usually wear a size 30 waist, and these pants run closer to 32 or 33. That being said, this isn’t a permanent problem, nor does it ruin the pants. With Indochino’s Perfect Fit Promise I can take the pants back in and get the waist taken in to the perfect size.
Would it be easier to not have to make another trip to the showroom? Yes.
Is it a deal breaker for this suit? No.
As I mentioned earlier, much of the experience with a bespoke suit comes down to the skill and experience of the store rep or tailor who’s doing the fitting. I got paired with a rep who seemed young and slightly inexperienced, but I’m sure Indochino has plenty of skillful employees who can advise from a greater depth of experience.
The length of the pants was perfect, as it was meant to have a tiny break at the top of the shoe.
Regarding the cut, I would have preferred the pants slightly slimmer, or at least with more taper below the knee. This is just my personal preference, and it’s also something that could be quickly fixed through Indochino’s Perfect Fit Promise.
Indochino shoots for what they call a ‘modern fit’, which is between a straight cut, traditional suit and a slim cut. As such, the suit pants weren’t as slim as I would like them, but it’s not a deal breaker for me.
The fabric used to make the pants is the same fabric that was used to make the jacket. With the jacket’s lining and half-canvas interior, the midweight fabric had a bit more body and heft, which I like.
Without these internal portions, I found the pants to be a bit flowy and light. I prefer suit pants with a bit of heft, especially if I intend on using them in the fall or winter. These pants felt a bit like light pajamas, but that’s due to the Super 140 grading for the wool fabric, which is more fine and luxurious.
This is a personal preference on my part, so if you like light, smooth fabric for your suits, you’ll do well with any of Indochino’s Super 140 suits.
Although I didn’t have time to make an appointment and take Indochino up on their Perfect Fit Promise before taking the photos for this article, the suit still looks good. I could comfortably wear this to a business meeting, wedding, or other formal event.
I tend to be very particular with how my clothing and footwear fits, so I appreciate that Indochino allows for changes to be made until you’re satisfied with how your suit fits.
What Do Other Reviewers Say About Indochino?
Reviews online for Indochino trend positive overall. Satisfied customers reported having pleasant, helpful experiences with the tailors and store representatives, and were pleased with how the suits fit, the materials used, and the customization options.
There are quite a few negative reviews for Indochino as well, with some customers being frustrated by how wrinkled the suit is when it comes out of the box. I had that same experience which is a shame. Others complained of the suit not fitting at all, even after having their measurements taken, and many had difficulty getting hold of customer service to schedule a refitting.
These negative reviews can often stand out more prominently than the positive ones, but overall, Indochino has considerably more positive reviews than negative.
Indochino Alternatives
Suitsupply
Suitsupply makes custom suits that focus on craftsmanship and flair.
While their offerings are more expensive than Indochino, I think the quality of materials and tailoring level justify the extra cost. Most suits from Suitsupply take 3-4 weeks to be created and delivered.
I had a fantastic experience with Suitsupply. During my fitting, my in-store tailor demonstrated a higher level of expertise than I experienced with Indochino, and it shows in the better fit of my Mid Brown Havana Suit.
It fits like a glove and the corduroy fabric is so luxurious I’m finding any excuse to dress up and wear it. I’m a big fan.
If your budget can stretch a little further, I recommend Suitsupply over Indochino. My in-store experience and ultimately, the quality and fit of my suit outshone the one I got from Indochino.
Suitsupply brings an impressive amount of expertise and quality to the sub-$1000 custom suiting experience. I’m most impressed by the number of customization options they offer, from fabric choices, to jacket fits, and even button styles. While their suits cost more than competing brand’s offerings, the craftsmanship, quality and fit makes it well worth it for me.
Bluffworks
Bluffworks creates clothing that’s meant for travel, and their collection includes men’s essentials and suits.
My top pick from their suits, the Bluffworks Presidio, is 100% polyester, wears like wool, is wrinkle-resistant, and can be thrown straight in the washing machine (check out my full hands-on review).
The lightweight fabric makes it easy to pack, or if you’re wearing it during your travel, it’s flexible and breathable enough to keep you comfortable in any environment.
Although these suits aren’t custom-made or tailored, I was surprised by how well the suit fit straight out of the box. Bluffworks’ suits can also be tailored after purchase, as long as your tailor is comfortable working with polyester.
These suits also come equipped with no less than 16 pockets, many of which are hidden or zippered, to ensure that your small items stay secure.
The Presidio is a handsome, lightweight suit and its security pockets, anti-wrinkling properties, and moisture-wicking fabric make it a joy to travel with, particularly in warmer weather. If you’re someone who travels frequently or is just interested in a lightweight, quality suit, I recommend checking this one out.
J. Crew
J. Crew is a storied men’s clothing brand that makes classic suits with high quality materials. If you’re looking for a suit made from English, heavy wool, the J. Crew Ludlow Suit delivers.
Featuring fabric from the famed Abraham Moon and Sons mill, this heavy English wool is thick and ideally suited for the colder months.
The Ludlow suit typically comes in around $700, which can be slightly more than Indochino or Bluffworks’ offerings, but the iconic suit and style are well-worth the value.
This suit is also not custom-made or tailored, but J. Crew offers a wide variety of size selections with different jacket lengths to help get the right fit. This suit is only offered in a slim cut, which can be restrictive for heftier guys.
Since 2008, the Ludlow suit from J.Crew has become a modern-day icon. The brand has kept the style updated, leaving the slim lapels in the early 00s. Now, you can expect substantial fabrics and classic fits.
My Thoughts Overall On Indochino
What I Like
- They have a wide selection of suit fabrics, patterns, and styles whether you want a classic suit or a statement piece.
- The fabric used to make the Harrogate Glen Check suit is a Super 140 wool and cashmere blend that feels soft and high-quality.
- Indochino gives you a large amount of customization options, especially with the jackets.
- Their Perfect Fit Promise ensures that you can take it in for alterations until it fits just the way you want it.
- Indochino’s suits are considerably less expensive than getting a bespoke suit from a heritage suit maker.
What I Don’t Like
- The suit came out of the box very wrinkled, which isn’t a huge deal, but I’m sure Indochino can find a more secure way to ship their products.
- How well your suit fits after the initial fitting comes down to the tailor doing your fitting. If they’re inexperienced, you’ll likely need to take your suit in for alterations.
Who is Indochino for?
Indochino is a great choice for any guy who needs a custom suit at an affordable price. They provide a wide selection of fabric materials, suit styles, and personalization options so you can make the suit just the way you want it.
The Verdict
Indochino has made custom suiting more accessible for guys on tight budgets, but the fit can be tricky to get right if you live far from one of their showrooms.
The overall fit of your suit largely depends on the tailor who took your measurements, but if you live close to a showroom you can use Indochino’s Perfect Fit Promise to take the suit back for alterations, free of charge, until the suit is just right.
The quality materials they use, like wool and cashmere, and the customization options they provide offer serious bang for your buck.
If you’re looking for a custom made, stylish suit that won’t break the bank, I recommend checking out Indochino.
I like that Indochino offers a huge selection of customization options, like lapel style, buttons, linings, and monograms. However, the suit I had made didn’t fit as well as I’d hoped from a custom fitting. That said, the brand offers a Perfect Fit Promise and is still a solid choice for custom-made, affordable suits.
FAQs
Where are Indochino suits made?
Indochino suits are made exclusively in Dalian, China.
How long does it take to get a suit from Indochino?
It takes 4-6 weeks to get a suit from Indochino.
What is Indochino known for?
Indochino is known for creating premium, custom-made menswear at affordable prices.
