Michelsberg, Leeds And Manchester

Best For: Your Wedding Suit

London has a monopoly on bespoke tailors. No surprise, since Britain’s most talented cutters and sewers gravitate towards the industry’s mecca in Mayfair. But there are benefits to broadening your search. Yes, the folks on Savile Row are the cream of the crop. But as well as their skill, you pay for their postcode. Head outside the M25 and you can still get a lot of suit, for less than half the money.

Michelsberg is a case in point. Founder James launched his eponymous business a decade ago and it straddles the Pennines, offering the men of Leeds and Manchester suits a cut above the department store rail. And nestled as it is among Britain’s leading mills, Michelsberg offers an enviable array of fabric options, from Lancashire wools to Italian cashmere.

It specializes in wedding suits, with accompanying pomp; a Y-chromosomed equivalent to the bride’s dress hunt, with whisky subbed in for champagne. Unlike a wedding dress, you can get more wear out of a suit. But Michelsberg’s prices – which come in under four figures for a fully bespoke, half-canvas suit – mean you can afford to experiment.

As the boss puts it: “Whilst elegance is a given, I do like something with some balls.” Best figure out which side you dress.

Signature Suit: An English silhouette via Italy – a longer hem, fuller lapel and roped shoulder, with a few eye-catching details.

Price: From £800 for a bespoke two-piece suit.

michelsberg.co.uk