Suitsupply Alternatives Guide 2021: Moving On From Suitsupply

There Are Lots Of Alternatives

Welcome to a short and concise Guide about Suitsupply Alternatives.

For those of you that want to explore other tailoring companies, step up or find something new, this article might be for you.

I will even give you some personal thoughts about why (or why not) you might want to do that.

Shall we?

Not The New Normal I Want

After purchasing a rather lovely pair of linen shorts from Suitsupply last week, I realized how tired I was of them.

Probably because in Stockholm where I live, one has limited options without breaking the bank.

Love them or hate them, they are one of the best value/quality tailoring companies for the entry level.

They brought affordable, classic canvassed suiting to the masses coupled with some great personal service.

I know, as I worked there for 6 months. After leaving the company, I wrote a rather scathing article (Find it Here) about my experience working there.

Interestingly enough, 18 months later I found out my former boss got fired and 80% of the people I worked with quit. When I shopped there last week, the regional manager also gave me the death stare when I waved hi.

My big problem at the moment is that they are becoming too much of a one stop shop and a bit too fashion forward for my taste. Slim cuts, ridiculously low rise trousers and impossible to fit for the wide-thighed man.

In Lieu of their recent rather grotesque marketing campaign displaying orgies while people are dying and advised to keep social distance, I decided to write an article about the potential Suitsupply Alternatives out there.

After all, they are masters of generating controversy and interest.

Whether they are better or not, it’s up to you but certainly worth exploring or keeping in mind.

Some of them might not be good, but still worth mentioning.

Why You Might Want To Look For Suitsupply Alternatives

Without wanting to overextend, I will sum up some quick thoughts in bullet points:

• You might not agree with the ethos of the company or their marketing campaigns
• Their designs might be too fashion forward or bold for your taste
• Suitsupply has a strong focus on slimmer modern cuts
• Most of their trousers have an apocalyptically low rise and are too slim
• Mass produced in China
• You just got tired of shopping only from them
• You want to move to higher end quality clothing
• They keep changing the fits and custom made options making it hard to follow

Of course, you can also have personal reasons such as a bad experience in a store for example.

One can find tons of reasons why you should (or not) find an alternative shopping experience.

And Why You Might Not

On the other hand, there can be a lot of reasons why you should continue shopping there:

• You might get a great RTW fit
• Their MTM is very good value (at least in Sweden)
• Very affordable prices for what they offer
• Overall a good experience and friendly atmosphere for customers
• Plethora of fabrics, cuts, options
• Very good online shopping experience
• Yearly Outlets have some amazing deals
• Maybe you hate shopping in multiple stores and actually want a one stop destination

And the list can go on if you brainstorm a little.

List Of Alternatives

I will begin with a big disclaimer.

This list is simply a starting one, with the intention to point you at the right direction.

There are tons of brands out there, especially small local tailors for example in Italy that offer superior products.

Likewise, there is no real point into discussing super high end handmade brands like Cifonelli, Attolini, Kiton and Brioni.

Our shopping routine changed fundamentally in 2020 and 2021 so the online or custom experience will be key in the future.

Expect to see a lot of custom offline and online MTM companies in here as well.

1. Hockerty ($289)

I am not sure where is the base of Hockerty, but they have offices in Spain, Switzerland and China.

However it is clear that they produce their suits in China and are transparent about it.

The prices start at around $289 for certain Pure Wool Suits but you need to be careful as there are a lot of synthetic and blend options.

I highly recommend against anything synthetic. Regardless, $289 for a half-canvassed suit is not bad on paper.

Their website works fine, the customization tool is easy to use and it sounds good as an entry level brand.

However at the same price I would recommend trying out Spier & Mackay especially during sales.

If you have a good experience or want to send me a suit for a review, let me know in the comments.

I am always ready to find the next surprise brand!

2. Spier & Mackay ($329)

Canadian Spier & Mackay has been the recent darling of the online communities for their affordable pricing and decent clothes.

With half-canvassed suits starting at just $329 (even less during clearance) they are the main alternative to Suitsupply in these price ranges.

Last year they finally released a better website and also have decent shirts and a full MTM Program.

You can find my review of the Suit Here and the Shirt Here.

Admittedly, in both cases I had issues and required a return but they went above and beyond to help me even on a final sale item.

Overall, the quality and construction was good and the prices fair.

If I remember right, they make their suits in the same city as Suitsupply (China) but the biggest issue for me is slow shipping and imports.

A Suitsupply alternative I highly recommend to those of you living in North America and Canada.

Tip: Sign up using my referral code 369W7R and get 20% Off your first purchase. If you do, I earn $20 as credit and you get a hefty discount.

3. Indochino ($399)

The first company that sprung into mind for mostly the wrong reasons was Indochino.

A brand that is not easily accessible for Europeans like me but also has some shocking reputation about quality and communication.

Still, they offer half-canvassed suits starting at $399 with a broad selection of fabrics and colors.

Research will show you that you should definitely avoid Indochino. Don’t believe me? Read this comedy gold thread.

If you are on a definite budget, I certainly recommend Spier & Mackay or Suitsupply at these prices.

You might have a good experience with Indochino but I would not be willing to take a gamble.

Disclaimer: The example above is quite extreme but too funny to omit. Your experience might differ.

4. Black Lapel ($499)

Starting at $499, Black Lapel is yet another online customization company for tailored clothing.

Suits, shirts, outerwear, trousers or black tie, you name it.

And with a very good price and features for a competitive price seems to be a great alternative.

You can customize the lapels, buttons, pockets and details with a very accessible website.

I also think that they have a showroom somewhere in NYC so correct me if I am wrong.

Another company that I look forward to trying in the future and I might as well add they were as friendly as Oliver Wicks in our communication last year.

The only downside as many on this list is that you have to take your own measurements.

Honestly, I recommend anyways going to a tailor you trust and asking him to take your measurements.

If you go to their higher end, expect to shell out over $600-$700 USD.

5. Lanieri ($585)

Lanieri is a custom online clothier making their products in Italy.

You can see from the price that you are in a more premium category and their custom suits seem to be a blend of contemporary and modern.

Their suits seem to take about 2 months to produce and have an excellent tutorial for measurements.

My friend Jon at The Kavalier speaks highly of them and the general consensus seems to be positive.

You also receive $70 credit for potential alterations since rarely a first garment is perfect.

Needless to say if the fit is impossible to fix or catastrophic, they will remake it entirely for you at no cost.

I don’t think I ever spoke to them or emailed, but they picked my curiosity and I might try in the future.

An extra incentive is that I will move to Italy next year!

6. Oliver Wicks ($719)

A substantial price jump from an online MTM company with good reputation.

Oliver Wicks has a more direct to consumer model in mind, offering a plethora of customization and choice to the customer.

They seem to use a lot of good popular Italian Mills and make their suits in Europe.

In fact, they throw a slight dig at companies making their stuff in China in their about us.

There is a lot of customization as I mentioned and hidden options with free remakes and alteration credit up to $125.

One thing I found slightly funny, is the filter they seem to use on the faces of the people showcasing the products. It looks a bit like cell-shading.

Reviews are very good and my interactions with them were very pleasant last year.

I certainly hope to review one of their suits for you in the near future.

7. Pini Parma ($770)

Pini Parma is an Italian company that is all about contemporary style.

They enter at a higher price point, but their style is very different to most brands on this list.

Instead of using mostly young influencers and display models (such as they did with Andreas Weinås lately), they use more mature classic gentlemen.

You can see in their cuts the favoring of classic, more conservative colors and patterns and higher rise trousers.

Prices are overall higher and there are certain filters that are hard to navigate on their website.

Nonetheless Pini Parma is high on my radar and a good recommendation as a Suitsupply Alternative.

A company I certainly will try in 2021-2022.

8. Proper Cloth ($815)

Proper Cloth is probably the last brand you would think for suiting.

One of the best leading online MTM Shirt companies, Proper Cloth actually makes some “proper” (pun intended) custom suits.

Starting at $815 they are no slouch either but offer great features.

I must admit though that the basic offerings sport Dino Filarte fabrics, which you can get for half the price at Spier & Mackay.

I would personally spend a little more for the VBC fabrics instead.

9. Blugiallo ($909)

Very similarly to Cavour, Blugiallo is a made to measure custom clothier in Scandinavia and specifically Stockholm.

Prices for custom suits begin at around $909 which is quite a bit, but you get the full experience in person.

There is even a custom online consultation and measurements guide for those that cannot book a meeting.

I have been into their showroom in Artillerigatan 6 in Stockholm and I highly recommend checking them out if you visit.

Götrich 1730 is another alternative if you want to go to the Bespoke level.

Good prices and quality with excellent customer feedback. I like their higher waisted trousers for sure.

10. Cavour ($929)

With the most expensive starting price so far, I present you Norwegian store Cavour.

However, at $929 you get premium fabrics, details and a full canvassed suit so they are the perfect alternatives to Suitsupply High End.

Plus, you are buying from a smaller family business run by good and friendly people.

I recently purchased some excellent trousers from them so expect a review soon.

There is a lot to choose from and during sales you can even get up to 50% discounts. A bit over $450 is a great price for a full canvassed suit.

Highly recommending Cavour for the experience, quality and presence.

Conclusions

In the end, you are the one that decides which clothes fit you well metaphorically and literally.

If you enjoy Suitsupply’s offerings then all is well. But at the same time, for the person looking to shake it up a bit or find alternatives, there are plenty.

I will surely buy some baseline items from them again, but I am slowly looking to clear my wardrobe and move to higher quality items.

So if you are a 38R send me a message in the comments and I might have some good deals for you!

Until next time, thank you for being here and keep being awesome and stylish!

Thank you for reading,

Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy