Product quality
a philosophy of constant improvement
Thanks to its roots in the French textile industry Formens has, from its very beginning, benefited from the expertise of specialists stemming from leading companies such as VESTRA, a renowned French industry pioneer, to create a unique automated order processing chain, that would later on be perfected by the knowledge of d’Avenza master tailors – a world-class italian tailoring brand, known for crafting the suits of some of the most proeminent figures of the 80’s.
This philosophy of constant improvement pervades every aspect of our business, be it the optimization of our processing chain, the design of our patterns, or the expansion of our product offerings.
The most acurate and steamlined measurement process on the market
Based on a tailoring modeling project carried out in the 80’s by VESTRA, we have created a completely automated order processing chain using internally developed software applications combined with Gerber’s custom-tailoring applications.
This process goes way beyond simple size adjustments of the jacket and trousers, and allows instead us to create a model that adapts to the morphology of each customer.
with several observations :
- Assessing the person's posture, which can be normal, stooped, or reversed.
- Observing the shoulder lines (either left and right), which can be normal, low, or high.
- Observing the chest's silhouette, which can be normal, flat, or strong.
each one of these individual factors is then :
- Applied to any combination between our 3 jacket and 3 trousers base-patterns...
- That are then selected among one of 20 individual try-on sizes...
- To finally be adjusted and refined on 44 individual measurement points for jackets, and 76 for suits...
All these steps result in a unique suit made according to one of the 18,264 possible alteration combinations available in our database.
This meticulous system ensures that each garment is tailored to perfectly fit every body type, and cater to each customer’s style and cut preferences.
All while maintaining the high efficacy and ease-of-use of a completely automated process, conveniently operated by a single centralized online platform – the very same that allows you to place, track and manage your orders.
Perfecting the pattern:
the heritage of the master tailors of old
When it comes to Made-To-Measure products, even the most meticulous and refined measuring process is nothing without its true foundation : expertly made patterns.
In this regard, the fit and quality of our products soared to new heights after to our September 2021 acquisition of a stake in d’Avenza, an italian tailoring brand known throughout the world during the 80’s for dressing the world’s elite with handmade garments of an unparalleled quality.
A brief history of d'Avenza...
The brand was founded in 1976 in Carrara Italy, but traces its sartorial origins all the way back to 1935 through its parent company Chester Barrie, a pioneer that revolutionized Ready-To-Wear by combining large scale production with the excellence of bespoke workmanship.
Employing over 600 skilled craftsmen at its peak, the company's fame grew so much that it had a three-year waiting list for new customers, overflowing with requests coming from every corner of the world.
The brand reached its zenith in the mid-1980s and was, sadly, disrupted in 1987 by the sudden illness of its manager, Tony Clay, which ultimately led to the company's bankrupcy in 1994. A blow from which d'Avenza didn't manage to recover, despite it's new owners repeated attempts to relaunch the brand during the two following decades.
Yet not all was lost, for in the mean time, Tony Clay's son Jonathan had learned the trade from his father and developed his own company in London, after working with the best tailors on Savile Row. His company thrived, and Jonathan returned to Carrara where he decided to search for master tailors that once made d'Avenza so famous, and recently restarted the legacy that was passed down by his father.
Men may fall ill, companies may fail, but true legacies persist.
Formens is proud to take part in the preservation of this legacy, not only by partnering in the brand’s revival, but also by integrating its precious knowledge to its own Made-To-Measure products and processes.
All our base-patterns have undergone thorough reviews and refinements, benefiting from the mastery of d’Avenza’s skilled craftsmen, and from the decades of sartorial knowledge accumulated by each generation of staff and management.
As a result, Formens has earned its reputation in the industry as a Romanian company infused with the legacy of Italian and British sartorial tradition.
A commitment to product R&D
Our past as as a significant player in the ready-to-wear market – an industry that demands continuous innovation to maintain consumer interest – has endowed us with the people and skills to fuel the ongoing creation of fresh made-to-measure products, styles and options.
Our product range is already among the broadest in the industry, and it’s still growing.