Department stores and designer boutiques offer an unending variety of fine menswear. The upside is instant gratification, available from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. So why spend 10 times more at places like Anderson & Sheppard on London's 'bespoke mile' — Savile Row? There are many who argue that a dark suit looks pretty much like any other dark suit. Yet, those in the know, and those who do wear bespoke tailored suits, will swear by them and would never consider being seen in anything else.

So what's the secret? A handmade, bespoke suit from a Savile Row tailor is the male equivalent of haute couture for the ladies. Each is 100 per cent customised to fit the wearer's body size, silhouette, height and posture. Accurate measurements are the crucial first step, taking into account the many individual nuances of a person's body — for example, the slightest differences in the slopes of the two shoulders; in the bulk and length of the biceps, arms and legs; and in the vagaries of one's torso. At least 27 measurements are taken and a minimum of 50 man hours go into each suit, which usually requires two to four weeks to complete.

A century ago, no one got anywhere in Savile Row without an introduction from a tailor's friend or an existing customer. These being somewhat more egalitarian and challenging times though, Anderson & Sheppard has opened its doors to walk-in clients, each of whom is assigned a personal tailor to look after his needs. The tailor will advise and guide the client through the surprising variety of options available for a bespoke suit, including the selection of fabric samples and designs.

And there are more decisions to make — a single or double lapel, a waistcoat, vest, button shapes and sizes, crests, monograms, number and shapes of inside pockets — even the exact jacket length. How about a cravat, a matching bow tie, and perhaps a lining of wildly exuberant patterns that give a jacket that flash of colour, albeit one that is not seen when worn? And what about shirts? It may be this minute and meticulous measurement and expertise in details that led former Gucci creative director Tom Ford, who doubtlessly knows a stitch or two about well-made apparel, to hail Anderson & Sheppard as "the best tailor in the world". But the company also claims fame on two other fronts. Says spokesperson Anda Rowland: "Our distinctive house style is softer and less constructed than our neighbours', making our suits as comfortable as they are elegant. This style, acclaimed in the annals of fashion as the 'English drape', has graced the frames of distinguished gentlemen the world over."

The English drape is the enduring legacy of tailor Frederick Scholte who, in the early 20th century, liberated gentlemen from the constraints of military suits and The English drape is the enduring legacy of tailor Frederick Scholte who, in the early 20th century, liberated gentlemen from the constraints of military suits and court dress, the way Coco Chanel managed to do decades later for women. In 1919, Scholte attracted the attention of the dandy Prince of Wales, future Duke of Windsor, and launched a revolution that made it permissible and desirable to wear soft suits instead of the socially prescribed morning and evening coats of Edwardian times. Scholte passed his skill on to Per Anderson, who partnered with Sidney Horatio Sheppard and established Anderson & Sheppard.

Anderson & Sheppard is different in another way — it is the only Savile Row firm to remain purely a bespoke operation, with all garments handmade in England. It has no franchises or ready-to-wear outlets, so you will never find a foreign branch. While no suit lasts forever, an Anderson & Sheppard bespoke garment is kept and used by its owner for decades. When Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005, he wore a morning suit made for him by Anderson & Sheppard 13 years earlier.

Declares managing director John Hitchcock, "A 10-year-old suit by us is considered new. Our cutters and tailors are only too happy to make alterations so their forebears' work can be enjoyed by another generation." Indeed, it is not uncommon for a father to hand down his Anderson & Sheppard suit to his son, provided the size difference is not too extreme.

All these translate to customer loyalty, but perhaps there is one additional touch that Anderson & Sheppard has perfected. In his first visit to the shop, photographer Bruce Webber remarked, "For some odd reason, the staff understood me more than any of my psychiatrists."

Tailor-made therapy, anyone?

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