Alan David’s custom tailored suits are made from the finest fabrics and constructed by some of the best bespoke tailors in the industry.

Alan David custom suits have gained a reputation for their ability to last without puckering, bubbling or shining.

However, even high quality custom suits could benefit from some simple daily maintenance. By following the steps listed below, Alan David clients can easily prolong the life of their custom clothing.

Many clients ask us how long a men’s custom suit should last. The answer to that question depends to a large degree on how often the suit is dry cleaned.

Can you dry clean or wash a suit?

Even though Alan David custom suits are made of the finest materials, when 500 degrees of heat hits a garment over and over, even the best construction will crumble and cause the entire suit to lose its shape.

Moreover, dry cleaning machines can often press down on clothing at a less than optimal angle, distorting the shape of the suit.

How often should a suit be dry cleaned?

Our advice is that you avoid dry cleaning the suit as much as possible. Your custom suit should be dry cleaned only if it is dirty or if it begins to smell.

Note that you should never apply an iron to the suit yourself—you are sure to see your own reflection in the suit the following day.

So, how to clean a suit?

All wool suits, custom or not, are prone to wrinkling. To smoothen your custom suit, hang the jacket on a regular wooden hanger, and hang the pants on woman’s skirt hanger, latching the cuffs on top and letting the waistband drop down toward the floor.

Place the clothes in the bathroom and turn on the hot water. The steam combined with the hanging weight of the clothes will smoothen out the wrinkles.

Other ways to care for your custom suits include:

1. When it rains or snows, be careful to brush the water off rather than press it into your garment. The less water your custom suit absorbs, the longer it will last. Be sure to hang your custom suits on sturdy and wide wood hangers. Plastic hangers will cause your jacket shoulders to compress.
2. While the dry cleaner should be avoided whenever possible, spend a few extra dollars and go to a reputable place. You will save money in the long run.
3. When packing your suit for a trip always put a plastic bag over it. This will prevent wrinkling and protect the suit in case something spills inside your case.
4. Try not to use the front pockets of the suit at all, but if you must use them, make sure the items are light, like business cards or handkerchiefs. Placing anything with any kind of substantial weight in the front pockets causes the front of the coat to sag down and lose its shape. It also does damage to the inside lining and potentially the fabric behind it.
5. Try and rotate the wearing of your suits as evenly as possible. Wearing a suit two days in a row or three times in a week is a recipe for disaster.



6. Always hang up your custom suits. Leaving them laying around only leads to excessive wrinkling and an eventual trip to the dry cleaner. In addition, throwing suits on the floor or bed etc. leaves the suit in an unusual position for a long period of time and will eventually cause certain delicate parts of the suit (like the lapel) to lose its shape.
7. Never separate the jacket and the pant as an outfit. Always wear them together. If you start wearing the jacket as a stand alone blazer as well as with the suit, the jacket will wear out faster than the pant. On that note, when you dry clean a suit, always dry clean both the jacket and pant-doing one without the other might cause the color to fade differently.
8. Always remove the garment bag before hanging up your custom suit. Hanging up in a garment bag for a prolonged amount of time will not allow the fibers and fabric of the suit to “breathe“. This will lead to a breakdown in the construction of the garment.
9. If you are a bit on the heavy side or if your legs are muscular, ask your tailor to affix a crotch lining into the trousers. This is just a soft piece of cotton in the crotch area that prevents the trousers from wearing out in the thigh area.

In Manhattan, custom suits are subjected to even more wear and tear so follow the above instructions and your suits will last two to three years longer.

For any additional questions about suit care and custom suit maintenance, please contact Alan or Arnold at 212-227-4040.

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About the Author: Alan Horowitz

Alan Horowitz is the owner of Alan David Custom. Having grown up in the custom tailoring business, Alan values taking care of his clients and always going above and beyond to ensure 100% satisfaction. Alan David Custom has become the best custom tailor in New York City. Alan is a 4th generation tailor with an expertise in measuring and pattern making.