Bespoke Cotton Suit in Brisbane Moss
Steel Grey Organic Cotton Drill
Your new favourite Weekend suit
When it comes to bespoke tailoring, wool is often the best choice. It holds its shape, recovers well, and has a drape and shape unmatched by any other natural fibre. That said, wool will always be a more formal option. It looks great in the office but maybe doesn’t quite sit as well on a weekend in the Cotswolds.
Cotton offers something entirely different. Again, it’s a natural fibre, but one that resists drape, sheds it colour over time and moves about with you. Sounds a little odd. Maybe. But bear with me.
Maybe those are characteristics you want. I mean jeans have done all right for themselves over the years and they are cotton. Some people revere and drool over the fades of 20 years old denim jeans. They have a personal patina like no other. So maybe we should lean into those elements and design garments with aging in mind?
A cotton bespoke suit has a relaxed, tactile character that makes it particularly appealing for modern tailoring. It feels less formal than traditional suiting cloth, while still allowing a beautifully cut bespoke suit to have its own character. Its similar to a linen suit, but with less creasing.
It will fade along the seams. It will develop roping along stitch lines and stretch and mould around your body with each wear. Sure, it won’t keep its shape like wool, but maybe that’s the point. I mean how comfortable are your favourite old jeans (we are working on them too).
And we have machine washed this suit. Its deconstructed and has a little canvas over the shoulders, but held up absolutely fine, and looked better for it.
Cotton is an exceptionally versatile natural fibre. Depending on the weave, weight, and finish, it can be crisp and lightweight, soft, and brushed, or substantial and rugged. This makes cotton particularly interesting for bespoke tailoring, where the cloth can be selected to suit both the wearer and the occasion. A lightweight cotton suit can be ideal for spring and summer, while heavier cottons can create distinctive autumn and winter tailoring.
When we think of cotton here at Colmore Tailors, we think of Brisbane Moss. With heritage dating back to 1858, the British company has built its reputation around cotton fabrics, particularly corduroy, moleskin, and drill. Today, its collection includes flat cottons alongside corduroy, moleskin, velvet, and linen.
I’m always reminded of a colleague telling me about the Pennines and how the water than ran through the mountains was using to wash and finish the cloth. And either side of these you had the best of English cloth makers and merchants. Wool to the east, think Huddersfield and Leeds. And cotton to the west in Manchester and Bradford.
Brisbane Moss is particularly interesting for bespoke tailoring because of the variety of textures and weights available. Their range includes luxurious moleskins, cotton drills, lightweight peached cottons, and organic cotton fabrics. For example, its Tennyson cloth is a luxury mediumweight three-ply peached cotton drill, while its Wordsworth is a lightweight plain-weave peached cotton.
We have just launched our new Cotton & Linen collection (more to come on that) which we stock in house in our Portugal Atelier. The bulk of the fabrics are Brisbane Moss, with some Larusmiani and Di Sondrio from Italy.
The beauty of a cotton bespoke suit is that it doesn't try to imitate wool. Instead, it embraces cotton's natural character: softer structure, subtle texture, and a more relaxed approach to tailoring. Cut correctly, it can be just as sophisticated as a traditional suit, while offering something more individual. Each time you wear it becomes more yours. More Personal.
As i always tell client here. Show cottons no mercy, show it who’s boss. And it will reward you handsomely. It’ll feel a little more Rigid at the start and soften with wear until you won’t want to take it off.
Oh, and it breaks up wonderfully. A 2pc suit is an odd jacket and chino too, if you’re clever with the design (hint, we are).
The cotton suit photographed here is a Brisbane Moss Organic stretch drill. It’s a steel grey and weighs 205grams. Cloth ref BM0105. There is no lining through the body and machine washable linings in the sleeves.
For anyone looking for tailoring with a difference, a bespoke cotton suit is a distinctive choice — comfortable, versatile, and full of character.
Any queries, please ask away.
Thank you for your continued support.
Scott
Birmingham Bespoke Tailor & purveyors of classic bespoke suits & bespoke casualwear, Est 2015.
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e - blog@colmoretailors.co.uk
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Specialists in soft tailoring and men’s bespoke suits and shirts.
