In Review: Indochino’s Custom Suits

They’re a favorite among social media influencers, but are Indochino suits actually any good?

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Unfortunately for those of us who are obsessively fussy particularly detailed about our style, it’s basically impossible to get a perfect suit fit right off the rack.

An off-the-rack suit is more like a template than a finished product:

The suit jacket might fit properly in the chest, but the chances of the torso, armholes, sleeve length and pants all fitting perfectly are slim to none.

And, sure, a local tailor can help you get a better fit by taking in the sides and making some alterations to the sleeves and pants. 

But good tailors are both hard to find and expensive. And even for the best ones, there’s really only so much that they can do. 

Enter Indochino 

Where detail-oriented clotheshorses see a problem, made-to-measure brand Indochino saw an opportunity.

While other brands like Banana Republic, J.Crew and Suitsupply sell off-the-rack suits in premium fabrics, Indochino was one of the first companies in North America to offer personalization (and a proper fitting suit) at scale. 

Instead of starting with a one-size-fits-none suit that needs significant alterations to fit well, Indochino suits are specifically made to your own measurements, resulting in a fully customized, made-to-measure suit. 

Irreverent Gent founder Dave Bowden being fitted for an Indochino suit
Indochino’s big pitch is that a made-to-measure suit will look much better than something off-the-rack. Are they right? Let’s find out…

Which sounds great in theory, but brings up a couple important questions: 

First, does an MTM suit really look that much better than a well tailored suit off the rack? 

(Or is this just marketing spin from a company that knows we’re all special little snowflakes who will throw money at anyone who makes us feel like James Bond?)  

And second, how much is it gonna cost? 

Traditionally, a Bespoke suit made to your specific measurements costs at least a couple thousand bucks, and maybe more depending on the fabric quality.  

Is it really possible to offer an affordable custom suit, or do they just use a low sticker price to get you in the door, then upsell you on suit fabric and customization options? 

To answer these questions (and a bunch of others), below I’ve put together an in-depth review of Indochino suits that assesses everything from the fitting process and made-to-measure experience to the price point and overall quality of the end product.  


In a Hurry? Here’s the Gist ↓

I’ve owned one Indochino suit for more than five years and got a second one a few months back. Overall I’m impressed with the fit, durability, and value-for-price proposition, but no suit (or suit-maker) is perfect.

You can read my full thoughts on their suits and fitting process below, but here’s a quick summary of what I liked and disliked:

What I Like About Indochino:

  • The fit is legit: Their fitting process results in a suit that both looks and moves better than off-the-rack options 
  • Quick process: Getting measured and choosing the customizations is surprisingly quick
  • Lots of options: You can customize (damn-near) everything, so you get exactly what you want 
  • Great price-to-value ratio: This really is one of the best suits for the money, IMO

What I Don’t Like About It:

  • Need in-person fitting: You can order online, but you’ll get a better fit if you go get measured in-store
  • Delivery time: It takes between four to six weeks for your suit to arrive

In-Depth Indochino Suit Review

Are their custom suits really better than off-the-rack options?
An Irreverent Gent Investigation

Review Methodology & Disclosure

I own two different suits from Indochino, and based this review on my experience with both. 

I bought my first Indochino suit back in 2019 as a member of my friend’s wedding party, and I’ve been wearing it off and on for years now. 

The second suit was provided complementary by Indochino in November of 2023. They didn’t ask for anything in exchange, other than my honest, unfiltered thoughts, but I want to be upfront about the fact that I didn’t have to pay for it (which is a nice perk of this job, obviously).

Suit 1:

Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing a blue Indochino suit

Suit 2:

Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing a green Indochino suit

In both cases I went for an in-person fitting at an Indochino showroom. The second time around they knew I was a blogger who would be writing a review, which no doubt skewed the customer service experience to some degree. 

But back in 2019 I was just a regular customer who they didn’t know from Adam, so I’m also able to draw from my experience as an honest-to-goodness customer.

If you’re interested in how we rate and review products, you can check out our product review and roundup policy here to learn more.

OK, enough preamble! Let’s examine Indochino…


Overview: Indochino  

Founded in 2007 by Kyle Vucko and Heikal Gani, Indochino is a Canadian company with more than 50 brick-and-mortar stores across North America. 

As mentioned above, their whole business model is based on offering custom suits at an affordable price. 

A sales clerk helping a customer at Indochino

They distinguish themselves from both a traditional department store and similarly priced competitors like Suitsupply by offering high quality, fully made-to-measure suits that aren’t just made for your general body type, but for your exact body. 

In addition to offering a personalized fit, the other big part of their pitch is the ability to customize almost every aspect of the suit, from major factors like the fabric type, lapel style and number of buttons, to subtle details like the button color, lining and pocket flaps. 

How do they manage to offer that much personalization while keeping the price in reasonable territory? 

By offshoring the manufacturing. 


Where are Indochino Suits Made?

Once you get fitted and order your suit from one of Indochino’s showrooms (or their website), your measurements are sent to their factory in Dalian, China, where the suit is assembled to your specifications. 

To their credit, Indochino doesn’t try to hide this, or mislead anyone about how the sausage (or in this case, the suit) gets made. 

Indochino worker in China sewing a suit together
Indochino is transparent about the fact that they’re suits are made in China

They’re obviously aware that most North Americans don’t associate the phrase “Made in China” with exceptional quality, so they have a page on their website specifically dedicated to the quality controls, social responsibility and sustainability of their manufacturing process. 

Personally I’ve never been one to judge a book by its cover, or a suit by its country of origin. 

So without further adieu, let’s take a look at both the in-store experience and end product to find out if Indochino’s suits are up to snuff. 


The Ordering Process 

Choosing the Fabric 

Photo of fabric samples in Indochino store

Indochino offers a ton of options for your suit’s fabric, which is both liberating and intimidating. 

On the one hand it’s great because you’re not limited to whatever seasonal fabrics the store happens to have on hand. But if you don’t have a strong sense of what you want going in, it can be a little bit overwhelming. 

Know (What You Want) Before You Go 

The first time I went to Indochino back in 2019, I was spared this choice because my friend Dan, the groom, knew he wanted a dark blue suit for both himself and his groomsmen. 

But the second time around I could choose whatever I wanted, and decided to opt for a dark green check suit

Indochino fabrics
Indochino has dozens of fabric options available at any given time, which is great if you know what you want, and potentially a little overwhelming if you don’t

If you’re buying your first suit ever then I probably wouldn’t recommend a dark green patterned fabric, but at this point I own more than one navy suit and wanted something different, so I was happy to take advantage of Indochino’s expanded options. 

Relatively Easy to Choose  

Since I knew I wanted green, the actual process of picking the right one was easy, and kind of fun. 

The store rep showed me all of the green fabric options and talked me through the weight of each one so I knew which ones were best for a lightweight summer suit, which ones were heavier and better for winter, and which ones were good year-round. 

I settled on a medium-weight Monterosso wool suit that’s a little heavy for summer but can definitely be worn in spring, fall and winter. 

Close up of Monterosso Check Hunter green fabric
I chose a “Monterosso Check Hunter Green” fabric that works in three seasons, and can look either dark or medium-hued, depending on the light

Customizations

After choosing the fabric, the store rep pulls out an iPad and walks you through all of the customization options Indochino offers. 

Speaking as someone who already owns a lot of suits, I increasingly find myself wanting something other than the standard, notch-lapel blue or gray suit you see so many guys wearing at weddings nowadays. 

So being able to customize so many different options according to my personal preference was probably my favorite part of the whole experience. 

Screenshot of Indochino customizations
There are a ton of customization options, which the sales clerk walked me through one by one
Screenshot of Indochino customizations
There are a ton of customization options, which the sales clerk walked me through one by one

This is another area that can be a little intimidating if you don’t know what you want, but both times I did it, I found that the store reps are quite good at helping you understand the choices. 

For instance, my friend Dan toyed with the idea of doing wide peak lapels for his wedding suit, which caused his groomsmen to exchange concerned looks as we wondered how to talk him out of it. “Ummm, well, that’s one way to go…” 

But the store rep quickly convinced him that it might not be the best option, explaining that a regular width lapel would probably work better for both his body type and the slimmer cut of the suit.  

He settled on a three piece suit with a notch lapel, while the rest of us had classic two-pieces. 

My second Indochino was also a two-piece, single breasted suit, but I opted for a peak lapel.  

I was tempted to go for a three-piece, but I already have a couple and find that, unless I’m wearing it in the dead of winter, I usually leave the vest at home because it gets too hot.  


Measurements & Fitting

Considering the level of precision that Indochino claims to offer, I was surprised by just how fast the fitting process was—and a little nervous that they were blowing through it too quickly. 

They have a big rack with dummy jackets and pants that come in standard off-the-rack sizes, which they use as a starting point: 

Selfie in mirror during first stage of Indochino fitting
The fitting process starts by grabbing a dummy jacket off the rack and pinning it up. (I feel compelled to clarify that my sourpuss look is because I hate taking photos of myself; the process itself was actually kinda fun.)

Once they find the standard suit size that’s closest to your proportions, the reps get out their tape measures and start pinning the jacket and pants so that the manufacturer will know exactly how to cut your suit. 

While being able to choose things like the lapel type and breast pocket style is nice, in my opinion this is where the advantage of customization really comes into play. 

Shot from behind showing Irreverent Gent founder Dave Bowden wearing a pinned jacket during Indochino fitting

When you take an off the rack suit to a tailor (or even a good dry cleaner), they’ll also start pinning up the pants and sleeves so you can get a more tapered look. 

But there won’t be much, if anything, they can do about the height of the arm hole, the roundness of the jacket’s shoulders, or the distance between the crotch of your pants and your actual crotch. 

Of course, it’s also worth noting that not everyone will notice or care about these differences, at least not consciously. 

But the (handsome) devil is in the details, and for those of us who are sartorially inclined, these are exactly the kind of fit issues that just can’t be addressed after a suit is manufactured. 

So, assuming that their measurements were accurate (about which more below), this is really what distinguishes Indochino and other custom-suit makers from off-the-rack competitors like Suitsupply and J. Crew.   


Ordering In-Store vs Online 

Based on the two experiences I’ve had with Indochino, I would definitely recommend going in-store for your first Indochino suit. 

Sure, it’s possible to measure things like your inseam and sleeve length at home, so technically you could measure yourself, enter the details into their website, and order online. 

But the measurements you (or your partner) take at home aren’t going to be nearly as accurate as the ones they take in-store. 

Plus, the sales reps in-store will notice things that you probably wouldn’t catch at home.

When I went for my most recent fitting, the rep noticed that my shoulders were (a teeny, tiny bit) broader than average, so he made a note that my suit’s shoulders should be a little wider than standard.   

Those are the kind of details that an experienced suit fitter will notice in-store, but you can’t really capture at home. 

The other big advantage of going in-store is that you get to take advantage of their Fit Promise, which is basically Indochino’s guarantee that your suit will fit perfectly. 

They only offer the promise to suits that were fitted in-store, so if you start with an online order, you don’t get the same piece of mind. 

But with all of that said, once you’ve gone through the process and you’re happy with the fit of the suit you ordered in-store, you can definitely order your next suit online. 

Indochino keeps your measurements on file and gives you plenty of detail about each fabric available, so you can just login to the website, pick a new fabric and select your preferred customization options.  


Delivery Time 

Illustration of a calendar
[image: brgfx / Freepik]

A custom suit may offer a lot of advantages, but this is one area where off-the-rack options have the edge. 

It takes a lot longer to get fitted for, order, and receive a custom suit than it does to pick one off-the-rack and get it tailored. 

This was also one area where I definitely noticed a difference between my first suit, which I bought as an anonymous customer, and the second, which they sent to me knowing that I was a blogger who would (in all likelihood) be writing a review. 

The first time around, my suit took about five weeks to arrive. Indochino says from the outset that it could take up to six weeks, so it wasn’t late by any means, but it also isn’t quick. 

But my second suit arrived within a month, which is still not lighting fast, but was significantly faster than my first experience. 

I only have the two Indochino suits, so this is still anecdotal rather than hard data, but I suspect that my first experience is the more common one, and most people will have to wait five to six weeks for their suit to arrive. 

Total Score for the Ordering Process:
4/5 

Ordering Process Pros and Cons:


The Suits Themselves

The ordering and customization processes are a big part of Indochino’s value proposition, but at the end of the day, we all know what matters the most: 

Suits.

(The ones Indochino sells, not the show that made Meghan Markle famous. [Although apparently that matters again too?])

Below I’ll break down both the Fit & Aesthetics and Comfort & Wearability of the two Indochino suits I own, and see how their price tags and overall value compare to other comparably priced suits on the market. 


Suit 1, Purchased in 2019: 

Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing a blue Indochino suit
Since getting this suit I’ve lost a bit of weight, but when I first got fitted it was what Detective Jake Peralta might call “toit”

Back in 2019 slim fit suits were still all the rage (at least among my elder millennial cohort), so I opted for a very tapered look at the time. 

I have a distinct memory of standing next to my friend and fellow groomsmen as we both got our pants pinned, and thinking that I should insist on having a tight taper through the calf, lest the other guys fail to notice how f*cking cool and fashion-forward I (thought I) was.

And I got exactly what I asked for—for better and for worse. 

Fit & Aesthetics 

Aesthetically, I wasn’t wrong. The suit looked like a million bucks, for a few reasons. 

The merino wool fabric that we ended up going with was a great sort of medium-dark shade of blue, and had a nice texture that was both soft to the touch and visually appealing.  

When I first put it on and stood in front of the mirror I was quite happy with what I saw. 

Until I moved.  

Comfort & Wearability 

Because of my insistence on the slimmest-possible fit, both the jacket and the pants were snug, which left me with precious little margin for error. 

There were a couple times at the wedding where I worried that if I followed Lil Jon’s instructions and got low on the dance floor, I might split my damn pants. 

A super slim fit like the one I had might work fine if you mostly wear your suits to the office, where all you have to do is stand up and sit down. 

Stylized image of Dave Bowden wearing blue suit
This was from the wedding in 2019 where I first wore the suit. (I now use it on my About page, hence the photoshopped text.)

As you can (sorta) see from my desperate attempt to flex my triceps as hard as humanly possible, I had a bit more muscle back then, which made for an almost-too-tight fit.

But I mostly wear suits to weddings, where I tend to move around a lot, so a super tight fit can be pretty constricting. 

In hindsight, I wish I had taken advantage of the final fitting, and taken the suit back in so they could let out the pants and the torso of the jacket a little more. 

But I can’t fault Indochino for my own poor choices: they did a good job and delivered what I (perhaps ill-advisedly) asked for. 

My Thoughts Five Years Later 

Dave Bowden wearing blue Indochino suit
After five years and a lot of wears, my first Indochino suit is still in surprisingly good shape

I’ve worn the suit quite a few times since that first wedding, and for the most part I would say I’m happier with it today than I was five years ago. 

Part of that has nothing to do with Indochino, and everything to do with life: 

I’ve lost a few pounds since 2019, so the suit is a bit roomier now than it was then, and in my opinion fits even better. 

Which is great, because it’s also held up remarkably well. 

In the past I would buy cheap (and unfortunately, sometimes even not-so-cheap) suits that weren’t well constructed, which would literally start to fall apart at the seams after too much wear. 

But after five years, my initial Indochino suit is still going strong. 

The construction has proven to be impressively durable, with no loose threads and – even more importantly – no signs of tearing or tension at the seams.  

Close up of suit lapel
After five years you might expect loose threads to appear, especially in places like the lapel hole and button holes, but so far so good

Suit 2, Provided by Indochino in 2023: 

Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing Green Indochino suit

When I went to get fitted for my second Indochino suit in the fall of 2023, I was a little more experienced, and a lot more conscious of what to ask for in order to get a good fit. 

The overall result was a suit that I’m much happier with, and one I suspect I’ll be wearing for many years to come. 

But, as a reminder, I’ll mention again that they knew I was a blogger this time around. 

To be honest I don’t know how much that affected the quality of the output since my first (anonymous) experience with them was pretty strong, but I wanted to mention it again. 

OK, let’s look at the second suit. 

Fit & Aesthetics 

Having learned my lesson the first time, this time my instructions to the store clerk were a little more forward-looking, and as a result my second suit fits much better. 

It’s still fairly slim and cuts a flattering silhouette, but it’s not so tight that it looks painted on, which the first one kind of did before I lost some weight.  

Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing Green Indochino suit
This shot gives you a good sense of two things: how well the suit fits, and, again, how much I f@$&ing hate posing for photos

This suit really nails my body’s proportions, with all the markers of a perfect fit: 

  • The shoulder seam lines up perfectly with my actual shoulder 
  • The sleeve length leaves about half an inch of shirt cuff exposed, exactly how I like it 
  • The bottom of the jacket hits just below the pockets of the pants
    • If it went down further it would make me look too short, but if it hit higher up it would make the jacket look more like a woman’s suit, and therefore too feminine
  • The pants taper nicely from my quads down to my ankles, without being so tight that they’re hard to squeeze into 
  • The break on the bottom of the pants is exactly what I asked for: not so short that there’s no break at all, but not so much that it crumples up on top of the shoe

Comfort & Wearability 

As you can imagine, the better fit resulted in a more comfortable wear than my first suit, which was to be expected. 

The only real complaint I have, which is less about Indochino and more about traditional suit collections in general, is that I’ve really come to appreciate suits with a bit of stretch

Now that I’m a middle-aged dad who’s constantly chasing kids around, I find myself gravitating more toward stretchy, comfortable clothing, even if – and I can’t believe I’m admitting this – that means sacrificing a bit of style.  

I’ve been wearing suits from brands like State & Liberty and XSuit, which are made with the same kind of stretchy fabrics usually found in athleisure, and really enjoying how they combine the sharp style of a suit with the stretch and comfort of gym clothes.  

In hindsight I kind of wish I had gone with one of Indochino’s stretch suits, although the color and fabric options are more limited

Indochino actually has their own line of stretch suits, but the tradeoff is that they’re not available in as many fabric colors or patterns. 

I really wanted the hunter green pattern, so I opted for a 100% wool suit. It’s as comfortable as an all-wool suit can be, and might age better if this whole “stretch suit” thing turns out to be a passing fad. 

But there’s still part of me that wishes I had compromised on style just a little bit and opted for one of their stretch options, which combine 3% spandex with either cotton or wool. 

Total Score for the Suits:
4.5/5

Pros and Cons of Indochino Suits:


Indochino Price & Value 

Black graphic showing gold dollar sign
And – more to the point – is it worth it?

Indochino’s pricing for custom-made suits ranges between $300 to $700. 

Both of the suits I tried were in the middle of their price range: 

The first one, the Hereford model in “cavalry twill indigo,” costs $499, while the second, the Monterosso in check hunter green (which, again, was provided by Indochino) costs $599. 

In both cases, I was very happy with the quality relative to the price.  

They were both 100% wool, but the Hereford model used a heritage tweed that was previously used in military uniforms. It’s not the softest wool in the world, but the rugged pedigree helps explain why it’s held up so well over the past five years. 

By contrast, the Monterosso wool was sourced from the Guabello mill in Northern Italy, and feels noticeably softer and higher quality to the touch, which in my opinion justifies the extra hundred bucks. 


Indochino Price Comparisons

When it comes to price, Indochino stacks up pretty favorably when you compare it to other suit brands, especially since a lot of them sell off-the-rack suit collections rather than custom fits. 

Even against its closest competitors, Indochino offers one of the lowest average price ranges. 

And when compared to the next lowest-priced custom suit option, Oliver Wicks, Indochino’s average price point is nearly 40 percent cheaper:

BrandAverage PriceCustom suits?
Indochino524
J.Crew498
Banana Republic565
Oliver Wicks849
Suitsupply (Off-the-Rack)973
Brooks Brothers998.5
Suitsupply (Custom-made)1048
Black Lapel1099
BrandLowest PriceHighest PriceAverage PriceCustom suits?
Indochino$349$699524
J.Crew$376$620498
Banana Republic$450$680565
Oliver Wicks$699$999849
Suitsupply (Off-the-Rack)$498$1,448973
Brooks Brothers$699$1,298998.5
Suitsupply (Custom-made)$648$1,4481048
Black Lapel$699$1,4991099

Some of the companies listed above offer fabrics with a higher super count and suits that are full-canvas rather than half-canvas, both of which drive their prices up. 

But having owned and worn suits from J.Crew, Banana Republic and Suit supply, in my opinion the overall quality of Indochino’s suits is on par with those three brands, and the value might actually be higher thanks to the customization options.  

Total Score for Price and Value:
4.7/5


Conclusion & Final Thoughts

Are Indochino suits good?

Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing a blue Indochino suit
Irreverent Gent Founder Dave Bowden wearing a green Indochino suit

In my experience yes, Indochino’s suits are quite good, especially for the price. 

They’re (by far) the lowest-priced custom suit option out there, and I’ve found that the quality is as good or superior to some of their more expensive competitors, who don’t offer the same level of customization. 

To be clear, they’re not perfect. 

After you get fitted for your suit it can sometimes take a long time (up to six weeks) to arrive, their suits are only half-canvassed, and the experience of having to choose every single detail can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you want before arriving. 

But even when you bake all of that into your calculation, the truth is that if you’re looking for a suit that’s custom fit, high-quality, well-made, and well-priced, there’s no better option.  

Total Score for Indochino Quality, Style & Value:
4.4/5


The Recap ↓

Overall Score for Indochino’s Custom Suits

Dave Bowden

Ordering Process: 4/5
Fit, Look, Comfort & Quality: 4.5/5
Price and Value: 4.7/5

Summary

In my experience, Indochino’s suits are quite good—especially for the price. 
They’re the lowest-priced custom suit option out there, and I’ve found that the quality is as good or superior to some of their more expensive competitors, many of whom don’t offer the same level of customization. 

4.5

More Resources ↓

More Men’s Suits and Style Advice Irreverent Gent:

About Dave Bowden

Dave Bowden

Founder, Irreverent Gent
Author, Man in Command and Stop Doubting, Start Dating
Writer, Really Wordy Author Bios

Dave Bowden is a style blogger, menswear expert and best-selling author (in Canada—but still!) whose advice on how to look good and live well has been featured in New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Men's Health and more.

When not obsessing over style and self-improvement, he can usually be found spending time with his wonderful wife and two amazing sons, indulging in a hoppy craft beer, or sobbing over the woeful state of Toronto's sports teams.

Check out Dave's Style Story to find out how a chance encounter with his friend's step-dad taught him the value of looking good and living well (don't worry—it's less creepy than it sounds!), or email him at [email protected] if you want to get in touch.