by Christos Zabounis

When I needed to buy my first tuxedo for the wedding reception of Princess Anne-Louise de Broglie, I had two options. Either ready-made or made-to-measure. At the time, I was doing my master’s degree in Paris, and my finances were limited, so I went to a boutique and bought the cheapest one. Big mistake. The pleat on the back of the jacket still haunts me. A little while later, when I started journalism and was invited to cover the Cannes Film Festival, I did the right thing. I went to a tailor. He was an Iranian refugee, and his recommendation said that he had shone in Tehran under the Shah. I still have that tuxedo. Coming to Greece to co-host the TV show “Prive”, with Nikos Hatzinikolaou’s then wife, Elena Katritsi, I again had two choices. Either entrust my appearance to the habilleur, the channel’s stylist, or sew costumes. I preferred the latter. For two years and a month that my television activity lasted, I went back and forth to Nikos Kourlas’ tailoring shop on Voulis Street. There I followed the same identical ritual. The measurements (chest, waist, circumference), the choice of fabric and various details, such as how many buttons the jacket will have, what color the lining will be, whether the trousers will have pleats or lapels, zippers or buttons, while the following question is crucial: on which side will the “monster” rest? In contrast to the uniformity of the ready-made garment industry, the handmade suit satisfies and responds to the uniqueness of the individual. In addition to the ideological approach, there is also an inextricable practical dimension: the male body with perfect proportions is rare. Either one arm will be longer than the other, or one shoulder will be wider than the other, or the jacket will be a different size than the trousers. Last and most important detail. We never wear a “box” suit. We follow the example of the English lords, who place stones in the pockets of their bespoke garments freshly delivered from Savile Row, so that they don’t look like nouveaux.