I wrote about Herrainpukimo first time a bit over a year ago when they opened their store in Turku (see the post here). A while ago I got a pleasant message from them if I was interested to give their made-to-measure shirt a try and review it.
The shirt arrived about a month ago, here’s some thoughts of the process.
Taking measurements and choosing details
As said, Herrainpukimo has their shop in Turku which I don’t visit that often but maybe once a year. However they do make visits to Helsinki every once in a while so we agreed to have my measurements taken here.
The first difference between Herrainpukimo and other (not-online) mtm-shirt makers (Schoffa and Isaia) I’ve tried so far was that where the others have given me a “test shirt” (ready to wear-shirt that fits me best) and then marked the alterations that needs to be done to get a perfect result, Herrainpukimo doesn’t use this kind method but just basically use the body measurements to get it right (At this point it can be said that measurements were taken pretty comprehensively, which lead to a very satisfactory outcome) in the first place.
In terms of the fabrics Herrainpukimo has at their website around 30 different options to choose from. If you happen to have a chance to go to their shop or visit some of their “trunk shows” held in other cities, there’s more to choose from (not talking about such range as some bigger companies but around 100-200 different fabrics however). The selection of details (such as collar, cuffs, breast pocket, buttons) is pretty wide including 9 different collar & cuff options, range of different colored buttons (also thick and thin mother of pearl) and whether you want darts on the back of your shirt or not for example. And if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, these guys are more than willing to help you out.
What I ended up with:
- light blue striped oxford-cloth fabric
- thick MoP buttons
- wide spread collar
- round cuffs with one button
- darts on back
- initials embroidered on the left front of the shirt
Excluding the fabric pretty much the choices that I always go for…
Result
After around 4 weeks wait (which I think is pretty normal timeframe for mtm-shirts) my shirt was delivered to my office. It came in a black “plastic bag” (unharmed, nicely folded) which I found a bit surprising solution (which is probably explained by the fact that the company is still young and just trying to keep expenses low) and maybe the first and one of the only negative aspects of this process.
The fabric of shirt the is as expected thick and firm oxford cloth (170g), “beefy” in a good way but not too harsh. After a couple of wash the fabric also seems to held its dimensions well and I haven’t notice any kind of shrinkage, which is good. The shirt is overall machine-stitched, which some might as a sign of lower quality. However all the buttonholes as well as the seams are finished with care (definitely as well as in many more highly priced shirts) so I have to give credit for that.
I may have said it before but in the case of shirts it all comes down to fit - and that I’m pleased with. The shoulders, chest, sleeves and waistline fit really well. Not too baggy, not too tight but just as the shirt is meant to be fit. Just as made to measure-shirt should fit.
Pros / Cons
+ The quality of service
+ Measurements of the shirt were taken with care and the result was perfect
+ Thick and firm fabric
+ Wide collar options / really good looking spread collar
- Initials embroidered in the wrong place (they informed me of this after the shirt had arrived from the factory and before sending it to me + offered to make me a new shirt instead, which I refused.)
- The shirt delivered in a plastic bag
All in all, considering the price range (from 89 euros) Herrainpukimo offers good value for the money and especially in case you are living in Finland, a good alternative for all the “online-mtm”-services you can find.
As said a year ago, they still have a long way to go and learn ahead of them but I hope they will keep doing their thing and developing their business. Good news is also that they will move to a new address later in the spring (Kauppiaskatu 3, Turku).
If you happen to visit Turku, go to check them out!
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