Tailors
I get all my suits and shirts for work tailored, I am 6'3" and struggle to get clothes off the peg that fit me. This has got worse as I have aged and added a few pounds around my middle and neck. Don't turn off and think that this is an elitist idea and not suitable for people like you. I get my tailoring done in Bangkok, I have been going to the same tailor for 5 years and they are excellent.
I am fortunate in as much as I live in Asia so it is not a problem to jump on a plane once a year and buy a couple of new suits and a bag full of shirts. I can do this for considerably less than buying the same amount of clothes from the high street and my flight is usually under US$250.
The Tailor that I use, as with many tailors in Asia uses a factory for their manufacturing. This may be as simple as a room full of sewing machines and some skilled machinists, I have never seen it. I am sure however that given an uplift in trade they would find a way to manufacture more than their current needs.
The key to this is providing a premium service at an affordable price. Similar businesses have been run by the likes of Charles Tyrwhitt and Thomas Pink specifically relating to shirts, with different cuffs, collars etc. but in more or less standard sizes. Providing you are comfortable using a tape measure (or willing to learn) you can offer a full bespoke service for shirts, suits and casual trousers.
The obvious answer is to open a shop and run the orders and delivery side from there, but it is not the only business model. You can read the section on opening a shop in our "finding customers" pages or alternatively you may want to think about: -
Setting up a web site
Offering your service from home
Starting a mobile tailor service
Whilst EBAY is not really an option for bespoke tailoring, you could still
set up a web site that instructs customers how to take their own measurements.
You could allow them to choose their collars, cuffs, materials etc. by clicking
on available choices and undertake the whole ordering process automatically.
The tailors can make up the order and bill your business but deliver the goods
direct to the customer, if you have taken payment (or a healthy deposit) online.
See our pages on setting up a website in the "finding customers" pages to make
sure you understand the importance of promoting your site offline.
Whilst a shop is ideal, if you are able to promote the business using your local media, yellow pages etc. there is no reason why people should not come to your house for measurements, payment and collection of their garments.
The 3rd idea is that you use a van to drive to your customers, or along a set route. This creates convenience for your customers and means that you will not only measure them at their home (or office) but that you can deliver there too. Some people will prefer this level of service whilst others will prefer the reassurance that they get from knowing where you are based and how to find you if there is a problem.
Whether you do this at home, in a shop, or from a van you should make sure that you have pictures of the styles available, or samples if possible. You should also have cloth samples so that your customers can touch and feel the quality of the materials that will be used and so that you can try to persuade them to take the more expensive cloth options. It will also help if you keep some photos, or letters of recommendations from your satisfied customers to show new customers that this unusual service can work.
I use a tailor called Gulati Fashions in Bangkok. Feel free to contact them using gulati@loxinfo.co.th There are plenty of other outfits throughout Asia however, some more reliable than others. You will be able to find them by searching for "tailor" and a city name. For example "Tailor Bangkok" or "Tailor KL". You will need to find email contacts that are willing/able to communicate with you in English and who can support your need for fabric samples, sample collars etc. The tailors that I have used would all be happy to support you in this, as it means additional income for them.
You will be able to get tailor made suits for your customers at prices similar to high street prices, but with the choices usually only available through Expensive British tailors.
By taking away the need to travel abroad for this service you are saving them a fortune.
There will of course be a waiting period whilst items are posted, clear customs etc.
Ask the Tailors what discount they will give you and whether it will change when you hit certain pre-agreed volumes.
If you have never taken measurements then you may want to fly out and visit your chosen tailor to learn how to do it to their standards.