J. Hilburn
Our test run of the online custom men’s shirt maker
Having navigated the uncertain world of online made-to-measure services, we were delighted to receive the fruits of our recent test run with J. Hilburn. The men’s clothier was one of the pioneers of online MTM, and their experience shows both in the quality cut and professional level of service. The process started with a visit from J. Hilburn’s Creative Director, Jon Patrick—all shoppers start by booking a style advisor online—who led me through sizing, fabric selection and cuts while also offering insight on the rise and fall of different themes of suiting styles.
While J. Hilburn’s selection of swatches is certainly impressive, the cuff and collar options are where you really notice the service. The 14 collars include a variety of spreads, button-downs and even the elusive tab collar. Of the 10 cuff choices, the standard barrel and French options are augmented for rounded, squared or notch finishings. I elected to monogram the inside of the collar, and J. Hilburn accommodated a request for contrast stitching around the final button-hole in CH green.
J. Hilburn provides a blank template for customers to design their ideal shirt from endless potential combinations, or, if preferred, advice and guidance through a team of representatives. The clothing also represents Patrick’s notion of how a shirt should fit and look. While there are many points of departure for style and cut, the end result is in keeping with his vision of contemporary style.
One of the things that separates J. Hilburn from the competitors is their use of high-grade fabrics. In addition to the blue gingham milled in Italy by Tessitura Monti, I also received a shirt with a floral pattern from the historic Liberty of London. For future purchases directly through the website, all my sizing information has been stored.
J. Hilburn keeps the price low by vertically integrating the production and leaving out the retailer. Their custom shirts start at $109 online. Not limited to shirts, the clothier also makes beautiful jackets, pants and suits with the same level for measure and care as their shirts.
