Bespoke Trousers

Pleated Trousers.

More comfortable, more classical, and currently experiencing a well-deserved revival.

The pleated trouser has been the victim of fashion. For a period, the dominant narrative was that flat fronts were modern and pleats were dated. Pleats are, in fact, functional: they provide additional room through the thigh when the wearer is seated or moving, they hang more cleanly from the waist on certain body types, and they allow a fuller cut through the leg that looks more elegant in movement than a trouser cut to the minimum. The best-dressed men in the world have been wearing pleated trousers continuously throughout the flat-front era. At The Black Lapel, we have never stopped making them.

Photograph to follow

Types of pleat — and what each does

A pleat is a fold of cloth at the waistband that releases fullness through the thigh when the leg moves. There are two principal types: forward pleats (the fold opening toward the centre front of the trouser) and reverse pleats (opening toward the side seam). Forward pleats are the traditional and more common choice, and are what we recommend for most clients commissioning a pleated trouser.

A single forward pleat on each side gives modest additional fullness and a subtly classical look. Double forward pleats — two pleats on each side — provide more room and a more generously cut silhouette. Double pleats suit a fuller leg cut and a higher rise; they are the trousers of the classic British and Italian sartorialists of the mid-twentieth century, and they are beautiful when made correctly in a cloth that has sufficient weight and drape to carry the fullness.

Commission your trousers.

Visit us at 4 Sardar Patel Road, Adyar, Chennai — Mon–Sat, 11am–9pm. First consultation free.

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