"Your DKNY is fine for a factory suit," sniffs Clay. "Probably made inside an hour. But you've paid £1,000 for a designer label, and you've only got £300 worth of suit. You could have bought a Chester Barry for £1,000. They make for Ralph Lauren, who charge £1,700 for the same suit. With designer labels, you pay for the marketing. What a waste."

Truer words were never spoken. I'll never forget what it felt like when I first put on my first custom-tailored suit (made to be worn with braces, which I had also never tried) -- literally so comfortable I felt like I was wearing pyjamas. For the first time the term "lounge suit" made sense ...

For the sake of comparison I recently purchased one particularly cheap and nasty RTW sportcoat. I like the look of it, but it feels like wearing cardboard.