Founded in Dublin in 1948, Best Menswear has been a leading name in Irish Menswear for over 75 years. Best Menswear’s Made To Measure service is especially well-regarded, as GCN’s Stefano Pappalardo and his now-husband Aaron Healy discovered when they chose to have custom Made to Measure tuxedos designed for their wedding.

Stefano and Aaron got married on June 22, 2024, after 17 years of building a life together. The ceremony was intimate and personal, with the pair’s thoughtful planning meaning they were represented in every detail.

This of course extended to the tuxes, as they opted to go for Best Menswear’s Bespoke Made To Measure service. Having previously collaborated with the brand through GCN, Stefano was already familiar with the exceptional craftsmanship in creating Made To Measure suits tailored to enhance individual physiques.

What began as an initial exploratory discussion quickly solidified both Stefano and Aaron’s decision after meeting with Suit Specialist, Seamus. The suit specialists are dedicated to offering personalised guidance on colours, fabrics, styles, and fits, ensuring every detail is meticulously tailored to perfection.

Whether looking for classic elegance or modern sophistication, the Made To Measure suits showcase impeccable craftsmanship and timeless style, designed to make the wearer look and feel their best. While the final choices rest with the customer, the suit specialist leverages their expertise to provide invaluable advice, ensuring everyone leaves the shop feeling confident in their formalwear.

For Stefano, knowing this was one of the most significant events of his life, achieving this confidence was his top priority.

“I was hoping to get something that I felt happy and comfortable with because it was a big day, so it was important for me to feel like the suit fit me perfectly, and it looked nice on me,” he shared.

In the initial chat, Shay gauged what kind of suits the couple were looking for, and in the subsequent series of consultations, they carefully selected colours, fabrics, and finer details. The process was approached gradually, ensuring it remained manageable and never felt overwhelming.

“Aaron knew that he wanted a navy suit and we both felt like we wanted something that looked nice and dapper, but also we would be able to reuse,” Stefano remembered.

“That’s kind of where we started off, and then Shay was just able to listen to us about what vision we had in mind and then advise on pretty much everything from the buttons and the shirt to stuff I’d never heard of before.

“He was very generous with his time. He wanted to make sure that we would be happy and that if we had any questions and any doubts, he could answer them because neither me or Aaron had ever gotten Made To Measure. He was really helpful, and it was just a really nice experience from the get go. It was a really smooth process. I’m very grateful because he really gave us a lot of his time.”

Every aspect was decided on by the couple with Shay’s guidance. There were also added personalised touches that Stefano didn’t even realise were a possibility.

“Shay suggested that we could have anything we wanted embroidered inside the tux and I’m very thankful because we wouldn’t have thought about that at all. So, both of our tuxes have our initials and the date that we got married, which is also what we went for on our wedding rings.

“It’s quite discrete. It’s not something that you can see unless I show you or tell you, but it was such a nice touch because it just means that even if we were to reuse the tuxes at a later stage, that’s very personal and a memory of the day.”

In the end, Aaron got the navy suit of his dreams, while Stefano opted for a complimentary dark purple colour.

“They’re both very well fitted. We went for a skinny fit, but something that’s still timeless. It was important that we both felt like they were nice, classic suits with a bit of a modern twist, because the colours, mine especially, is not super conventional.”

Remembering trying it on for the first time, Stefano said: “I have to say, probably the biggest sigh of relief in my entire wedding was when we saw the tuxes. I was like, ‘Oh my god, they’re actually gorgeous.’ They were hanging side by side, so as soon as we got in the shop, we could see that they looked great. Both Aaron and I got a bit emotional when we tried them on for the first time, which was lovely.”

All that was left was to wear them at the wedding! Stefano recalled: “I don’t think I’ve ever felt as confident and handsome wearing a tux. It was way beyond what I could have hoped for.

“Aaron looked gorgeous as well. It was just really nice because obviously it’s a big day and there’s family and friends and in our case, we had people coming from all over Europe, so we both wanted to feel that we looked our best.

“Honestly, I couldn’t have been happier. I’ve never gotten so many compliments in my life! My mom, my dad, everyone said that we looked really well and a friend of mine said we looked like we were really comfortable and confident, which looking back is definitely how we both felt.

“Even when we posted some of the photos online everybody said we looked really dapper.”

Stefano concluded: “I can understand why people go Made To Measure because it’s completely different from when you get something off the rack. It’s made specifically for you; you get to pick every little detail and if there are any that you’re not sure of, there is never any pressure.”

Stefano said that he “could not recommend Best Menswear’s Made To Measure service more,” because, while some elements of planning a wedding for the first time can be stressful, this experience “was basically a dream”.

“Shay wanted to make sure that we were 100 per cent happy and honestly, I think we were 110 per cent happy. I will wear the hell out of this and I know that every time I use the tux, I’ll be picking it up and smiling. It’s a lovely, lovely feeling.”

For more information on Best Menswear’s Made To Measure suits available for men, women and anyone else, visit Made to Measure Suits, Custom Made Suits (bestmenswear.com).

This article originally appeared in Issue 385 of GCN Magazine. Read it in full here.