bespoke

[bih-spohk]

adjective

1. 1. (of clothes) made to individual order; custom-made.

      a bespoke jacket.

   2. making or selling such clothes.

      a bespoke tailor.

2. Older Use.,  engaged to be married; spoken for.

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of bespeak.

bespoke

/ bɪˈspəʊk /

adjective

1. (esp of clothing or a website, computer program, etc) made to the customer's specifications

2. making or selling such clothing, websites, etc

   a bespoke tailor

   a bespoke web designer

Word History and Origins

Origin of bespoke¹

First recorded in 1745–55 bespoke for def. 1

Example Sentences

Many were bespoke creations — tailored to one’s own family.

From Los Angeles Times

Newcastle department store Fenwick will also reveal bespoke windows showcasing the 12 Albums of the Year on 13 October and host two events as part of the Mercury Prize Fringe.

From BBC

PORTLAND, Ore. — There is a rhetorical battle raging here in this heavily Democratic city, known for its delicious coffee, plethora of fancy restaurants, bespoke doughnuts and also for its small faction of black-clad activists.

From Los Angeles Times

She also has a string of commercial deals, appearing in bespoke cheetah print boots in the semi-final win over France and big-screen adverts for the tournament's official beer.

From BBC

Sells explains that, while he shares resources with other clubs, the software is bespoke to Brighton and searches for suspicious transactions and scours resale sites for any tickets listed with seat numbers.

From BBC

When To Use

What does bespoke mean?

Bespoke means custom-made—made based on the specifications of the person ordering it, as in a bespoke suit. It can also be used to describe a person or company that makes such things, as in bespoke tailor.Bespoke is an adjective, but it’s also the past tense of the verb bespeak, which commonly means to ask for in advance (as in I need to bespeak your help) or to reserve beforehand (as in You need to bespeak a table, sir). But bespeak is rarely used as a verb anymore—it sounds very outdated.Bespoke also sounds a bit old-fashioned, but that’s probably why it became so trendy—it’s often used to imply a handcrafted, unique approach to making something. In its strictest sense, bespoke means made-to-order, but it’s often applied to things that aren’t actually made specifically for someone but that are simply made individually, as opposed to being mass-produced.Example: I found this website yesterday that does bespoke sweatshirts that can be custom-made to my preferences and body type!