From a 65-Inch Waist to a Custom Disco Suit

How Indie Darzi created a made-to-measure disco shirt and trousers for a 310-lb customer in the United States—solving fabric, pattern-cutting, fit and adjustability challenges along the way.

Client: Matthew Pfeffer
Location: Virginia, United States
Made in: India
Garment: Custom Disco Shirt & Trousers
Weight: 310 lbs
Waist: 65 inches
Production Time: 10 Days
Delivery: United States

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The Challenge Started With the Customer's Size

Custom tailoring is often about making something look good.

But sometimes, it's about making something work.

Matthew came to Indie Darzi looking for a disco-inspired shirt and trousers that would fit his body comfortably and give him the freedom to move without being restricted by standard sizing.

At approximately 310 lbs with a 65-inch waist and a larger belly, this was a very different production challenge from the regular-size garments we normally make.

The biggest challenge wasn't simply making a larger garment.

It was developing a garment that would be:

Comfortable. Adjustable. Functional. Stylish. And properly proportioned.

And we had just 10 days to complete the production.

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The First Problem: The Fabric Wasn't Available in Enough Quantity

Matthew originally wanted a red disco shirt with white dots.

The design was straightforward.

The problem was the fabric.

For a garment of this size, we needed considerably more fabric than a standard shirt would require. After checking the available quantity, it became clear that there simply wasn't enough of the red-and-white fabric to confidently produce the shirt.

We didn't want to make the shirt by piecing together insufficient fabric or compromise the design halfway through production.

So we went back to the drawing board.

After discussing the options with Matthew, we decided to switch the colour combination.

Red with white dots became white with black dots.

It wasn't the original plan.

But it gave us enough fabric to properly construct the garment while keeping the bold visual character of a classic disco shirt.

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The Biggest Challenge: Pattern Cutting

Once the fabric was finalized, the next challenge was waiting for us on the cutting table.

Matthew's measurements were significantly larger than the sizes we normally produce.

This was a new scale of production for our workshop.

Our normal pattern-cutting table suddenly seemed much smaller when we started laying out the fabric.

A garment this large doesn't simply require a bigger pattern.

It requires:

• More fabric
• More careful fabric placement
• More cutting space
• More accurate measurements
• More handling
• More time
• More attention to grain and balance
• More planning to avoid unnecessary fabric waste

For this production, we had to use approximately 3× the fabric and 4× the effort compared with a typical production.

The cutting stage alone became a project within the project.

Building a Pattern for a Body We Hadn't Made Before

This was also an important learning experience for our workshop.

We had produced many different sizes before, but we had not previously produced a garment at this scale.

So we couldn't simply take one of our existing patterns and enlarge it.

We had to carefully consider how the garment would sit across the body.

A larger garment needs proportionally appropriate:

Chest → Waist → Body Length → Shoulder → Sleeve → Armhole → Trouser Rise → Hip → Thigh → Waist

Every measurement affects another.

If the proportions aren't right, simply making everything bigger doesn't create a good-fitting garment.

It creates a large garment.

Our objective was different.

We wanted to create a properly proportioned custom garment.

The Waist Problem Had Another Dimension

There was another challenge we couldn't solve with measurements alone.

Matthew wasn't completely sure about his exact waist size, and his weight could fluctuate from day to day.

That meant creating trousers with a fixed waist measurement could become uncomfortable or impractical.

So instead of treating the waist as a fixed number, we designed the trousers to adapt.

The Adjustable Waist Solution

We added adjustable buckles on both sides of the trousers.

This was one of the most useful customizations in the entire project.

Rather than relying on a single fixed waist measurement, Matthew could adjust the waistband according to how the trousers felt.

If his waist changed slightly, he could loosen or tighten the trousers.

If he wanted a more comfortable fit while sitting, he had additional adjustment.

If he wanted the trousers more secure while standing or moving, he could tighten them again.

The result was a pair of trousers designed around real-life use—not just a measurement chart.

This is one of the advantages of custom tailoring.

Sometimes the best solution isn't simply taking a more accurate measurement.

Sometimes it's changing the construction of the garment itself.

He Also Needed Suspender Buttons

Matthew already wears suspenders, so the trousers needed to work with them.

We didn't want him to have to modify the finished trousers himself.

So we added suspender buttons directly into the waistband.

Another small detail.

But an important one.

The final trousers were now designed around the way Matthew actually dresses.

Adjustable waist + suspender buttons = a garment built around his lifestyle.

The Disco Shirt

With the fabric and pattern finalized, we moved forward with the shirt.

The new white fabric with black dots gave the shirt a completely different character from the original red concept.

Instead of trying to force the unavailable fabric into the project, we embraced the alternative.

The result remained bold, playful and unmistakably disco-inspired.

And most importantly, it was produced specifically for Matthew's proportions.

The Packing Problem

After completing the shirt and trousers, we encountered one final reminder of just how large this order was.

When we laid the finished garments on the bed to prepare them for packing...

The bed suddenly looked small.

It was a funny moment, but it also showed the scale of the finished production.

The garments were substantially larger than the typical pieces we handle.

After carefully folding and preparing everything, we successfully packed the order and prepared it for international shipment.

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10 Days From Start to Finish

Despite the additional fabric requirements, the unfamiliar pattern scale, the complex cutting process and the custom waistband construction, we completed the production in approximately:

10 Days

The finished garment was then shipped from India to the United States.

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The Customer's Reaction

When Matthew received the order, the most important test began.

Not the cutting table.

Not the sewing machine.

Not the packing.

The customer had to wear it.

Matthew was extremely happy with the result.

He particularly appreciated:

The fabric quality.

The fit.

The craftsmanship.

And the fact that the garment had been designed around his actual needs rather than forcing him into a standard-size solution.

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And Then Came the Best Compliment

After receiving the suit, Matthew told us he wanted to place another order.

There was only one condition.

“You have to give me a discount.”

Our answer?

Deal done.

For us, that's one of the best outcomes a custom tailor can receive.

A customer doesn't return simply because a garment arrived.

They return because they trust the craftsmanship enough to want another one.

What Made This Project Different?

This wasn't simply a larger version of a normal shirt and trouser order.

Almost every stage required us to think differently.

Fabric

The customer's original red-and-white fabric wasn't available in sufficient quantity, so we worked with him to select a practical alternative.

Pattern

The measurements were outside the range we normally produce, requiring a new approach to pattern development and cutting.

Production

The larger garment required approximately 3× the fabric and 4× the effort compared with a normal production.

Waist

Instead of relying on a fixed waist measurement, we incorporated adjustable side buckles.

Suspenders

We added dedicated suspender buttons because Matthew regularly wears suspenders.

Time

The entire production was completed in approximately 10 days.

More Than a Bigger Size

One of the biggest lessons from this project was simple:

Custom tailoring isn't about making a standard garment bigger or smaller.

It's about understanding the person wearing it.

Matthew didn't just need a larger shirt.

He needed a garment designed around:

His proportions.
His waist.
His movement.
His changing measurements.
His preferred way of wearing trousers.
And his personal style.

That's why details like the adjustable waistband and suspender buttons mattered so much.

They weren't decorative additions.

They were solutions to real problems.

The Final Result

What started as a request for a red disco shirt with white dots eventually became a completely customized white-and-black disco shirt paired with trousers designed specifically around Matthew's requirements.

The project challenged our workshop in ways we hadn't experienced before.

We had to rethink fabric requirements.

We had to work at a new pattern scale.

We had to increase the amount of fabric and labour significantly.

We had to solve an uncertain waist measurement.

And we had to complete everything within 10 days.

But the result was worth it.

A garment made to fit the customer—not a customer forced to fit the garment.

Project Highlights

Detail	Project
Client	Matthew Pfeffer
Location	Virginia, United States
Made in	India
Garment	Custom Disco Shirt & Trousers
Weight	310 lbs
Waist	65 inches
Shirt Fabric	White with Black Dots
Original Fabric Request	Red with White Dots
Trouser Feature	Adjustable Side Buckles
Suspender Support	Custom Suspender Buttons
Production Time	10 Days
Production Effort	Approx. 3× fabric & 4× effort vs. normal production

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The Customer Asked for a Disco Outfit. We Built a Solution.

Matthew's project reminded us why we love custom tailoring.

Sometimes the challenge is the fabric.

Sometimes it's the measurements.

Sometimes it's the pattern.

Sometimes it's figuring out how to make a garment comfortable when the customer's body changes.

And sometimes, it's all of them at once.

But that's exactly where custom tailoring makes a difference.

We don't believe your body should have to fit a standard size.

The garment should be built around you.

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Have a Fit Challenge? Let's Build Around It.

Whether you need a standard custom suit, a statement outfit, an unusual size, an adjustable garment or a design that doesn't exist in ready-to-wear sizing, Indie Darzi can work with your measurements and requirements.

Your measurements are the starting point—not a limitation.

Start Your Custom Order

Tell us what you want to wear. We'll work out how to make it.