Hello, this is Mr. Linen.
One day in, I visited Atelier BERUN, a tailoring salon located in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, for the first time and ordered a tweed jacket along with a pair of corduroy trousers.
About two months later, the garments were completed, so I went back to pick them up.
In this article, I will walk you through the ordering process and introduce the finished garments.
Why I Chose Atelier BERUN
Until now, I had been ordering suits from Michele & Shin, a tailor with a workshop near Naples, Italy, and a salon in Ginza, Tokyo.
I absolutely love their work—not only is it comfortable to wear, but the silhouette and overall appearance are incredibly elegant.
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I still plan to continue ordering from Michele & Shin in the future, but the reason I decided to visit Atelier BERUN this time was simple: I was in the mood for British style.
As someone who wants to pursue classic menswear seriously, I constantly study the subject by reading books written by legendary authorities on classic style, including the late Masakatsu Ochiai, one of Japan’s most respected menswear writers.
The more I studied, the more I became drawn to British style—something more structured and formal compared to the soft and relaxed elegance of Italian tailoring.
I also began to appreciate straightforward, textbook-style coordination without unnecessary twists: no flashy shirt patterns, no intentionally unbalanced tie lengths—just proper classic menswear done well.
Haruto Takeuchi of Atelier BERUN shares his philosophy and style through Instagram, YouTube, and his blog. What fascinated me was that he embodies a truly classic way of dressing and living that feels almost out of step with modern trends—in the best possible way.
Watching the way he wears suits, you can clearly see the British influence—something he himself often mentions.
I wanted to meet him in person, talk with him, and have him recommend clothing that truly suited me, so I decided to make an appointment.
My First Visit
I booked an appointment through the website and visited the salon, located inside a vintage apartment building in Minami-Aoyama.
The space felt like heaven for anyone who loves classic menswear—completely free from trendy modern aesthetics, yet filled with beautiful clothing, shoes, bags, and fabrics everywhere you looked.
We first introduced ourselves and chatted casually before moving on to discussing what I wanted to order.
This time, I told him I was looking for a patterned tweed jacket.
Instead of small fabric swatches in bunch books, the walls were lined with actual rolls of fabric.
Because the fabrics were displayed in large pieces, it was much easier to imagine the final garment, and searching through one-of-a-kind fabrics was genuinely exciting.
However, something surprised me during the process.
At every tailor I had previously visited, I personally selected my favorite fabric from a huge selection. At Atelier BERUN, however, the process works differently: Mr. Takeuchi, the owner, selects several options for you, and you narrow it down from there.
Interestingly, the fabrics Mr. Takeuchi selected and the ones I initially thought looked best were often completely different.
In the past, I probably would have insisted on choosing my own fabric. This time, however, I decided to trust his recommendations.
The reason was simple: I trusted his sense of style and aesthetic judgment.
I wanted to let go of my existing preferences for once and fully place myself in his hands.
The fabric we ultimately chose was from Lovat, one of the great historic names in tweed weaving. Before this, Harris Tweed was practically the only tweed I really knew, so trusting his judgment introduced me to an entirely new world of fabrics.
I did not choose the pocket style, lapel width, buttons, or lining either.
Up until now, I had always specified every tiny detail myself, so this was a completely new experience for me.
People often say that bespoke tailoring works best when you first choose a tailor whose style you truly admire, and then leave the rest to them. I now believe that is absolutely true.
Looking back at garments where I personally obsessed over every detail, there are honestly several areas where I later thought, “I should have done this differently.” That experience made me appreciate this approach even more.
Since this was a jacket-and-trousers combination rather than a full suit, I also needed to select fabric for the trousers.
At first, he recommended beige flannel trousers, but since I already owned a similar pair, I asked for something different and was introduced to this corduroy fabric instead.
It had a wonderfully rustic country feel, and I loved its slightly rugged character.
Once the fabric was decided, the process ended just like the jacket—I left everything else entirely up to him.
The only thing I specifically requested was full lining inside the trousers, because I personally prefer fully lined trousers.
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The Finished Garments
When placing the order, I mentioned that I would even be willing to pay extra for a basted fitting.
However, Mr. Takeuchi confidently told me that it would not be necessary because he was sure they could get it perfect in one try.
From a business standpoint, they probably would have earned more by doing the fitting anyway, so hearing him say it was unnecessary actually reassured me.
About two months later, I received notice that the garments were complete, booked another appointment, and returned to the salon.
Here is the finished result.
And here is how it looks when worn. Please excuse the casual atmosphere, bare feet, and lack of a tie.
The jackets I had worn previously were about 74 cm (29.1 inches) in length, but this one measures 76 cm (29.9 inches).
The jacket has moderate shoulder padding, a well shaped waist, and a beautifully clean back line. Overall, the balance feels exceptionally elegant.
The lapels appear to have a slight curve. It is subtle rather than exaggerated—which is exactly what I like about it.
Two-button, single-breasted closure, side vents, flap pockets, and no ticket pocket.
To me, this is classic British tailoring at its purest.
If I had chosen the details myself, I probably would have gone with a 3-roll-2 jacket and patch pockets—not because I truly understood classic style, but because I had seen stylish people wearing those details and unconsciously copied them.
Trusting the tailor was definitely the right decision.
By the way, the buttonholes are hand-sewn, and there was no additional charge for that.
Hand-sewn buttonholes can sometimes feel a little too flashy or overly “look at my luxury jacket,” but these are so understated that most people would never even notice them. I personally love that quiet elegance.
The corduroy trousers ordered this time work perfectly with the jacket, but beige flannel trousers also pair beautifully with it.
Pairing it with denim is possible too, though I feel it becomes slightly more difficult to style well.
(Later update: I eventually tried it with denim as well.)
I plan to wear this jacket constantly with different trousers, even on rainy days, and let it develop character over time.
Final Thoughts
What did you think?
Personally, I had previously focused almost entirely on Italian style, so British tailoring felt refreshingly different—but incredibly stylish.
As for the price, the jacket-and-trousers combination costed just under $2,000 USDrange.
It certainly was not inexpensive, but I believe the value goes beyond simply receiving custom-made clothing. The experience also helped push my understanding of classic menswear and personal style to the next level.
If I had to mention one possible downside, it would be that Atelier BERUN may not suit people who already have a firmly established personal style and very specific preferences.
However, for those who genuinely want to learn classic style and feel unsure about what truly suits them, I can recommend Atelier BERUN with confidence.
I sincerely feel that this experience helped break down my rigid assumptions about clothing and style, and I am very glad I placed the order.
If you love British tailoring and want to pursue truly classic menswear, I highly recommend paying them a visit.
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