Confederacy, a boutique men’s fashion shop in Hollywood, launched its made-to-measure shirt service six weeks ago in response to customer requests. Since then, demand for the $300 shirts has been strong, said store owner Ilaria Urbinati, even amid the economic uncertainty of these recessionary times. Or perhaps because of it.

“Shoppers don’t necessarily want cheaper clothes but better value,” she said. “If you’re going through the process of having a shirt perfected to your measurements and taste, chances are you’ll keep it more or less forever.”

To get a made-to-measure shirt, a customer gets his measurements taken, then he selects the fabric and color, collar style, stitching, buttons and monogram initials.

Urbinati said it’s unusual for a boutique apparel store to offer such personalized shirt-making. That said, men can get custom shirts for comparable prices at upscale chains such as Brooks Bros. and Barneys, or have their tailor make them one.

Ken Sepetjian, co-owner of Anto in Beverly Hills, which has made custom shirts for film productions, celebrities and businessmen since 1976, differentiates between the made-to-measure service that Confederacy offers and his shirts, which he calls truly custom-made.

After Sepetjian measures his customers, he creates paper patterns that he uses to shape the shirts. At Confederacy, the measurements are sent off-site, where the shirt is assembled from precut components.

“Someone who takes measurements and sends it off to a tailor, that’s semicustom,” Sepetjian said.