How long does it take to get your clothing?
Our clothing production usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. We are starting with fabric and creating your garment from scratch. We use a CAD program to help with your pattern, including posture, shoulder slope and taper. We are also adding style details for your garment, such as unique linings, buttons and thread colors.
How do your prices compare to regular retail?
We have a good, better and best pricing model and our prices are competitive with retailers. We also create discount pricing based on volume, the more outfits you are purchasing the larger the discounts.
How many measurements do you take?
We have 11 measurements for jackets, 12 measurements for trousers and 13 measurements for shirts.
We can make a garment off of body measurements, but we can also use a set of try-ons that allow you to test drive for fit. We can also measure your favorite garment if you send to us. We actually did a wedding for a customer in Australia.
How many fabrics do you have available?
The short answer is thousands ... If you love to shop you will be in heaven, we have access to all the fabrics that the mills make each season. What you are looking at is actually the same fabrics that a buyer would filter to a retail store. We have specialty fabrics, fabric sorted by weight, as well as fabric sorted by season and finish.
"Reversing the shopping process", what does that mean?
We all have that favorite go to garment that fits just the way we like. It's very simple to copy the fit of a garment and create a CAD program pattern. Now everything that you select will be built off of that pattern. Unless you change sizes or decide that you want to try a different style, it's easy to duplicate new garments to fit like your older favorites.
What was your first job in the business?
After graduation from University, I moved to Chicago and went to work for "The Custom Shop" on Michigan Ave. The training program was a hands-on experience, almost a baptism by fire. During my first week in the business, I was measuring one of the baseball players from the Chicago Cubs. A professional athlete can be one of the most difficult people to fit and build a wardrobe for. In this case 6'3 / 185 with a large chest, big arms, and a small waist.
When did you move to Cincinnati?
It was the fall of 1987, I was asked to open up a new store for the company in the Kenwood Towne Center. I continued to learn the tailoring business from a couple of great local connections, the Magliano and the Heimann family who owned a factory near the University of Cincinnati. Lou, Bud, and Mike Magliano were 3 generations of great tailors and introduced me to the Custom Tailors and Designers Association (CTDA).
What made you decide to open your own business in 1992?
I was working in retail and we had a young family, my wife wanted to stay home with our 2 young children. The only way to make that happen was to start my own business, which allowed me to be more in control of my time and income. It was important to be there as a father for my family, relationships mean a lot to me and I think our clients will attest to that. Our business has been about offering quality products with great style, it has also been about solving wardrobe problems and being a source of great ideas each season.
What drives you after 30 years?
I've had the pleasure of making clothing for thousands of clients, but I think it is the ability to build on relationships that drive me. The ability to share my knowledge with someone new or being there when an old friend calls asking for help with a wardrobe issue. Ralph Lauren once said, "You don't have to wear a designer label to be important, it's about how the clothes make you feel that's important."
