Quality over Quantity

When I first enter Brooklyn Tailors’ charming storefront in Williamsburg, owner and designer Daniel Lewis is still busy with customers.

“Those men are buyers from Russia,” co-owner Brenna Lewis tells me.

It’s been that kind of year for the husband and wife team behind this bespoke and ready to wear collection of menswear fundamentals. What began as an after-work hours passion and a hugely popular Etsy shop, is now a thriving business with an expanding presence. With a momentum that astounded the founders themselves, the services provided by Brooklyn Tailors is clearly a welcome addition to the menswear arena.

“I’ve always had a huge appreciation for the tailors behind Saville Row. But those suits aren’t for me as a consumer, for a lot of reasons–one being the price. A custom suit didn’t used to be a luxury item, it used to be for a guy who wore a suit every day and would go to his local tailor and have one made. Now, to have a quality suit custom made in a place like Saville Row it costs nearly $4,000 to $5,000. But that’s not our lifestyle or our friends. Our friends tend to be in more creative professions. They’re musicians, writers, or artists. They are people that have a very acute sense of what they want, but there is nobody making a shirt or suit for them. That was the impetus behind our custom business.”

With a breadth of detail-oriented customers coming in for custom made suits, Daniel and Brenna quickly realized there was a market for that same level of craftsmanship in ready to wear. Offering limited styles of shirts and chinos, the off the rack collection found at Brooklyn Tailors demonstrates the same sensibility and aesthetic that has made their custom line so popular. “I use two words a lot: classic and moderation.  I also emphasize that I don’t look at what we are doing as fashion,” Daniel says. Perusing their collection, this point of view comes through loud and clear. Presenting only two models of a button down shirt–a dress and a casual version–the line makes a case for the specialist. “Our style doesn’t change every six months. You’re not going to come back here next year and find a completely different look and feel. It’s about what the right shirt is. I want to hone in on that and spend my career perfecting it.”

From fabric to fabrication, Daniel and Brenna maintain the highest standards for their line. Sourcing suiting and shirt fabrics from around the world including Italy, the UK, Japan, India, and the States, the team seeks out the best examples of whatever fabric they need.

“Its really about working with people who care about what they do. A lot of our suiting comes from England and Italy which historically and still has the best mills. Then, when we find a mill in India making beautiful white dress shirt material, we want to work with them. And since the Japanese have continued the American tradition of denims and chambrays, a lot of those fabrics are coming from over there.”

As for the actual construction of the clothing, Brooklyn Tailors entrust their designs to a tailor workshop based in Kathmandu, Nepal. “I originally connected with the master tailor while he was living here in New York. He is as passionate about traditional tailoring as we are. We have specialty–we don’t make knitwear or tees, we make tailored clothing. That’s what I know how to design and that’s what they know how to make. Everything is made there, whether its a bespoke suit or an off the rack shirt.”

This working relationship not only benefits the quality of the products, it also bespeaks a responsible and ethical mode of production. While the norm of clothing manufacturing prescribes money trickling down a long ladder until the people actually making the clothes receive pennies for their labor, the clothiers working with Brooklyn tailors receive their compensation directly. Customers are not only making an investment in quality wears, they are supporting conscious production.

“We never want to branch out into so many products, that we sacrifice quality. We focus on those small details and learn how to make things the right way.”

Recently, ties were added to the line–a natural progression for their collection. Made by a company that has been making ties for the past decades, this accessory maintains the brand’s discernment for expert craftsmanship. As for what’s next, Daniel and Brenna are developing a full collection for their Fall 2012 ready to wear line. The line hopes to include nearly 50 shirts, 20 casual trousers, 8 tailored suits, 1 tuxedo, and 20 neckties–keeping with the brand’s mission to make core items, well. As for what is inspiring his first full season collection, Daniel continues to look to the customer. “I really don’t like the word ‘luxury.’ It’s about creating something that is actually accessible.”

“We are never going to make a $500 button down shirt. That’s not who our customer is. We are constantly thinking about who comes into the store, whose interested in our brand and what it is they want to buy.” Brenna adds.

Without marketing to people or convincing customers of what it is they should want, Brooklyn Tailors has made a name for itself by making the right item for each individual. “A lot of our customers have never had a suit that fit them well or that they felt good in. When you get someone in something that actually fits and see how they look at themselves, it’s a great feeling.” Brenna says. It is certainly a refreshing view on why it is so gratifying to dress customers, and one we can’t wait to see extended to a women’s line in the future.

For more information on Brooklyn Tailors or to make an appointment, visit their website.