In the era of street style stardom, the concept of suit and tie may begin to seem dated. However, even social media data suggests otherwise. Instagram account Daily Suits has over one million followers and curated pages such as Mensuits, Men.In.Suits and SuitSharks enjoy a healthy followership in the tens of thousands. Hollywood’s “hardest worker in the room”, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson frequently delights his nearly 100 million followers with suited looks from the set of HBO’s highest rated show Ballers! The suit is not only here to stay; it’s enjoying a commercial Renaissance. In fast fashion retail paradigm, one brand committed to fine tailoring is rising out of the sartorial ashes: Suitsupply. In fact, they just scored a bespoke coup d'état by opening a new store in the heart of Silicon Valley. The 34th Stateside location lands on Santana Row in San Jose, California. With Apple, Adobe, EBay and other tech giants headquartered in the Santa Clara county, the Dutch label is confident in its creative millennial appeal.
Founded in 2000 by Fokke De Jong in Amsterdam, Suitsupply is dedicated to providing expertly crafted men’s suits. Shortly thereafter Nish de Gruiter, the visionary protegé of bespoke master Brunello Cucinelli, joined the company and oversaw its global expansion, with the first US flagship store arriving in SoHo in New York City. It’s been a steady hit ever since. “Success is always a team effort. It’s a product of many people’s energy on the same exhilarating mission. We want people to look great in suits. Our tailoring is done in a liberating way, not to fit you into a mold, but to fit the suit to your needs and lifestyle. It’s good to have us on your team,” says de Gruiter.
Suitsupply offers a variety of ready-to-wear and custom suits. The two most popular styles are Sienna and Havana. The effectively priced Sienna tied for first place with a $3,600 Armani suit in a blind consumer test by the Wall Street Journal and Havana, a completely unlined suite, appeals to globetrotters because of its softness and versatility. “It’s something that you can really live in” notes de Gruiter. None other than music mogul Diddy, one of most influential menswear trendsetters and a designer in his own right, just wore Havana by Suitsupply to Jay-Z’s pre-Grammy party! It hardly gets much more street style than that. To ensure impeccable fit, the company offers in-house tailoring for newly purchased ready-to-wear suits to all its clients.
Every Suitsupply staff member from sewing technicians to salespersons attends a ten-day training session in Texas where they learn everything about the textiles and the tailoring. This way, everyone is confident in offering the best solution for any client. “The difference in the details, always. I see our blue bags in airports across the country and I always ask about the jacket or the trousers. They don’t know who I am, of course, but people always seem very happy to tell me about this brand and recommend it. Word of mouth is 100% most effective and powerful than any marketing campaign,” reflects de Gruiter.
Suitsupply’s recycling program allows you to bring your old attire and leather goods to a participating store to be rewarded with an exclusive bag as well as a chance to win a trip to Italy. The company also supports amfAR, I:CO, and Two X Two. As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, Suitsupply fits well with the West Coast consumer ethos. To thrive in today’s well-informed marketplace, companies need to align their values and products with the tradition of business innovation and social progress. Much like the suit itself, this entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. Particularly in places like the Bay Area. “Some of our most loyal customers are based here, so we are happy to finally offer an in-store experience as well,” says de Gruiter. “I don’t see the suit disappearing from the scene anytime soon. What I do see is how it’s presentation and perception are changing, evolving into a new exciting look.”