Our last blog discussed three brands that exemplify the best of America- Hickey Freeman, Allen Edmonds and David’s Master Collection.  Here’s a little more on the first two- if you’re already a fan, perhaps some things you didn’t know.  Or, if you are new to these brands, hopefully this information will encourage you to try them out!

Hickey Freeman started in the early years of the 20th century, built on the vision of Jacob Freeman and Jeremiah Hickey- to create a suit that would be a testament to both the delicate artistry of hand-craftsmanship and the steady consistency of modern technology.  As they like to say, “Look closely.  This is Hickey Freeman.  You can tell.”

Here’s how:
- every button is fastened with silk thread
- buttons made of mother of pearl and water-buffalo horn.
- suit lined with Bemberg lining, the gold standard, won’t fade or shrink
- lining of undercollar made of the finest Irish linen (instead of felt)
- fabrics from the Biella region in Northern Italy
- fabrics woven to Hickey Freeman’s exclusive and exacting standards.

All of these components are then hand-pressed and hand-stitched at their “Temple”- the 77,000 square foot-factory in Rochester, New York.  Here Hickey Freeman creates what they call the American suit- a suit like a second skin that moves with you.  It is balanced in the way it rests on your neck and shoulders, with no gaping at the neck and no popping of the lapels.  Shoulders are cut with a gentle curve forward, the sleeves echo the bend of your arm, and the shoulder pad is hand-fit to the armhole to ensure a perfect shape.

For made in America shoes to go with that American suit, look to Allen Edmonds, a company build on midwestern values.  With nearly 100 years of doing business, Allen Edmonds sees their longevity as testament to their devotion to their core values of hard work, honesty, humility and trust.

Based in Wisconsin, Allen Edmonds uses premium leathers that breathe, repel moisture, hold their shape and age gracefully.  At their plant in Port Washington, team members craft shoes that can match the contours of millions of feet, by using 50,000 lasts in 19 different shapes in all manner of lengths and widths.

Next an operator attaches a 360 Goodyear welt, a strong leather strip stitched around the shoe.  This labor intensive process leads to the durability of the shoes.  Then a layer of cork is added between the insole and outsole, which provides a comfortable cradle for your whole foot.

The last stages involve hand-finishing and polished techniques and final inspection.  In this process, over 100 sets of hand touch each shoe!  The pride in American production is evident in the process.

With a combined two centuries of craftsmanship, these companies you will not only make you look spectacular, but you can enjoy patronizing two of America’s finest companies.

Davelle Clothiers owner and CEO David A. Eisele Sr. states, “I am so proud to carry the very finest menswear from around the world.  Our business in continental, with many of our vendors and brands located in Europe and occasionally other parts of the world.  But without a doubt, as a business owner and master designer, I am proudest of our products from the United States.”

He continues, “As both a designer (and manufacturer) of my Master Collection, and a retailer, I am constantly looking for the right intersection of value and quality.  There are places where you can get inexpensive products.  But the reality is the quality just isn’t there.  Whether it is a poor fit, poor materials, or poorly constructed (possibly even pre-fabricated), or all of the above, it doesn’t hold up to the products where an investment is made.”

David’s Master Collection embodies the definition of the value- the very best for the very least.  What you get for your investment is a hand mastered, custom suits made in the bespoke tradition, put together by craftsman in a New York City factory.  “With a US manufacturer, I can control the workmanship and quality of labor”, David explains.

“You can save money, but if it doesn’t meet my standards, the value is low.  When you compare what you get with my line for the price, there is a tremendous value.”  If you don’t know what to look for to determine the quality of a garment, just ask any of us (or you can always read David’s book).  And we welcome clients asking us where an item is from, it is a great starting point to a conversation that will hopefully be informative and ultimately help meet your needs,” he concludes.

Two other of America’s own brands are Hickey Freeman and Allen Edmonds.  This month we will feature the best of America with a special event and special offer (be sure you are on our email list, that is the only way you will hear about it!).  We will talk more about both companies in future posts, and we encourage you to buy American, by Americans!

These showroom visits are quite different from going to the booths at the MRket show.  “The show is great because we can visit a lot of booths.  But at the showrooms, designers are able to give a better presentation of their theme for the season.  We are able to see entire collections and more categories such as sportswear and outerwear,” states Dan Fox.

He continues, “At the showrooms, designers can also display signature looks on mannequins, which gives us a better look.  Now we’re not just looking at a shirt laid out flat, but we can see it as part of an outfit displayed on a mannequin.  This gives us a better idea how the clothes fit on a frame.”

The approach by Davelle at the showrooms is very different from other menswear stores.   Many other retailers no longer use local buyers.   Instead, they have buyers located in another part of the country making decisions.  These decisions are typically based on what they think they know about Washington DC, relying on stereotypes and generalizations.  In many circles, D.C. is still synonymous with a lack of style- but we beg to differ and we have the hands-on experience to prove it!

This experience comes from knowing our clients well.  We research, study, analyze and discuss their needs.  From our personal relationships, we’re able to interpret the seasons’ trends and designs based on clients, not just some profile on paper that is looked at from someone across the country.

David Eisele Sr states, “We always try to find new integrations of classic colors, but with patterns that we have not had before. We approach the decision making process with a combination of strategy, emotion, and artistic views in order to give our clients that unique edge.”

He continues, “It takes many hours of deliberation at every designer showroom.  It is no easy task to get the three of us to agree, but when we’re done it is really special.  We’ve considered how every piece from each designer will fit in with the rest of the store.

The end result allows for more style, creativity and options for the customer.  We work across designers to carefully and thoughtfully put together a store where everything fits together- rather than just order entire collections from each designer.  Although that is what the designers would like us to do, the results can be too disparate for the needs of our clients.”

The Davelle approach to ordering merchandise is one of the many things that sets Davelle Clothiers apart.  It enables us to create just the right look for any occasion.  It all starts with these showroom visits, and ends with a unique style all of your own.

Over the past two weeks, David Eisele Sr, Owner and CEO,  Dave Eisele Jr, Vice-President of Visual Merchandising, and Dan Fox, Vice-President of Merchandising have zipped back and forth from DC to New York to participate in one of the most important times of the fashion year.

While most people are still getting settled into the new year, the Davelle team has their eyes set on the future, creating their vision for the vendors, styles, and merchandise that will adorn the store over the next year.

The centerpiece of the trip is the MRket Fall/Winter 2012 show, a professional trade show for the fashion retail trade.  The trio spent several long days at this show, which represents the best in clothing, accessories, footwear, outerwear and contemporary sportswear from North America and abroad.

The show features over 200 booths of the finest menswear.  With just two days to work with, the team worked quickly, visiting about 50 booths each day.  In determining which booths to stop by, Dan Fox notes, “We don’t plan out a set route with specific vendors, instead we go to the show with an open mind, looking for who has the best and most creative products for the upcoming season.  That way we can ensure we always have the best for our clients.”

This year the team was impressed by Scott Barber Apparel, and placed an order for their shirts.  David Sr. remarks, “They have a tremendous interpretation of clean fabrics and lines, as well as rich color tones done in the traditional style but with an updated feel.”  Davelle Clothiers is the exclusive carrier of these shirts in the area.

The trend for this year?  Dan Fox states, “This year you will see the return of creativity in men’s fashion.  After several years of pressure from the economy and playing it a bit on the safe side, American designers have more life and energy, taking chances and pushing forward.  The industry is healthy and growing, with more European designers participating in the show and American designers showing innovation in terms of fabric and patterns.  You will see a lot of amazing items coming into the store throughout the year.”

On this first trip the team also bookmarked their days with early morning and late evening trips to designer showrooms, where designers’ representatives present merchandise and selections are made.  The second trip focused exclusively on these showroom visits.  We will tell you more about these visits in our next posts.  If you have any questions or anything you’d like to hear more about, let us know!

It can be easy to slip into thinking that your professional image is not important.  How comforting to think your company doesn’t care what you wear, or no one notices how you look.  Or that you don’t want to be overdressed or out dress your superiors.

But the reality is your clothes speak volumes.  Consider these truths as outlined in The Business of Style, The Secret to Investing in Yourself:

• Casual dress, while common in some industries, is not the same thing as sloppy.
• Your company might not care if you dress down, but they also won’t care if you dress up.
• When in doubt, overdress and give yourself some options.
• Dress in line with your superiors and never more casually than your subordinates.
• If you don’t look like someone who could be an authority figure, you’ll never be seen as one.

Once you recognize this, you can embrace the opportunity to develop your own style that is both professional and unique.  Use the power of your wardrobe to feel great, look even better and
propel your career forward.

We’re experts at helping you develop your personal style and create the image you want and need.  Every interaction we have with you, big or small, is all about working together to discover and present your own style.

Our next post will continue with his idea and tell you where to start.

As the holiday season approaches, it’s once again time to reflect on the year and all its blessings. I thought I would share with my readers some of my many reasons to be thankful.

I’m thankful that I’ve been able to create a unique shopping environment in which my customers feel comfortable and relaxed. Visiting Davelle for the first time they spot the difference the moment they walk through our door. From the individual service of our wardrobe consultants to our carefully edited merchandise − even the soft jazz on our sound system – the Davelle experience is amazing. Once a man shops here he rarely ventures back to the mall, and for that I’m thankful.

I’m thankful that my customers understand the incredible value of the clothing in my store; not just the quality of the merchandise but the value that a Davelle wardrobe brings to the man who wears it. They understand the concept of style as investment, and it shows in their demeanor when they’re dressed in one of our custom suits or wearing one of our designer shirts, slacks and shoes. A man who dresses with impeccable style and confidence shows that he values himself and his contributions.

That’s assurance that they simply could never experience wearing a “buy one, get three free” bargain suit.

Finally, I am truly thankful for the “better halves” of the world: the ladies. In their tireless efforts to improve and uplift their spouses and significant others, women are Davelle’s best advocates. Why? Because they get it. They feel our fine European fabrics as they peruse the racks. They touch the imported leather of our Bruno Mahli, Santoni and Ermenegildo Zegna shoes. They discuss color, design and fit with our trained wardrobe consultants. Thank you ladies, for bringing your men to Davelle.

To all my customers, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hope to see you in December for our Accessories Event.

Dress simply. If you wear a dinner jacket, don’t wear anything else on it … like lunch or dinner. −George Burns

 When you hear the words dinner jacket, what images come to mind? To me, the dinner jacket captures the essence of a more romantic era of 1930’s Hollywood. In the golden film era the dinner jacket  became synonymous with elegance, confidence and subtle sex appeal. Humphrey Bogart in a dinner jacket could stop conversation cold just by walking into a room.

The dinner jacket actually hearkens back to 1865 when Edward, Prince of Wales – later to become Edward VII – had his tailor fashion an easier-fitting style of jacket to be worn on less formal evenings at home or at his club.  To the royal family, I suppose a dinner jacket was considered casual wear!

Why should a man of the new millennium consider owning a dinner jacket? Because of its singular style. Because you will be the only one at the country club−or among your buddies− to own one. And most important, because we all need at least one eccentricity, don’t you think?

A dinner jacket is requisite formal attire on many cruise lines, and is at home at the Club or formal dinner parties. Wearing a fine silk dinner jacket tells the world “I’ve arrived. I’m a man of importance.”

The garment I’m offering to my customers is not your ordinary, off-the-hanger dinner jacket. It’s the newest addition to David’s Signature Collection of custom tailored designs for men. Cut from Isis wool and silk, measured to fit your form, and tailored to perfection, my dinner jacket will feel like it was made in heaven.

This holiday season, start a legend of your own. Dinner is purely optional.

A well appointed wardrobe portfolio gives a man the freedom to dress work-appropriately and add range and flair to his wardrobe. As a wardrobe advisor, I educate my clients on how to suitably dress for their workplace, but also to allow their own style to show through:

Your wardrobe portfolio enables you to build the right outfit for these five business scenarios:

Power Dress is for important business meetings, when you want to dress to impress. Power Dress is your best black, gray or navy suit with a white or ivory shirt and a blue, red or yellow tie in a simple print or stripe. Add a signature touch with cufflinks and an attractive timepiece: Giorgio Milano watches are elegant and striking.

Power Casual is your everyday office wear. Wear a suit –no necktie – and a harmonious dress shirt. A bit relaxed, but you still look every bit the leader. Complete this look with shoes by Allen Edmonds, Santoni or Hugo Boss.

Executive Casual is relaxed office dress for days when there is no client appointment on your schedule. The look includes a sport coat and slacks, with a cashmere sweater (add to your holiday list now!), merino wool pullover, mock turtle neck or designer dress shirt.

Creative Casual is a sport coat, designer denim and a cool shirt (vibrant pattern or strong color with details on the collar and cuff). It’s the perfect office wear for the more creative professional, say an architect, engineer or advertising executive.

In all of the above looks, the jacket is paramount because it pulls the look together, elongates the frame and adds a dimension of sophistication to your appearance.

Business Casual is perfect for sporting events, but too casual for “Casual Friday”. Khakis, a polo shirt and loafers complete the look.

Gentlemen: diversity and style not only makes it easier to get dressed in the morning, it is an investment in you. You can diversify your look, have fun and up your style quotient at the same time.