My high school's prom is approaching swiftly, and I must admit I was nervous at the beginning. Never wearing a suit before in my life, I did not know where to begin. What I did know was I wasn't going to take the route of renting a cheap tux and look "goofy" at my one and only prom—I will have a son who'll one day need inspiration for his prom. I convinced my parents about the idea of buying me a Ralph Lauren tuxedo. The idea was a go until I came into contact with Mr. Gary Warfield of Established Custom Clothing (based in Texas). After we conversed back and forth through e-mail, he decided to gather his things and help me with the upcoming event; he headed down to the city of New Orleans to take my measurements, inform me about the business, and tell stories about how his company came about. This is when I noticed an organic relationship was in-the-making.
The art of craftsmanship will never die as long as there are artisans who take pride in their work and build up protégés to take over. A tailor has the task of studying different cuts, fabrics, and learning the craft of creating custom clothing. Looking over what Mr. Warfield pulled out of his suitcase, this isn't an easy thing to do. He explained to me how he must be ready and on-point…knowing what each customer wants. As he pulled out every book of fabric, I felt closer and closer to London. I was getting closer and closer to a dream coming true.
Mr. Warfield travelled from Houston to New Orleans to take my measurements for one reason only: he didn't trust anyone else's judgment. This gesture to me explained it all and it showed how passionate and serious Mr. Warfield is about his work. As he took different measurements, all I could do was think about how great the end product will look. It was a win-win, simply because he informed me about the business and where I can begin to learn the craft. I shared my story about how I'd like to open my own menswear store along with an in-house line and he gave me sound advice.
After all business was taken care of, we continued to chat about style and a plethora of other things. Showing true kindness, Mr. Warfield also came bearing gifts; he gave me Ralph Lauren’s first tangible magazine along with a bow-tie to go along with my tuxedo. I truly believe it is now safe to say I have found someone to take care of my sartorial needs as far as bespoke clothing goes. Thank you, Mr. Warfield.
