Well, they kept to their word.
After years of delays, the San Francisco Suitsupply store is up and running, and it feels great. Now that the hangover from the opening party has faded and we’re past the phase of speculation, I thought I’d provide an update on the store and what it offers.
I’ve been to a handful of SuSu stores in other cities, and the SF one is quite large in comparison. Two sizable rooms are filled with the current season’s offerings, and there is a dedicated Black Tie area as well as a made-to-measure studio. All told, I can say that the current lineup is well-represented in the store, and most sizes seemed to be well-stocked (they can also bring something in from their warehouse or another store if they don’t have it on hand).
It was also great to learn that the store will be home to some familiar faces – Mike Alzona, who ran the floor at Wingtip, and Alan Maramag, who ran the Beckett & Robb store in SF (and helped me on some projects there) will both be working at the new Suitsupply store. Travis Pranger, who ran the made-to-measure program at several other Suitsupply stores, will be heading up custom operations here.
Another point of interest may be the company’s made-to-measure program, which is only available in-store. The MTM process at Suitsupply works much like many other mid-tier MTM brands – first, body measurements are taken and fit adjustments are made off of an existing base model. Once the fit changes are determined, the client can pick from a set list of design preferences (lapel size and shape, pocket configuration, shoulder construction, etc). All MTM garments are fully canvassed and take about six weeks to be produced. Prices for a two-piece suit start at $1050 (Super 150s cloth – if you’re into that – is about $100 more) and go up from there. From what I can tell, the majority of the cloths they offer are under the $1500 mark. The mills are names that you’ve likely seen before – VBC, Ariston, Drapers, and so forth. The clothing is made abroad, in what I assume is the same factory as their main line, although I am not certain on this point. Although the prices are not as competitive as their main line (and are comparable with other MTM brands like Beckett & Robb, Proper Suit, and P. Johnson), it still sounds like a solid option, especially if you know that SuSu fits you well to begin with. The company has also rolled out a new “Design Your Own Suit” program, which allows customers to pick a fabric, fit, and size (you can get your suit and trouser size separately, but you can’t make modifications to the size). That feature is available in-store and online, and starts at $640.
All told, I think this new store is a big win for the SF menswear scene and I’m excited to see how it does over time. Oh, and for those that have asked – yes, that is me getting some action at the very end of a recent Suitsupply promotional video. What can I say – it was a good party.
