We all know buying the right gift for our partners is not an easy task, especially when it comes to clothing and accessories. Contrary to what men might tell us, they are equally as fussy and paranoid about their appearance as we are. The same way women adopt their own sense of style, so do men. That’s why he has yet to wear that shirt you bought him from the mall. It didn’t suit him. That watch you bought him for his birthday? Oh, it’s still in his drawer. It wasn’t him.
But don’t be discouraged. Chances are your partner simply doesn’t enjoy dressing like everyone else. He has his own thing going on and it shall not be disturbed.
That’s why it’s better to go custom. Custom pieces are unique and can be made specially to accent or enhance your partners tastes.
Gregory Allen is the founder and creative director of the Gregory Allen Company, a lifestyle brand that specializes in custom pieces, more notably, shirts and bow ties. He’s been recognized for his work by many with features in Complex, Peace Magazine and The Globe and Mail, just to name a few.
We spoke with the talented Toronto-based designer about his brand and custom culture.
Tell us a little bit about your company.
The Gregory Allen brand is a lifestyle brand and we make bow ties, shirts and furniture but we are more recognized for our bow ties. We’ve been in the business for about 10 years now. Our fashion has been everywhere from The Toronto Film Festival, LG Fashion Week to Complex magazine. Now things are going well and it’s time to take it to the next level.
Why do you think custom clothing is appealing to men?
I guess in this day and age they don’t want to look like anyone else -this is the era of individuality. They [men] just kind of want to be themselves, they don’t want to go somewhere and everybody looks the same. They want to stand out and that’s the reason why they come to me for custom shirts, custom bow ties and things of that nature.
On my signature shirts I have my actual signature on the back of all the collars so everybody knows that it is an authentic Gregory Allen brand.
What makes your brand unique?
We are a luxury lifestyle brand and everything we do is completely unique. We separate the way that we design from our craftsmanship to our innovative style and designs. Even our colour concepts, packaging, labels – every aspect is different.
I come up with ideas for design in such an unorthodox way that I take a lot of risks and have fun with it. I know there has been a bit of a cult following because of that. There are a lot of people that are bored and tired of the norm, they want that fun and different look and they come to me because of that.
What kinds of materials do you use?
We use anything from snake skin, leather, wool, to cotton, you name it. We do a lot of things that other people wouldn’t or even imagine doing.
What do you think is the perfect shirt?
I think the perfect shirt depends on the individual himself. Everybody is different so some people might want the cut to be different, or it may be the fabric for some or the colour combinations.
For a younger guy the perfect shirt for him is more flamboyant and matches his sneakers. For instance, I’ll get someone that is 18 years old and his mother bought him a pair of $300 sneakers and he wants to match it. On the other hand, a 50 year old will come in with a 25-year-old girlfriend that bought a brand new Porsche and really wants him to look new and young.
I don’t think there is such thing as a “perfect” shirt, but I focus on getting the perfect fit and then I go from there.
Can a woman customize a shirt for her partner?
Everything I do, I do custom. We do the ready-to-wear and we also do the custom. If somebody was to come in, they could get a complete shirt and look from head-to-toe. If the individual had a boyfriend or a husband that liked Nike’s for example, I could make a custom shirt or bow tie to match that. Or if he had a three-piece suit that he wanted to wear in a certain colour range and fabric, I could make a shirt to go with that. No matter what that individual wants, I could make it happen.
We also have gift certificates. If a woman wants to buy a gift for her husband or boyfriend and she’s not too sure, she can always get a gift certificate, give it to him and then he can come and I can make whatever he wants.
