Jos. A. Bank is letting consumers take part in its production process.
This week, the men’s retailer launched custom suiting for its Reserve and 1905 brands, where consumers can personalize their formalwear, sport coats, suits, trousers and vests with custom details in sizes spanning from slim to traditional.
With Reserve custom garments, which start retailing at $1,198, shoppers can get luxury tailoring. Each apparel item features a moldable half-canvas chest piece and a natural sloping shoulder for an elevated shape. Consumers have a choice to choose from more than 100 Italian fabrics and have their suit made by skilled artisans in North America.
For those who want a modern, yet still traditional suit, 1905 custom garments offer other details for an additional charge, including custom lining, ticket pockets and pick stitching. Echoing a youthful aesthetic, 1905 custom garments start retailing at $698 and are available in more than 60 fabrics for consumers.
Once consumers select their fabric, fit and details in select stores, Jos. A. Bank guarantees that the custom suit will be delivered within four weeks.
“We are very excited to offer a custom experience that completes our lifestyle brand,” Jos. A. Bank brand president Mary Beth Blake said. “We felt this was the natural progression for our iconic heritage brand that has been dressing American men for over 100 years.”
Jos. A. Bank’s new custom suiting program follows the brand’s first quarter results. Tailored Brands, Jos. A. Bank’s parent company, reported a total net sales decrease of 5.5% to $782.9 million for the first quarter, compared to a decrease of 6.4% in total net sales to $828.8 million for first quarter 2016. Retail segment net sales were also down 5.3% compared to 7 percent for first quarter 2016, due to comparable sales declines and last year’s store closings. Although Tailored Brands’ other divisions experienced comparable sales declines, Jos. A. Bank’s comparable sales rose by 3.5%, mainly due to an increase in transactions and business growth efforts.
“We are gaining traction on our initiatives of engaging more customers across all channels, strengthening our omnichannel experience and increasing sales of custom clothing,” Tailored Brands CEO Doug Ewert said in a statement on the financials released last week. “These initiatives support our strategy to innovate the best men’s specialty store of the future by delighting our customers with an unmatched level of convenience, authority and personalization.”