There are rare moments in life in which we’re privileged to learn about an artisan craftsman who is also a successful businessman…who is also, it seems, a really decent human being.
David, our newly-christened Foreign Correspondent and long-time contributor, found this inspiring and heart-warming video about tailor Martin Greenfield.
Enjoy it HERE.
The video brought back memories, oddly enough.
Years ago, I had friends in Los Angeles who would catch the red-eye to New York City, arriving in the early morning. Fortified with a bag of fresh bagels and a militia of hot coffees, they’d crowd into the back of a town car, munching and slurping, as they made their pilgrimage to Brooklyn. As the sedan rolled to a stop, the bleary-eyed troupe would unfold and shuffle into Mr. Greenfield’s factory. There, they’d select fabrics, get fitted for suits (often adjusting the waistline measurement from the previous visit), and joke with the staff.
By the time the process was finished, lunch bells were ringing. The next pit stop was usually a steakhouse in midtown Manhattan. Locations varied, but prerequisites did not: there would be dark wood paneling, a corner booth, white tablecloths, strong drinks, and waiters who’d worked there forever.
Beating the rush hour traffic back to JFK, the boys would board a same-day flight back to LA, sleeping most of the way home. It was a road trip. It was a ritual. It was a statement: let trend chasers shop Los Angeles for ready-made rags. These young turks would have their suits made in New York, where men are serious about life, and serious about clothes.
It was the 90s. So many things have changed. It’s great to see Mr. Greenfield hasn’t.
Thanks, David.
- BGT