After 3 years in business, Stephen Kempson was hitting his stride.
The London-born tailor on Post Road West, just over the bridge, had a steady and grateful clientele for bespoke suits, jackets, pants and shirts, plus shoes, ties, cufflinks, ready-to-wear items off the rack, and wardrobe consultation.
Then came COVID.
Kempson closed for 9 weeks. His 2 tailors kept busy by making masks. Fingers that once measured, cut and sewed fabrics to show men at their best now created products that covered their faces.
In June, people began venturing out. But no one headed back to the office. Through August, Kempson had no new orders.
It took another year before customers returned. Still, Kempson figured it would be 2025 before he was where he wanted to be.
Since New Year’s though, business has been roaring.
Both January and February orders tripled what he’d done in those months in 2023.
Suits are back in style.
Stephen Kempson, with the inside fabric of a suit jacket.
When the pandemic first eased, and people began going back to offices a couple of days a week, they had to give up their work-from-home sweat pants and t-shirts.
They did not make the leap to jackets and ties immediately, though. Kempson added items like knitted cotton shirts — not woven — that provided the comfort men had gotten used to.
Now though, many offices are open most of the week. Suits are considered suitable for those days. “It’s about getting back in the business mindset,” Kempson says.
Companies are re-instituting dress codes. “They don’t want you looking like you just walked out of the gym, or off the golf course,” he notes.
Last week, 3 of Kempton’s customers bought more than 3 suits each.
The influx of new Westporters — many in their 30s and 40s — “want to wear nice sport coats,” he says. “They’re really taking care of their wardrobes.”
Formal weddings are back too. Grooms are looking for custom-made tuxedos and suits that will stand out — not flashily, but in a way that shows off their unique personalities.
A Stephen Kempson wedding tux was featured in Tatler magazine. (All photos/Dan Woog)
He made another tux for a man celebrating his 40th birthday with a party at Autostrada. Functions like those were put on hold during COVID, and for months after.
Kempson does not think most customers will ever again spend 5 days a week in the office.
But they are there 3 or 4 days. They want to look — and feel — good when they’re there.
Some things never go out of fashion.
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I bought a suit for an event in White Plains in August 2017. Wore the suit for the event that day in 2017, came back home and hung it up in the closet, and it’s still hanging there. I never wore it again! That’s the last time I wore a suit.
Jack, I can top you without moving a muscle. I have FIVE suits in my closet that have never been worn. My wife bought them. It’s not my fault. I’ll send them to you. What’s next? Underwear?? Make my day!!! 🙈
I can top you both. I have never worn a suit in my whole life!
Amazing. Gregory Peck would be amazed. Do you wear underwear? I reduce my carbon footprint by going “commando.” Works with or without a suit. Let’s see how Jack handles this one.
Great photo of the storefront!
Having grown up in the fifties, my first pre-pubescent crush was the best looking man in a suit, ever — Cary Grant. In the words of ZZ Top, “Everybody crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man!”
Should I live long enough to see the full scale return of men wearing suits —particularly the impeccably tailored variety —-I’ll die a happy woman.
If Mr. Kempson would agree to tailoring a suit for me, I know what I want for my birthday.
The Manhattan commute on metro north is brutal in suits – pretty sure that’s how Mitchell’s built their empire.