Across The Pond: Adrian Jules

As you’ll know if you occasionally cross the ether to BespokeMe, my main preoccupation is London’s hidden gems and lesser known retailers. However, my curiosity and love of finding interesting and anonymous sources extends further than the shores of England.

Other than reading blogs based abroad, I occasionally receive press releases and unsolicited info about foreign merchants – occupational hazard once you start writing a blog. For the most part these are just dross and spam, quickly making their way to the junk folder. However, I recently received one on a company called Adrian Jules that sparked my interest.

According to the blurb, Adrian Jules is America’s best worn secret – quite a claim. Founded in Rochester, New York, in 1962 by Adriano Roberti and Julio Volantere, Adrian Jules now ranks as the oldest, and largest,  family-owned maker of men’s custom-bespoke, made-to-measure and RTW clothing in America. Apparently, each bespoke coat is still cut, pressed and shaped by hand, and features hand sewn top collars, under-collars and shoulder linings; even buttonholes are first cut by hand, sculpted, then hand-stitched. (I have to say these people are pushing all the right buttons with me).

I’d be prepared to bet a year’s salary – which isn’t very much –  that I never set foot in Rochester, and my asking you about Adrian Jules may be as facile as an American asking “has anybody heard anything about Anderson & Sheppard?”

But I’d be interested to get the lowdown from Mensflair’s worldly audience.