Do you think it is bad form for a tailoring house to publish details of its "celebrity" client list? - Page 3

I watched the Oscar Red Carpet on E! the other day and the question of the day for men and women was "Who are you wearing"? "Who are you wearing?" seems to have replaced "What are you thinking?" almost completely. Now give that these were mainly actors, I really don't want to know what they are thinking, unless it has something to do with acting anyway. They asked some guy Who he was wearing? and he responded with "um Tuxedo". I thought it was very refreshing.

I haven't been in NYC in awhile, but it used to be that every deli or dry cleaner or whatever had 8 by12 signed photos of celebrities that had been there. Merchants using celebrity affiliations goes back at least a few hundred years. Bombay Gin had a picture of Queen Victoria (?) or someone on the bottle. Beau Brummel in he's final days did a photo ad of some kind of long underwear. At that point he was broke and pretty well brain dead from syphilis but they cleaned him up, gave him a few pounds and printed the ads. Unless it's a rehab clinic, some subtle mention of their other clients is to be expected.

^in all of your examples the customer has clearly given consent.

I also think that the house should ask each "celebrity" before the publish.

I'm still waiting for Phil Spector to give me approval to use his image as an avatar. I sent him a self addressed stamped envelope, but they may limit the number of letters he can send in any given time period.

These are two points well worth considering, I think. Especially the bolded part.

I would feel similarly. And your story suggests that tailors probably can't rely on asking their clients outright if they're OK with this kind of publicity (since respect and consideration for the tailor might make people loath to express their real opinion).

Thank you for sharing this and bless your moms heart. That is charming.
Please give her a hug from me (or from 'the Donald', if she prefers). ❤

I never mention which StyFo celebrities for whom I sell their used garments.

Though, maybe my pant sales may improve if I did.

I live in LA and got my first bespoke suit last year. The tailor's walls were covered with celebrities' photos with messages to the tailor such as, "Your suit fits like a dream." I think this is fine. If the celebrity is smiling for the camera next to the tailor and has provided approval to have his/her photo put up on the wall, it is ok. Obviously if the celeb has never provided this endorsement then no advertising should be done.

 

I used to have a BMW and one of the service advisors in Beverly Hills had tons of celebrity photos with autographs and messages of thanks to the dealership and service rep. In all honesty, I had a feeling that these celebrities were trying to "keep up with the Jones's." They all had to have their photo up in this guy's office. And I'm sure these celebs get treated like royalty when they step into these establishments if not have service done at a discount.

 

If I were a tailor, it would seem like a win-win situation to give a celeb a discount in exchange for repeat business and this form of advertisement.

 

P.S. I have discarded the BMW piece of junk for a nice reliable Japanese car :)

Are they paying customers? Or are they being given free/discounted clothing?

If somebody is allowing you to use their name I assume they're getting something back.

I wouldn't be too happy if my tailor disclosed details of my orders, or even the fact that I was their client, without my permission. I'm no one special, but perhaps I might have my own reasons for wanting these things kept quiet. Like Holdfast I'm in a profession where confidentiality is key, so maybe that affects my thinking.

Also, there is a certain level of intimacy with a bespoke tailor. Standing under a practised eye for first measurements can be quite intimidating - there is nowhere to hide. Later in the relationship what you order, when and how all provide insight into your character and situation.

So I feel I am owed a certain amount of privacy by my tailor. (FWIW, they've always seemed very discreet.) Conversely I would be almost completely not bothered if I bought a particular designer's piece of RTW clothing and that got talked about.
Edited by cold war painter - 3/4/13 at 8:03am

It's common place in Savile Row, London. There's a GQ article about the practice here:
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/articles/2011-07/19/savile-row-bespoke-suits-best-tailors-london

FTFY

Even then.

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