burgerkong
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Trying to find a list of bespoke tailors in Toronto has been a big struggle on this thread since I started on StyleForum back in 2017. When I began looking for apprenticeships some ten years ago, I was frustrated by the lack of an index or contact sheet that could point me in the right direction. I sent e-mails to a list of different tailors from the Asociacion Española de Sastreria (AES)... to which, of course, I never received a reply, but the idea still stuck with me all these years.
So after three years of brainstorming, and converging with a lot of skepticism, I was finally able to get a group of individuals together yesterday to initiate what will hopefully become a society, board, or authority of bespoke tailors right here in Toronto (moreso Ontario). Call it what you will.
The focus will mostly be an open-dialogue for sharing ideas, processes and resources. It focuses on the individual craftsperson rather than on their business. Some of us run our own businesses and some of us are employed by other businesses, we will not contribute to a business' marketing strategies, but rather provide tools to the individual to help them succeed in their craft.
As a chain-reaction, we hope to become a source for people looking for apprenticeships, jobs or internships where and if applicable. For consumers looking for legitimate bespoke experiences, this should help immensely as all members that will be a part of this association will all be listed with their backgrounds, experiences and expertise. For companies that have no affiliation whatsoever, but want to be involved, they would have to be extremely transparent about what their 'bespoke' offerings are and will be voted to join the board according to their legitimacy (keeping in mind that it will not be businesses that can participate, but their tailors, individually). That way, for those that claim bespoke, but have no affiliation with the association. With this, the idea is that red flags will be more easily detectable for anyone that is a consumer, trying to weed out what is falsely advertised.
This isn't a 'cool kid' club, it's not about picking and choosing who can be a member, but more of an essential tool for anyone that is a craftsperson to be spotlighted in a city of businesses that advertise what they are not. There are many talented tailors in Toronto, but they operate silently from their homes or are employed by businesses that hide them.
I don't know how successful this group will be as it will only survive if everyone contributes to it equally. But for now, we are in talks of a second gathering and it will be including many more people. The last association fell apart about 25 years ago and lasted only a year. That association was meant to market bespoke tailors and it was competition amongst its members that ended up being the cause for its dissolution.
Our website will be coming soon, which will be listing all members. But for those of you that are active, the Instagram account is currently @toronto_tailors_assn
Obviously the focus will be on bespoke pieces, but will sources for alterations (or members that will tackle them) be on this list?