A man’s wardrobe is both a reflection and symbolic of his life-stage and progression. I should know. As a young graduate, all I could afford back then were generic office shirts and department-store-bought work pants, sometimes acquired on discount. A while later, my work wardrobe evolved to include tops and bottoms from accessible boutique brands like G2000. To this day, I still consider their price-friendly merchandise true ‘office staples’ that every young corporate should have.
While I understand the need for pocket-friendly workwear, I’m also a firm believer of well-tailored suits, shirts and pants, because I think nothing looks sharper and more professional than bespoke apparel made just for me. It had always been a dream of mine to acquire a selection of custom-tailored jackets, pants and shirts, a goal I had a mind to work towards. But that came much later in my life. You could say I was a late-adopter of the tailored look, having ventured into that exclusive world only quite recently. Even when I could afford it, I fought shy of it. I realise now that the reason is that a visit to the tailor for an average Joe like me can be a little intimidating, and tedious. The process is protracted and repetitive — from taking measurements, upteenth visits for fittings, right down to the selection of fabrics from thousands of swatches in hundreds of catalogues. It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months, before one can set eyes on the final product. Compounded by confusing jargon-ish acronyms like MTM, MTO, getting a bespoke suit, dream or no, can be angst-ridden and definitely test your patience.
My years in media have fortunately connected me with some prominent names in the tailoring scene, one of which is Closeknip, a newly-launched tailoring service, with a fresh and friendly approach. If you’re already a fan of style-forward, made-to-measure clothing, you’ll be pleased to know that Closeknip is backed by the people behind the established bespoke tailoring label PIMABS. Closeknip is a leap off its founders’ expertise, gained from years of experience in dressing men. Closeknip’s secret lies in its proprietary system that reduces the entire tailoring process by more than half the time — guys, we are talking serious breakthrough process disruption here, a reinvention of the way men consume personalised menswear.
A shorter time from start to finish aside, a visit to the Closeknip showroom is an experience in itself. It is nestled cozily in up-and-coming Cavan Road, (within the now-cool Jalan Besar enclave), which is also inevitably attracting a cluster of hipster cafes and creative agencies. Created to make every guest feel welcomed, the warmth and hospitality of Closeknip starts with drinks by its long and handsome island countertop, from which a guest can choose a great selection of whisky and gin. The rest of the showroom is decorated to feel like a bachelor’s pad — cutting-edge leather couch, beautiful wall painting and a sleek walk-in wardrobe.
THE CONCEPT
The concept of Closeknip is really to keep things simple yet personalised, and in line with the fact they the brand specialises in well-made everyday clothes for everyday people. Through understanding your style personality and lifestyle, the team builds the foundation of your bespoke wardrobe and adapts it to your sartorial preference. It does not have a house style and it does not dictate looks. Most important is that it keeps things basic. With its expertise and methodology, and on such a platform does Closeknip build a winning wardrobe that reflects your personal taste.
THE PROCESS
Closeknip’s personalised menswear begins with an incredibly detailed fitting process that reduces the guesswork. This takes away the stress and anxiety of anticipating the fit, and it allows customers to focus on what will make them feel comfortable and confident. This is possible, as a result of the huge amount of data the team has collected for over two decades in the business of dressing men; all this just so Closeknip can achieve superior fit in a single visit. After all, Closeknip knows that the most vital components of personalised menswear is the detailed, disciplined and thorough use of fitting samples created for most, if not all body shapes and sizes.
The core belief of Closeknip is more with less. The team knows that creating something simple takes years of experience and experiment — but it’s worth the while for mastering a perfect piece of apparel, with the least number of details possible.
WARDROBE SHIRT BUNDLES start from $450 for 3 shirts. Suits starting from $699.
Location: 20B, Cavan Road, Singapore 209851
Website: www.closeknip.com
Contact: [email protected]
Phone: 65-87003354