Do you know that scene in Casino Royal, when Vesper Lynd sizes up James Bond perfectly for his dinner jacket for the poker tournament? That was my experience at Rodger Bartholomew.
I'd passed by this shop en route to other tasks on a few occasions in the past year, saying to myself 'I need to go there.' It immediately stood out to me as a location for quality menswear based on one thing: the shoes in the window. I fell in love with a shoe company called Loake while living in the UK, which holds a royal warrant as suppliers of footwear to the UK Royal Family. I own three pairs of the Loake 1880 line, and I've never known finer shoes in my life. Seeing this at Rodger Bartholomew was a sign of a business that shares a similar interest in quality to mine.
I finally stopped in on my birthday, seeking a lightweight blazer to wear for work or play. As I walked in I was immediately greeted by Peter, who asked what I was looking for. When I told him, he immediately pulled a jacket from the rack and handed it to me. I've never not (yes, double negative for effect here) been asked my size, which brings us to to my Casino Royale moment: the jacket fit . Within two minutes of seeing me for the first time, Peter pulled the a jacket fit off the rack. That's a skill right there, and another sign of the level of quality and service Rodger Bartholomew offers.
Once I put the jacket on, Peter talked me through the tweaks he'd like their master tailor to make to the jacket so it would fit me perfectly. I didn't buy the first jacket Peter presented to me, preferring another with more of a pattern that was a perfect fit. I'm thinking about going back for that first jacket again.
The other cool thing is I had Peter's full attention for the entire time I was in the store. Other customers came in, but Peter stayed with me, patiently assisting me in trying each of five jackets on again, and again.
Pretty much the perfect shopping experience, and one I hope to have again. read more