August 7, 2005
phase three: savile row in lower manhattan
The English Cut virus is doing fine. The meme is spreading all over the world, which both Thomas and I are very happy about. “Marketing Phase One”- i.e. get it off the ground and get it sustainable– is complete.
Marketing Phase Two is just continue doing what we’ve been doing. Keep on blogging, keep on making the best $4000 suits in the world, and let the virus continue to happily spread the way it’s been spreading.
Phase Three is trickier. Phase Three is about getting better known among a very small, distinct geographic area.
i.e. Lower Manhattan. Wall Street and the New York Investment Bank crowd.
Sadly, Wall Street was never my home turf when I lived in New York in the late 1990s. I was more a Madison Avenue type. One of those “art & media” schlepps. So I guess I’ll be going at this from a very fresh angle (which is basically a euphemism for “seriously uninformed”). But I do like a challenge.
Any ideas how to start skinning this one? I have a few, but it’s still early days. Watch this space.
Good god, you even talk like Hugh
How long have you known him again?
And you talk like Hugh because you are Hugh. Oops, better look closer at my rss feeds. Take it as a compliment in branding that I could confuse you and your boy
Dear Hugh
What type of music do u listen?
In the future, everyone will talk like me buah ha ha ha ha…
Agrada, I’m partial to Beethoven, Bach and Jeff Buckley.
Those guys downtown are notorious bandwagon-jumpers. Find the Gordon Gekko of 2005, convince him that your bespoke is the way to go, and you may be on easy street…
Well, I believe your meme is indeed doing fine. Whenever a guy from Brazil calls for a fine grey suit I hope it would be me.
There is no ‘Lower Manhattan’ business elite anymore. The financial district doesn’t exist anymore.
It’s now all over the tri-state area. The largest trading floor in North America is in Stamford, CT. There are more hedge funds in Greenwich than below Canal Street.
Get them where they live, not where they work. Or where they play. Like right now I’m on Cape Cod and there are probably more captains of industry within a stones throw of where I’m typing this than you’d ever find on Wall Street.
I know the definition of “Wall Street” has widened geographically, David. It’s the demographic I’m REALLY interested in
It’s easy — you’re thinking of Wall Street as a place — it’s a demographic and they share a number of characteristics. I’ll explain the specifics when i see you next.
To be fair, what you’re doing now is probably the best way to reach them — keep blogging and spreading the meme! The people that have already bought englishcut suits are likely to run into the ‘Wall Street bunch’ and spread the word on their lovely, expensive, tailored, suits.
Or tell Thomas to ask where a good place to meet them would be at the next fitting in NY …
Hugh
If you like Jeff B, check out his dad, Tim — you’ll see where Jeff got it from!
If it’s the demographic you’re interested in, then I have two words for you: Hong fucking Kong. The highest density of investment bankers (must be cockney slang for that) per square metre on the planet. Go there. There’s serious sartorial oneupmanship.
While you’re at it; Bartok, Bruckner & Bjork
This demographic is about winning.
Invite a few people to an event in NY and then allow them to secure fitting appointments on that night only. Explain that you’ll work with those customers in Manhattan exclusively for a fixed period.
They’ll fight to be first in line and order as heavily as they can afford. These sneezers will then market via word-of-mouth secure in their ‘first in’ status, knowing they won’t be matched in their sartorial perfection for a while. You can then repeat the process on a schedule, making these ‘client evenings’ a chance for old customers to sell to new customers for you. You’ll just be well dressed and charming.
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