For Manuel Martinez, clothes are more than just drapes of fabric designed to cloak the body — they are instruments of human nature that should be taken seriously and respected.
Growing up in Mexico, Martinez, like his father and grandfather, didn’t visit the nearby Sears or Dillards to buy a ready-made suit. They went to the local tailor to make each stitch and seam individualized for their bodies. The idea of “one size fits all” clothes was foreign to them.
When Martinez opened his own store, Martinez Custom Clothier, he brought this ideology to his work and eventually his clients. His clientele has included former LSU football coach and current Alabama coach Nick Saban and famed American lawyer Johnnie Cochran Jr, known for his role of leadership in the defense and acquittal of O.J. Simpson.
Though he has no problem acquiring new clients, Martinez said he has recognized a lack of appreciation from the average male shopper for custom-fit clothes. But this may not be the fault of either party in the shopping experience, he said.
Martinez said part of the problem in today’s clothing industry is a lack of education on both the part of the consumer and salesperson.
Often, a man will buy a new suit and not realize what colors and fabrics he should look for to match the occasion, he said. For instance, there are certain patterns and color schemes that are appropriate to wear on a cruise but not necessarily at a wedding, Martinez explained.
Therefore, when he takes on a new client, Martinez has an informal interview process during which he gets to know the personality and needs of the client.
“When I meet a client, I sit down with them and just try to find out what is it they do, their lifestyle [and] what they want to dress for,” Martinez said. “That’s what’s important about making or designing something for the individual.”
Then Martinez can match the client’s personality to a specific set of colors, patterns and fabrics best suited for him. He also has a book providing examples of various complexions and hair colors, corresponding to a list of colors that would look best on an individual.
Martinez said he encourages his clients to develop their own approach to fashion and set the trends, rather than follow the masses. In this way, custom clothing offers more opportunities to be distinctive.
“The beauty of having your clothes made is to help you define your own style,” Martinez said. “When you have a suit that is proportionally made for you, you might not always have the latest, but you’ll always be in style.”
Martinez said that his goal in designing a suit is to make everyone who sees it stop and wonder who is wearing it. He argued that a well-made suit, individualized in design, can insight curiosity in a passerby.
However, this process of defining and designing the perfectly individualized suit did not come without trial and error.
Martinez said in his early years of custom designing, he was making beautiful suits, but his clients were not coming back. He would ask them why they didn’t return for his business and they would say, “You make a beautiful suit, but it’s just not me.”
For this reason, Martinez said he had to step back and take a different approach to custom design that included the client’s personality and lifestyle in every step of the process. After doing this, he said his suits were then a representation of the person as well as aesthetically pleasing.
“The word ‘fitted’ in the English language is so vague, and what’s a good fit to you may be a complete disaster to somebody else,” Martinez said.
Whether a client is trying to convey power and assertion or is more flamboyant and braggadocious with their wardrobe, Martinez said he knows how to bring forth that intention that can so often be communicated through clothes.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Sam Karlin

Custom Clothier Manuel Martinez displays products at his shop, located at 7280 Corporate Blvd. Monday.