On a hot summer’s day in northern England in 2012, a group of tailors, graphic designers, photographers, web designers, PR people and marketers (all of whom were friends) convened for a secret meeting.
Their intention? To help men of all ages dress to impress at formal gatherings without having to pay through the nose for the privilege. I spoke to Nathan Rous, a member of the Johnny Tuxedo team.
How are you? What Have you been doing recently?
“Fabulously well, thank you. Life is hectic but Johnny Tuxedo gives us plenty of reasons to smile. At the moment we’re in one of the busiest periods of the year with tuxedos flying out for prom events, as well as grooms getting organised for their weddings.”
Please could you tell me a bit about Johnny Tuxedo; where the idea came from, etc.
“Like all great ideas, Johnny Tuxedo came because there was a definite gap in the market. What makes it more interesting is that it was conceived by a group of friends who could all bring a different element to the party. The name was key and we’ll give head honcho Austen Pickles the credit for that, given his tailoring and retail heritage.
“We all pitched in on the tone of voice and branding but getting the product right was the most important thing of all. We wanted to offer young men the chance to own their very own incredibly stylish tuxedo for the same price as hiring one.
“That’s why we created a slim suit, shirt and tie package that costs less than a couple of hires… It’s washable and made to last. In fact it’s a lot more flattering than suits which cost five times as much.”
Who founded the company and how did you all meet?
“Austen is affectionately known as ‘Johnny’s Dad’ and is very much the group leader as well as majority shareholder. His boundless energy and enthusiasm is largely responsible for the company’s progression over the last three years. There are five shareholders and we’ve all known each other in various guises for some time.”
Please elaborate on your professional backgrounds.
“We all have our own specialisms: photography, graphics, brand development, PR, marketing. That’s why we knew this project would work. But Austen has tailoring in his blood, from the mills of Bradford to tailoring workrooms in Leeds and even further afield.
“In addition to his involvement in Johnny Tuxedo, Austen runs a bespoke men’s tailoring company called Norton & Townsend. He also owns a ladies tailoring design and manufacturing business called Buxton Pickles.”
“Absolutely. I think the tux was always something you dusted off when you were invited to a sportsman’s dinner but in the last 10 years things have changed. Now people don’t need an excuse to get dressed up – they’re positively looking for reasons to wear black tie because it’s such a flattering silhouette.
“We’re seeing more black tie weddings, more black tie events and the prom market has exploded with black tie options. Initially we thought our customers would want the suit purely because of the price but we’ve noticed our demographic growing because it’s so well made.
“So although we thought we’d do well with students and people buying their first tux, the reality is that we have men of all ages choosing Johnny Tuxedo because it makes sense on so many levels.”
Where are your clothes made? What do you think it is that makes your brand special and unique, apart from the price?
“We work very closely with an amazing factory in Bangalore, India. Austen has visited the factory many times and knows the family that owns it well. They are proud of their ethical approach to business, training school for tailors and huge investment in the very best machinery.
“The workforce in Bangalore is highly skilled and well paid. It is far from the cheapest production available to us but it is the best value Austen could find in terms of quality and service.”
What are your plans for the future? Where do you hope to take the company?
“Our medium-term ambition is to extend the range so that the Johnny Tuxedo wearer can buy a wider range from us. We quickly run out of things to sell him… Many of our customers are under 21 and after graduating will need an interview suit, shirt, tie, etc.
“Slightly older guys have expressed an interest in business suits and smart-casual wear. We are only a small business and have limited cash to invest in a broad collection but we are looking at adding new limited edition lines in the near future to grow our collection and show the older, tired menswear brands how they should be doing it!”
For more information on Johnny Tuxedo, visit the company’s official website.
