Today we’d like to introduce you to Seth Schafer.
Seth, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2007, my father moved to London with my step-mom for her work. While he was over there, he was recruited to start designing clothes for a company there. He moved back to Baltimore and worked for the company until 2010 when he started his own clothing company. At this point in my life, I was pretty lost. After being expelled from college, I worked on changing my life and got a job at a restaurant. While working there, I was serving tables, cooking, and learning about management it was there that I started to learn about business. The owner, George, took me under his wing until it was time for me to move on. My father would call me relentlessly and ask “when are you going to work with me” and in 2013 joined his company. I finally found my calling thanks to my father. Five years later, I was running the showroom and he was managing the business and overall direction. I was saving to buy a home in Baltimore and one day decided that I aspired for a bigger challenge. I moved to Los Angeles on April 1st, 2018 and franchised Christopher Schafer Clothier and also opened our second location of our non-profit, Sharp Dressed Man.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d love to say “everything was beautiful and nothing hurt” but unfortunately it was a tough transition. My best friend, Curtis, and I moved across the country together and each started our own businesses with no network in Los Angeles. Meeting new people and building relationships took some time and was challenging at first. I was extremely lucky to connect with my friend Joey, he was my tour guide around Los Angeles. He was instrumental in helping start my network, and I really appreciate him for that. I also joined the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce where I was welcomed with open arms. The other large obstacle was managing capital and cash flow. Opening up a store in Santa Monica was an expensive endeavor.
After rapidly spending my savings to build out the showroom, make samples clothing, advertise and moving into my apartment, I needed more capital to sustain. That led to my new schedule, work on growing the business all day and then drive Lyft in a suit after work. I did this for the first six months to keep afloat. It really kept me going and was a massive learning experience. I truly learned about managing finances and I am incredibly thankful for the clients I have now. Thankfully, I no longer have to drive Lyft and harass every person who gets into my car. I would ask everyone “Do you dress up for work?” or “Do you know anyone who would enjoy a custom suit?” I am very thankful for all of the support I had through the first few months of growing the company, the advice I received was absolutely profound.
Christopher Schafer Clothier – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At Christopher Schafer Clothier we make men look and feel their absolute best, by designing hand made bespoke suits. We are known for our extreme diversity in fashion, from conservative to eccentric. The interesting part about us is our clients become our friends, we take time to learn about every person who walks into our doors. We also strive to educate on how to dress. Some clients send us pictures of ties and shirts and ask “does this match?”. We have an event every few months at our shop where we teach men how to tie a tie, mix and match clothes and how a suit should fit. We are proud of our clothes but more importantly, the experience provided. I have seen men weep in front of our ten-foot mirror putting on their wedding suit for the first time, and have had people confide in us when they are struggling. We truly believe in the traditional way of doing business, where you really have a connection with your tailor. While the way we advertise is completely different, nothing is off-limits. From guys skateboarding in suits (such as myself) to creating short films about a mysterious briefcase transported by well-dressed men and even meeting people on the street, we truly are always innovating how we do things. The common thread is our impalpable amount of passion for overjoyed customers.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Starting Sharp Dressed Man’s second location. To give some context, Sharp Dressed Man was founded by my father Christopher Schafer in Baltimore in 2010. SDM is a nonprofit where we dress men for job interviews. Every man is measured and given a suit, shirt, tie and shoes that have been donated to us. We partner with local nonprofits to send us men who are trying to get back on their feet. We are fully volunteer operated and located in the fashion district downtown. When I came to Los Angeles, I went to Skid Row and was astounded by the number of people that could use our services. My Dad and I both agreed we needed to be of service here and are looking forward to dressing more men to get them back in action. If you’d like to donate clothes or refer a partner to us, please contact us.
I’m also very proud of my parents. Thank you to my Mom and Dad for supporting me and loving me, they taught me that anything is possible. As a kid, they both struggled individually and really didn’t have much. Over the years, I have watched them become successful people. They both inspire me, they believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. My whole family, from grandparents, step-mom, brothers, and more have been strong advocates and mentors for me. They’re always teaching me something.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1301 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90025 - Website: https://christopherschafer.com/
- Phone: 3109050244
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Christopherschafer & Seththetailor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopherschaferclothier/
- Twitter: christhetailor
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/christopher-schafer-clothier-santa-monica
- Other: https://www.sharpdressedman.org/
Image Credit:
Lloyd Fox, Nathan Gurvitch, Kaitlin Newman, Rachel Cooper, Curtis Blank, Diana Ragland
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