Haute Clothiers: Astor & Black

It makes a luxurious exclusive statement to drive a Bentley and now it makes the same statement when you wear a custom suit from Astor & Black.

The brand was founded by David Schottenstein and is all the talk in the suit world right now. Just recently the luxury suit company partnered with Bentley Motors and now all new Bentley owners get a complimentary custom suit when purchasing an ultra luxury Bentley. The deal was first announced with orders to go with the flagship Mulsanne from Bentley.

You can imagine the prolific number of new clients both from the celebrity and business world that will now be wearing Astor & Black.

You don’t have to feel left out if your a lovely lady as Astor & Black also makes sexy suits for women as well.

Recently I was able to get an interview with the company’s CEO David Schottenstein and professional clothier and stylist of Boston David Morra, who is responsible for helping birth the Bentley Motors and Astor & Black relationship.

It is with my pleasure to bring to you Haute Living readers my exclusive interview.

Founder, David Schottenstein Interview

How was Astor and Black founded?
I was attending school in Italy and became extremely fascinated with the old world Italian tailors making handmade suits in their workshops. I began to notice that the Italians and the British always had their suits cut to perfection, not always the case in the USA, let alone in the Midwest. I also noticed that all the really well-made and well-constructed suits seemed to be positioned at unattainable prices. There had to be a way to deliver top quality, well-made garments and spectacular service along with reasonable pricing. My mission was to bridge the gap and at age 21, I founded Astor & Black Custom Clothiers.

CEO David Schottenstein and Angel Ramos

[Photo Credit: Omar Vega]

Why did you choose the name Astor and Black?
The names Astor and Black are a nod to two, now non-existent, tailoring houses from London’s famous Savile Row, the home of men’s bespoke tailoring.

As founder of the company how would you describe Astor and Black clothing?
The finest cloths, top-tier tailoring, along with the perfect cut and fit at a remarkable value. The quality and craftsmanship are truly amazing. Hand-picked stitching on all seams, surgeon cuffs, fully canvassed construction and customizable right down to the color of thread that is used on the buttonholes. Our top of the line fabrics come from the top fabric mills in the world but are easily priced 40 to 50 percent lower than what other companies are charging.

CEO David Schottenstein in Astor & Black

How does Astor and Black differ from other custom clothiers?
Quite simply, no one else offers handmade, custom-made garments with our exact specification and quality standards at a price range even close to ours. It is far and away the best value in the custom clothing world today. The service is top of the line. We will come to you anyway, your home, your office, a restaurant, a private plane…. The fact that three of the top five finalists for Esquire’s Best Dressed Real Men were not only Astor & Black clients, but were clients that wear our opening range suits, says a great deal about our value.

Does Astor and Black have any celebrity clients?
Absolutely. Our name has really spread among the ranks of professional athletes, especially Ochocinco of the Bengals, Josh Cribbs of the Browns, Jermaine O’Neal of the Celtics, Tyreke Evans of the Kings and many, many more. We also have clients such as Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle and third richest man in the world.

Ochocinco in Astor & Black

[Photo Credit: Scott Teitler]

What is Astor and Black’s relationship with Bentley Motors?
Astor & Black is now the official custom clothing partner of Bentley Motors. Bentley recognized the quality and craftsmanship in Astor  & Black’s offerings and wanted to give their clients a gift that would be on par with their new Bentley. As a result, for every new Bentley purchased in the US, Canada, Mexico, or Brazil, Bentley will be gifting the owner with a custom-made suit, custom-made shirt, and handmade tie from A&B.

In what cities does Astor and Black have showrooms?
We just announced our purchase of a new building for our corporate headquarters in downtown Columbus. Our new location will feature a beautiful showroom, Scotch bar, and weekly visits by a traditional gentlemen’s barber. It will be a new, high-end destination for our clients. We also have showrooms in New York City, Charlotte, N.C. Miami and Los Angeles. We are always continuing our expansion and plan the next big showroom announcement in the heart of London.

Where can future clients learn more about Astor and Black?
We have an amazing new website that we re-launched in October that features our Bespoke Visualizer. With the Visualizer, clients can actually build their custom looks on-line with actual fabrics we have scanned into the system. It is revolutionary. You can visit www.astorandblack.com to experience the Bespoke Visualizer and learn more about our company, or you can call our home office at 877.ASTOR.18 and they will be happy to answer any of your sartorial questions.

Professional clothier & Stylist, David Morra Interview

How did you get started with Astor & Black?
I was first introduced to the brand back in 2007. A clothier came to my home and made me a suit for an upcoming wedding I was attending. The moment he arrived I remembered thinking I may have found the perfect venture for my entrepreneurial interests and appreciation for dressing well.

Astor & Black is the official custom clothing partner of Bentley Motors North America, how was this relationship founded?

It all started with Bentley Boston: I approached them with an idea for a local promotion with their dealership. Their sales manager Paul Downey saw the tremendous value we offered and really liked our selection of fabrics. The luxury and customization offered by Bentley automobiles was a perfect match for Astor & Black.  Customers who are accustomed to unlimited options for color, trim and extras when choosing an automobile expect the same for their attire. So the opportunity to work together made perfect sense to Paul and I. In fact, Paul is one of my most fashionable clients.

Does Astor and Black have any local celebrity clients?
Of course! We’re proud to say Boston is well represented by several, including athletes from The Patriots, Celtics and Bruins and some former Sox players and college coaches, as well as local new anchors, sports writers and well-known entrepreneurs.

Where can future clients learn more about Astor & Black in Boston and the New England area?
You can reach my by calling 617.359.6642, or emailing dmorra@astorandblack.com. You can also visit www.astorandblack.com to experience the Bespoke Visualizer and learn more about our company.

Below are some of my favorite looks from Astor & Black: