Jamal Motlagh had an epiphany while participating in the sisyphean act of jean shopping: if one can have a custom suit made, why not jeans? So, Motlagh teamed up with mathematician and physicist Charles Tse to bring fashion into the digital age, forming Acustom Apparel where men can get stylish, classic, custom clothing at affordable prices.
Off the rack clothes are based on sizing practices that are well over a hundred years old and don’t take into account the wide variety of body shapes. Trying to get the right fit can sometimes tailor a piece of clothing to death. Acustom Apparel uses advanced body mapping technology to scan your fantastic frame in a mere seven seconds for two million data points used to create clothing patterns that are literally made for you.
From their bespoke denim, Motlagh and Tse expanded their line, Motlagh working as head designer. You can have virtually any piece of your wardrobe made at Acustom Apparel– suits, jeans, shirts, polos, cashmere sweaters, even trench coats– but their shirts and suits are by far the most popular. Their jackets have a sleek, modern feel that allow them to work double time as a suit coat and a blazer.
When you walk in their store, you can peruse the pre-created items and talk customization. “If you like the jacket on the rack, make it a 3-piece suit, customize the lapels, stitching, lining, buttons, fit and you’re good to go,” Motlagh says. They have thousands of fabric swatches to choose from and help you make the clothes fit your taste and sense of style, but manage to not make the process overwhelming.
No doubt it seems like this kind of luxury is only available to the George Clooneys of the world, but Acustom Apparel is again to the rescue. Because of their “Digital Bespoke” algorithm, it’s possible for them to drastically reduce the cost of custom clothing. Their Cone Denim runs you $235, which is a far cry from the $700 and up that others charge for custom-made jeans. Acustom polos, at $85, are in the same ballpark as Lacoste but have the benefit of being designed for exactly you.
Recently, Acustom Apparel celebrated the opening of their Melrose Avenue design bar where stylists and menswear tastemakers crowded in to witness the future of fashion. Now all you have to do is get your quick 3D body scan (while sipping one of the whiskeys they offer), pick your styles and customize them. They say to be prepared for one tailoring session, but often it’s not necessary– their body scanning technology is that good.
Currently, New York and Los Angeles are the lucky cities with Acustom Apparel design bars, but new locations are being considered for 2016, including Boston, Dallas, and Toronto.
Acustom Apparel makes it so easy and so affordable to look like a million bucks, you have no excuse not to.
