From Wet Suit to Custom Suit
Enzo Custom outfits local nonprofit leader
Sponsored | By Jodi Werner Greenwald | Photos by Ray Sepesy
Most days, Rob Butcher wears a wet suit under a Swim Across America (SAA) T-shirt. It’s a look that’s memorable for representing Ballantyne-based SAA. The organization hosts charity swims that raise more than $5 million a year for cancer research.
This time, we invited Rob to try a different look – a custom suit made by Enzo Custom. It would be perfect for Rob to wear to present a $140,000 check to Levine Cancer Institute. Moving forward, the Ballantyne resident and SAA CEO could don the suit for press engagements in oncology departments across the country.
Fit
Rob wanted a slightly tapered yet roomy enough fit for him to feel comfortable sitting and moving around. The lifelong swimmer stands 6-feet, 3-inches tall, and has an athletic build.
“I’m a challenging fit because I have wide shoulders, long arms and a narrow waist,” he told clothier Alexandra Cross when we met her at Enzo’s new showroom uptown. The company has locations in six other cities and came to Charlotte in the summer of 2019.
“Off-the-rack suits aren’t that comfortable,” Alexandra smiled. “Custom will be.”
She assured Rob that custom suits are the most comfortable because they get tailored to fit your body’s unique measurements.
“It was very much a personalized experience,” says Rob Butcher. “It was awesome to have someone handhold you and tell you what’s in style now and what’s going to work 24 months from now.”
Alexandra questioned Rob about weight fluctuation and took his measurements, which she stored online for easy future use. She then gave Rob a sample suit to try on and asked if he had enough room in the arms and seat.
Ultimately, she suggested a single-breasted, two-button suit with a slim notch lapel. It’s slightly narrower than a classic lapel because of Rob’s build. He followed her lead.
Color
Rob planned to wear the suit with various shirts and tie colors. He preferred a more conservative suit color, too, since he would mostly wear it to hospitals.
Alexandra steered him toward a navy that wasn’t too dark, and he selected a subtle glen plaid pattern. For the shirt, he chose a house cotton fabric with some wrinkle resistance, in an “Ice Blue” color.
The suit fabric is a Super 150s two-ply, which is durable but soft. The shirt is also two-ply, 140s in an end-on-end pattern.
Finishing Touches
At first, Rob wasn’t interested in adding monograms or other text; he felt like the fit of the shirt and suit would speak for themselves, and he preferred a more modest approach. However, when Alexandra offered for him to write something under the suit collar, which he could show or hide as he wished, he went for it. He wrote “Swim Across America” in block type as a nod to his organization’s logo.
For the inside lining, he chose a whimsical pattern with a nautical theme: piranhas.
The process was informal, educational and ultimately led Rob to a great-fitting suit with some extra-personal and fun touches. Less than a month after the initial fitting, he returned to Enzo Custom for a final fitting and took the suit home.
Big Reveal
After presenting a $140K check to support hematology research projects at Levine Cancer Institute and making announcements on behalf of his organization, Rob reflected with our magazine on his custom suit and working with Enzo Custom.
“It was very much a personalized experience,” he said. “It was awesome to have someone handhold you and tell you what’s in style now and what’s going to work 24 months from now.”
He especially enjoyed Alexandra’s honesty, he said, and her confidence to suggest things and ask the right questions. He said he feels self-assured and comfortable in the final product.
Most importantly, he added: “My wife said, ‘Dude, that’s impressive; it makes you look like a CEO.”
Tips
Alexandra Cross shared the following tips while fitting Rob Butcher for his custom suit.
- If you have a dark gray suit, you won’t need a black one.
- If your suit has a mild pattern in the fabric, say, a mild herringbone or diamond weave, you can still wear a patterned shirt underneath it.
- Select your button color based on your preferred shoe color.
- The best way to travel with a suit is to wear it, or you can place it in a garment bag on a rounded hanger. When a suit’s shoulders get misshapen, it can be hard to get them back.
- It’s okay to wear a jacket with the buttons open.
- Two-button jackets are a safe choice and easy to wear. If you’re on the shorter side, you can get away with only one button.
- Coats should be long enough to cover the biggest part of the wearer’s bottom.
- Shirt sleeves commonly hang ¼” to ½” beyond the suit sleeve. If you’re tall, you can let it hang longer.
Are you considering buying custom?
Custom shirts range from $95 to $400.
Custom suits start at $495 and go up to $4,000.
Enzo Custom
201 South College Street
Suite 2255
Charlotte 28244
704-464-4205
By appointment.
Tues-Fri 10:30a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sat 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
