The Armoury Is Finally Bringing Back In-Person Fittings With Japanese Tailors and Shoemakers
Since the opening of its Tribeca location in 2013, The Armoury’s regularly occurring trunk shows have brought some of the world’s most prestigious tailors and artisans to New York. This status quo was disrupted by the onset of Covid-19, which saw the shop pivot to virtual trunk shows. But as the pandemic waned this past spring, The Armoury was able to welcome back partners like Liverano & Liverano and Pommella Napoli for in-person fittings.
However, the shop’s Japanese vendors have been unable to return in person—until now. For the first time since March 2020, The Armoury will be hosting Ring Jacket at its Tribeca location from September 14th to September 17th; shoemaker Koji Suzuki at its Tribeca location from November 4th to November 5th; and Tailor Caid at both its Tribeca and new Upper East Side locations from November 16th-19th.
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“We are absolutely delighted. It feels like coming out of a long winter,” Armoury co-founder Mark Cho tells Robb Report, noting that these trunk shows will mark the first time these makers can visit the stores since the adoption of Japan’s strict Covid protocols. “There is so much enthusiasm from everyone involved as well, from customers to the vendors themselves to all of us at The Armoury taking care of everyone.”
And though there may be existing clients who have waited years for their next in-person consultation, the trunk shows will also welcome first-timers. “New clients are always welcome and over the last few years, we have certainly picked up a few new clients through our YouTube channel,” Cho says. “This is an opportunity for them to experience a part of our store that they haven’t seen before.”
Their first chance will arrive with Ring Jacket’s trunk show beginning this week, which brings the Osaka-based tailor’s head cutter to the premises with a selection of vintage and out-of-production fabrics. Koji Suzuki’s November visit will allow customers to commission new made-to-order or bespoke shoes from the Kobe-based, Florentine-trained shoemaker specializing in rare leathers. And finally, Tailor Caid’s mid-November dates will afford the opportunity to commission the maker’s made-to-measure or bespoke Ivy style tailoring, as well as its more recently introduced continental models.
And though nearly three years have passed since the vendors’ last stateside visit, the essential experience of the trunk show will remain unchanged. “We are picking up from where we left off,” Cho says. The same might be said from the client’s perspective, too.
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