Hive & Colony Brings Made-to-measure Experience to Madison Avenue
Hive & Colony has entered the menswear fray on Madison Avenue.
The Aventura, Fla.-based made-to-measure menswear brand has opened its second New York City location at 485 Madison Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets. It joins Indochino and My.Suit, two other custom suitmakers, as well as Men’s Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, J. Press, Bonobos and other men’s retailers in the Midtown neighborhood.
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The 1,850-square-foot Madison Avenue store, which joins a unit on Mercer Street in SoHo, is the 11th Hive & Colony store in the U.S. The brand has plans to significantly add to its stable in the near future with stores slated for 15 additional cities, according to Marianella Mace, chief marketing officer.
Hive & Colony was founded 15 years ago by Yuval Douer in New York City, where it got its start selling out of a trunk of a car. It offers some 1,000 fabrics from mills around the world and uses a 3D scanner to take 300 body measurements and create an avatar of the customers. The shoppers are offered a large number of personalization options for their garments, which are then manufactured at the Dayang factory in China and shipped back to the U.S. within four to seven weeks depending upon the complexity of the order. Prices start at $700 but the average retail is $1,200 to $2,000.
Mace said the difference between Hive & Colony and its competitors is that “they’re in the business of mass customization and we’re in the business of personalization.” She said the employees at the company’s stores are among “the best curators” in the business and are active in helping men select the right fabric, fit and details for their needs.
She also noted that while the pandemic has changed the work environment, with fewer men wearing suits and going to an office every day, they’re going out more and are seeking outfits to help them stand out. “We conducted a study last year and saw that people are dressing down for the workplace and dressing up to go out,” she said. “And they want something different and unique.”
Although suits remain the bulk of the business, Hive & Colony also offers shirts, sweaters, outerwear, pants, shorts, swimwear, accessories and shoes.
Mace said the customer is generally a young professional between the ages of 25 and 45 who is seeking something distinct to express their personality or a garment that is tailored specifically to their body.
While most garments don’t need alterations when they’re delivered, if there are tweaks to be made, Hive & Colony partners with local tailors to make adjustments as needed or customers can use their own tailors and receive a credit from the brand.
Although Hive & Colony does offer online services, Mace said the focus going forward is on brick-and-mortar. Currently it operates stores in Boston; Miami; Washington D.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Nashville; Dallas; Philadelphia; San Jose; Paramus, N.J., and the two in New York.
Mace, who is based in Spain, said Georgia and Arizona are top of the list for expansion and it also hopes to expand internationally as well, targeting Colombia, Mexico, top European cities and the Middle East.
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