It's an overcast Tuesday in mid April and we head over to Prime Studios’ Studio2 in Leeds, off to find the elusive Johnny Tuxedo: his mission? 'To redefine black and white'. Walking through the heavy stage curtain into the studio we are treated to a venue looking in equal parts like a catwalk show, nightclub (with a bar) and a trendy art gallery. All deeply swathed in black, with shafts of purple and blue light, a bunch of young professionals, industry representatives, models and students buzzed about inside. There's no doubt that this event was the epitome of cool - and that's without mentioning the vintage bikes, sofa hanging from the roof and the free, fresh stone made pizzas baking under the Studio2 logo of the sliding entrance door.
Johnny Tuxedo is the latest brand and brainwave of a few, high-end bespoke men's tailors and mass clothing makers, who have up until now plied their trade supplying clothes to some of the top high street stores - as well as make some of the most expensive tailored suits in the UK. 18 months ago they took the idea of a £99 tuxedo to these retailers, who turned down the idea of a custom made, fixed-price suit. And in response? They set up shop themselves, focusing on online sales and retail via word of mouth and very strong brand recognition and loyalty.
Back at the launch, with free wine in hand, the music dims and the latest online promo of Johnny comes on the giant projector screen; fast paced electronic music meets daredevil stunts not unlike you'd expect from a tuxedo-clad 007, ending in 3 very well dressed models getting in the back of an Aston Martin and driving off into the sunset- only to then appear in the studio, emerging through the smoke atop the auto to a large round of applause. It's official: Johnny Tuxedo has landed.
As the live band plays inside, we steal a few minutes with the creator and lead of Johnny Tuxedo, Austen Pickles.
How did the idea for Johnny Tuxedo come about?
“Last summer [people in the office] had all been talking about it, and a girl came to us for some work experience over the summer and did some market research and we went from there... We put together our favourite people from the industry to make this happen; we got all these people round the table and we all started working for it, designing it, making it, marketing it.
We offered it to big names on the high street but they didn't want it so we said sod it! We’ll do it ourselves! Then I had cancer last year, and when I knew I would be coming back to work I wanted to focus on the stuff I love and not on the stuff I don't wanna do, and it built out of that.“
Who is the main audience for Johnny?
“We have had thousands of hits on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the product hasn't even been launched yet. We want people of all ages to wear the suit, we want to give people something that they want to wear - not just something that ticks a box for prom, a wedding or a party. We are gonna do some limited editions and designs over time for that one guy who wants a midnight blue suit with pink trim.”
What do you bring to suits that isn't already there?"
“We know exactly how the suit should fit, we also know what etiquette demands from a mens suit and tuxedo. We can design the ultimate suit, and we are not stupid; we have an eye on fashion - we know we can bring a stylish suit and a great price to people that before all they have had is cheap rubbish or hired suits. The suit is 100% machine washable, you can do anything in this suit, wear it with anything and it will look cool. It gives people another option for events. We know people cant touch us, no one is as cool as us and they cant touch us - no high-street brand or company can offer the quality, the fun: all for £99.”
What is your ultimate suit?
“It has to be the classic James Bond suit, it just has to be! Self tie bow tie, white shirt, has to be dinner suit trousers with no turn-up and satin down the side seam. And that is what we have tried to create.”
How do you want to see people wearing the suits?
“With anything: as a tuxedo, with jeans, trainers, a checked shirt, anything! We want people to funk it up! It will look cool whatever. We want to throw out the rule book on suits. It’s not about going to a black tie event looking like a penguin.”
How would you describe the suits in once sentence?
*Dramatic Pause*
“I think the ultimate dinner suit sounds a bit cheesy! It’s for the new generation who will wear it with whatever; there are so many different ways of wearing it. We are all about redefining the suit here. Everyone who puts it on will feel great!”
We did get our hands on a suit (how can you write a article on a suit without touching it?!) and both agree that it felt lovely: soft, light, smooth and most of all well-made; everyone in a Johnny Tux said the same thing: it fit well and was light. It doesn't take 5 minutes to look through Twitter and the wider Internet community to see Johnny has already made a mark on the industry, with people queuing up to get their hands on a fully tailored dinner suit for £99. With limited edition colours and designs in the pipeline as well as the staple 'you can have any suit as long as its black' approach, Johnny Tuxedo will fast become the biggest and best suit provider for students, young professionals and anyone wanting a suit that looks good but doesn't break the bank.
Head over to the newly-launched website, johnnytuxedo.co.uk, to see the suit for yourself.
