This month Michelsberg Tailoring headed North up the A1, for our first trunk show to Newcastle.
A ‘trunk show’ is basically where a tailoring firm offers a travelling service, packs up its bunches of cloths and examples of its work, and presents itself to customers, at a temporary retail location, or, another venue such as a hotel room.
It’s a very common, and cost effective way, to open up new markets, assess demand and build up a loyal following, before perhaps taking the plunge and committing to bricks and mortar and a long lease.
Savile Row tailors have always travelled all over the world to make themselves available to wealthy customers who can afford their prices.
Operating within fabulous cities like New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, will always bring a level of prestige to any business, and in the long run, I do aspire for Michelsberg Tailoring to be an international brand.
That said, I believe it’s sensible to seek out new profitable business as close to your own doorstep as possible, hence our move to Manchester three years ago.
Over the years, I’ve produced garments for a number of people from Newcastle, who’ve kept telling me that there is nobody offering a decent bespoke tailoring service in the region.
So, this month, I packed up the motor with the finest fabrics from Huddersfield and Biella, saluted The Angel of the North, and set up shop within the Malmaison Hotel situated on the quayside.
My relationship with the hotel group, goes way back to when I started my business in Leeds, using their meeting rooms as a venue to meet customers. The ambience and more importantly excellent service provided by their staff, is very much in keeping with my own brand values.
My day kicked off at 10am with a stunning bacon sandwich (I love it when you get your own little glass bottle of HP sauce) and a large pot of Yorkshire Tea (nothing else will do!).
From then on, it was once more unto the breach, and thanks must go to Stephen, Gary, Paul and Richard, whose forthcoming threads are soon to be the talk of the toon!
A salesman through and through, I’ve always loved the buzz of bringing in new business and it was wonderful to head back with a bunch of orders in the briefcase.
As I pen this missive, Christmas, and it’s indulgencies, seems like a very long time ago.
I imagine many of you are head down, working hard, going dry, hitting the gym and paying for your Yuletide sins.
But fear not dear friends, for February is nearly upon us, Spring is but a hop away and mischief, once again, is in the air.