A Continuous Lean.

Those are good words, Rocco Ciccarelli Custom Tailoring. What is better than just those words, is the place, the man and what he makes. This past week my friend Antonio told me he was going to Rocco’s for a fitting and asked if I wanted to tag along. He knew I was dying to check it out. Going to Rocco’s is like membership into an exclusive, hard to find club for the sartorially obsessed. This is especially true considering Mr. Ciccarelli makes suits for some of the most well respected and fashionable brands in the U.S. I naturally jumped at the chance to go and Wednesday we made our way out to Long Island City, Queens. My friend Mark was the person that really got me interested in seeing factories. A few years ago, he took me to a tie shop in Chelsea and I was hooked. That factory and Rocco’s are the meeting of two of my favorite things, manufacturing and clothing. The art and skill involved in making a suit of clothes is a special talent that is disappearing. That is one of the reasons why Mr. Ciccarelli and the people working for him in Queens, are so exceptional.

Mr. Rocco Ciccarelli

Having been to other clothing factories, Rocco’s was set up a bit differently. The work flow seemed to have its own unique arrangement. Meaning, the suits aren’t made in a standard production line. Garments criss cross the room going from one tailor to another. It was perplexing to someone like myself who has no deep understanding of the process, but everyone knew exactly what was happening and it was business as usual.

Below are pictures from most of the different stages of the suit making process. (In no particular order.)

Below: Mr. C working at the big table.

Below: the master pattern maker’s room, table and scissors.

Below: double breasted cotton sport coat just in time for summer.

Below: patterns and diagrams.

Below: an old Singer sewing machine.