SPK_2: When did you get your first suit?
SPK_1: It's an interesting story, actually. I was scrambling around for a suit that I'd seen online. Purple. And I thought it was the best suit that I'd ever seen. The fit on this particular model was quite impressive. I was chasing around Dundrum, going into many different competitors, and I was told to go over and see yourselves, and it shouldn't be an issue, shouldn't be a problem. Went in, obviously met your colleague at the time, Shay. He's obviously moved on since now. Obviously met yourself at the time. That was probably about six, seven years ago, wasn't it?
SPK_2: Going on eight.
SPK_1: Yeah, just the experience for me was something I hadn't experienced before. Just at ease, no pressure, just having a chat, a bit of craic. Very relatable people in terms of sports, which is obviously a big passion of mine, and it just made the whole process really easy. Got me involved in the made-to-measure piece as well. And it's probably the best and worst thing that has happened to me because now I can't have anything else. The first suit was the Louis Copeland purple suit, believe it or not. It was just very unusual because Shay mentioned he'd normally just get navy and grey off the rack and do a bit of fitting, but it was unusual that someone would think, "I need a purple suit." He was very excited about the process as well. Just the feeling of chatting to you guys at the time, nothing was too much. I got involved in the stitching, the buttons, the layers, and it was just a really nice experience. I knew from that point on that I couldn't go anywhere else, really. It's not even about the products themselves; it's the feeling you get being there. I think it was good. Very warm. I think that's what you guys do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's the feeling you give to people as they walk out. You're a couple of inches taller outside the door and, hopefully, slimmer. But it's the tight fitting; the suit hugs you, and it's everything you need, in my opinion, especially when you want a good suit. There's nothing worse than having it loose in certain areas. A nicely fitted suit is the way to go.
SPK_2: Other than made-to-measure suits, you wear a lot of casual sort of swackets and things?
SPK_1: Yeah, ever since COVID it's obviously changed the dynamic of what we wear to work, how we meet our clients, and how I socialise in terms of the attire that I wear. Louis Copeland, for me, has everything that I need for all occasions. I'm wearing Gran Sasso today, Hogan runners. For me, you're spoiled for choice, which can be challenging when walking into the shop and trying to restrict your spending. My favourite brands are Gran Sasso, Maurizio Baldassari, and you've got your Hogan runners, your Moreschi shoes, and it ties in really nicely. Then the Richard J. Brown jeans. The stretch room is there as well. There's a large variety, and I can mix and match. For me, it's everything for all occasions. You look really smart even in more casual settings as well. Something as simple as a little bomber jacket and a pair of jeans makes you really stand out. Another thing about the relationship I have with Dave and the other guys at Louis Copeland is that I’m sending WhatsApp messages with images I see and asking, “Can you make this for me?” or “Is this something you can do?” and it’s never "No," it's always “Come in, let's see what we can do.” There's nothing off the table for me, and it's really great because I would like to think I do wear your typical clothing to a degree, but I do like something different, especially for big occasion events. The green velvet-emerald green jacket that I wore for two weddings recently really stands out. I paired it with tux outfits, a black and white shirt, and it gets a lot of attention. The quality is on another level, really! And it fits as well when it all comes together.
