Rosenberg Clothiers opening in Albany

ALBANY —It’s been said that you only get one chance to make a first impression and Albany’s newest men’s clothing store is hoping to make that impression a good one.

Rosenberg’s Clothiers, located at 215 S. Madison St., will host its grand opening today and is hoping to fill what owner and self proclaimed facilitator Barry Taylor feels is an important need in the Good Life City; a place to find well crafted, custom suits and dress apparel.

Taylor, who has long been a believer in tailored clothing, feels that many people in Albany, especially professionals, could benefit from having a place where they can get the kind of clothing that “makes the man.”

Carrying items from designers such as Abito Sartoriale, Pierre Noir, Renoir, Cosani, Stacy Adams, Angelo Rossi, Alfandi and Beroni, Taylor feels he can outfit Albany’s men with high-quality attire.

In addition to offering custom-made suits, tailored pants, shirts and sport coats, Rosenberg also carries a variety of other accessories such as ties, cuff links, pocket squares, socks, belts, hats and high-quality shoes, including Mazlan.

Taylor, who is a trained fitter and a member of the Custom Tailor and Design Association, said everything in the store can be tailored to fit any individual, something he feels will help set the store apart from the competition.

“Everybody’s body is just like a fingerprint,” Taylor explained. “No one has the same fingerprints so everybody’s body is totally different. “

Where having custom made clothing can help men create the look they want, Taylor also feels that how a person dresses can say a lot about them and also help them get ahead in life.

In fact, Taylor feels so strongly about the importance of dress that he actually has incorporated that into the clothing store. Taylor said every time he has a client into the store he takes the time to educate them on certain things such as what colors match, how to dress for certain occasions, what colors and styles look best for the individual and how to build a wardrobe.

“That’s what Rosenberg’s is about; teaching our clients how to dress,” said Taylor. “We are explaining things to them. For example I will not let a man buy a black suit as his first suit. I talk him into a navy blue suit because if you have a blue suit black and white is about all you’re going to get out of it. Navy blue is just as formal as black, but you can do a lot more with it. Now you’re learning how to grow a wardrobe.”

Taylor has even parlayed that mindset into developing a class he hopes to teach from time to time at Albany State University (ASU), as a more permanent offshoot of some one-off seminars he’s taught at the school in the past.

“Its changed for me from doing a suit for someone to teaching them why you dress for success,” Taylor added. “The kids really need to learn how to dress initially and now I have the product that I can show them. But they need to know how to dress for an interview, how to look a certain way. Like Will Rogers said, ‘you only get one chance to make a first impression.”

Rosenberg Clothier will have an opportunity to make a first impression with the community this weekend, when Taylor and Rosenberg Clothier COO Henri Faye Davidson, open their doors to the public for the first time.

Taylor is hoping that impression will be a good one and a nice start to a new career that is more of a passion to him than a job.

“I love what I do,” said Taylor. “I love teaching and I love tailored clothing. I have worn tailored clothes since 1959 when I was living in New York and bought my first tailored suit for $127. When I was in the Army I had my uniforms cut and fitted, when I was with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and when I was with the airline and used a tailor out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, I had my clothes tailored. I have a passion for attire.”

Rosenberg Clothier will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Taylor and his staff will also make appointments with customers during off hours.