Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Bolognese.
Hi Anthony, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My fashion story actually started completely by chance. After I graduated high school, I started freelancing, doing various creative gigs for clients I found online. One of those clients was gentlemansgazette.com – a site dedicated to educating those interested in menswear as a whole. I was in charge of editing all of their YouTube videos and over the course of time working for them, I learned more about menswear than I ever expected I would. At the time, I was living in rural North Carolina, where fashion wasn’t really a part of the local interest. In 2015, however, I moved to Northern Virginia. I noticed a lot more professionally-dressed people, a lot more wealth, and a lot more opportunity. After taking a job at Men’s Wearhouse and becoming one of the top made-to-measure salespeople in the Northeast US, I started reaching out to local fashion bloggers and influencers and taking photos for their brand partnerships, then eventually attending events with them. One of these events was a brunch at which I met my founding partner, Robert Ordway. He had owned a menswear retail store in his hometown but had closed it down to move to DC. I had plenty of experience designing and fitting custom clothing and the creative entrepreneurial background to start a business. Together, we formed Capitol Hill Clothiers in 2018. I have since taken over the business and have created a one-of-a-kind process for Capitol Hill Clothiers’ clients that includes an at-home fitting, their favorite libation + an optional cigar provided by me, over 2,500 fabrics with unlimited lining customization options, and a free photoshoot in their new garments.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road? There have definitely been some bumps in the road, building any business from scratch is a bit of a headache, especially when you’re doing it all yourself. In the beginning, Robert and I both had other jobs we were committed to, he at a nonprofit organization in the area and myself running my other business, Capitol Hill Photo. Our manufacturing partners were young and still getting the hang of things, so it was a bit of a dance to get to the point where our production pipeline ran smoothly.
Obviously, the biggest hurdle since starting Capitol Hill Clothiers though was the pandemic. It’s pretty difficult to maintain a business selling custom clothing when nobody is going into the office (or anywhere for that matter) and everyone is nervous to let someone within 6 feet of them. I don’t know if you’ve tried to measure somebody from across the room for a suit, they have no need to wear, but it doesn’t make for a prosperous business. Luckily, things have been on the uptrend since 2021 and I’m very excited for what the future holds.
We’ve been impressed with Capitol Hill Clothiers, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Capitol Hill Clothiers is a one-man show. It’s just me. Everything from the website design to the contact form replies, the fitting expertise to the photoshoot after delivery. A lot of people have interesting perceptions of businesses as shameless capitalist money grabs, especially when selling a more “luxury” product, but Capitol Hill Clothiers was started to share my passion for spectacular custom clothing for men and women alike. DC is a powerful city and a person’s choice of clothing can get them to places they never imagined they’d go.
Capitol Hill Clothiers’ process is something I’m incredibly proud of. I want every customer to feel like their fitting is more of a personal experience than a sales pitch. I don’t show only the highest-end fabrics or try to push for expensive upcharges, I work with a person and their wardrobe to make sure that what they get works for them. I bring every customer their choice of drink, from La Croix to Macallan, and optionally a cigar or two (luckily, it’s starting to warm up again!) so I can get to know them as a friend and understand their life, their style preferences, and what they actually have a need for. The fitting process is always fun, I go through every seam of every garment and offer my knowledge on how certain styling decisions affect their appearance and the overall look and versatility of the garment. There are more customization options with my garments than with anyone else in the DMV and I encourage everyone to put a piece of themselves into every piece, whether it be a jacket lining featuring their alma mater or a collage of vintage Playboy magazines (true story). If someone wants it, I will make it happen!
No other clothing company offers the value I can, for the simple reason that they don’t want to. I love every part of what I do and when a Capitol Hill Clothiers client is happy, I’m happy.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I would never have taken the leap to start a business like this without Robert Ordway, my founding partner. He and I meshed incredibly well together from day 1 and the idea for Capitol Hill Clothiers was such an easy and natural progression of our friendship. I may have taken over the brand, but Robert is still a fantastic part of the journey to this day.
I’d also love to shout out Burrell Brown who owns and operates Streetsmart Tailoring. Any alteration work my clients or I need done, he is the best to work with! Streetsmart is a concierge business just like Capitol Hill Clothiers and Burrell is a master of his craft and his customer service! I actually wrote a feature for him on the website – https://www.capitolhillclothiers.com/style-guides/business-feature-streetsmart-tailoring
Pricing:
- https://www.capitolhillclothiers.com/welcome
- Capitol Hill Clothiers suits starts at $2,000
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: capitolhillclothiers.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/capitolhillclothiers
- Facebook: facebook.com/capitolhillclothiers
Image Credits
Carol Solorzano
Anthony Bolognese
Paolo Verzani
