Interview. Alin Copindeanu (Tudor Tailor): We plan to reach EUR 1 mln turnover this year

Business Review talked to Alin Copindeanu, the CEO co-founder of Tudor Tailor, one of the Romanian made-to-measure suits brands, to find out more about the history of the company and the future of the brand.

He expects the turnover of the company to reach EUR 1 million this year. Copindeanu said that clients spend on average EUR 900 for ceremonial or formal attire.

Georgiana Bendre

What is the story behind Tudor Tailor brand?

Tudor Tailor is a premium Romanian fashion label dedicated to men, specialized in made-to-measure tailored suits and menswear.

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The story of Tudor Tailor dates back in 2010, when myself and my partner, Marius Dan, set up the business and introduced the concept of private tailoring to the Romanian market. I was 22 at the time. We both had seen the concept in London and thought it may be an opportunity for Romania as well, a ”blue ocean” at the time.

We had one thing in mind: why not try to change the way Romanian men dress and shop for their clothing, by offering them personalized services and the chance to experience the product having been cut to their individual measurements?

We gathered our savings, invested the money in equipment and a batch of high-end materials and started designing the first suits.

The suits were the first products we created. Step-by-step, we diversified our offer. Six years later, we are now offering a wide range of fashion products – from suits to shirts, shoes and accessories (such as scarves, ties etc), as well as a new exclusive range of personalised leather products (bags, laptop and tablets cases).

We now run 3 Tudor Tailor showrooms in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Timisoara and an online shop.

Meanwhile, we have teamed up with one of the most experienced and talented Romanian tailors, which have defined what has become the signature of Tudor Tailor: the attention to detail, the suits cut to perfection and the refinement of personalisation.

What was the turnover of the firm in 2015 and how much it is expected to be at the end of this year?

We reached a turnover of approx. EUR 880,000 in 2015 and expect to reach over EUR 1 million by the end of this year.

What is the profile of the Tudor Tailor customer?

The Tudor Tailor clients are young entrepreneurs, business men and executives in middle and top management positions in multinational companies, aged 25 to 55 and more. They activate in various industries – some of them are lawyers, others are architects, bankers, doctors and politicians.

They are rational and practical when it comes to choosing made-to-measure pieces. They appreciate the quality of materials we use and pay attention to all finishing touches, and how they feel wearing the product. They mind the price, as they also value the expertise of our tailors and the close dialogue with our styling consultants.

For the Tudor Tailor clients, the product comes first, but the made-to-measure experience is equally essential.

What are the average shopping baskets for a Tudor Tailor customer?

More than the price, we look at the content of the average shopping basket of our clients, which has evolved. They do not come to Tudor Tailor to only buy a perfectly tailored suit, but most of them seek the full experience and ask for a shirt and accessories to complete the outfit, which was rather rare back when we started the business.

The average price paid by a business client for a complete outfit (comprised of suit, shirt, shoes and accessories, all made-to-measure) is of EUR 1,500.

If we speak of clients purchasing ceremonial or formal attire, they spend on average EUR 900.

Did you receive offers for the acquisition of Tudor Tailor?

 During the 6 years of activity, we have received several proposals of investments in the business, but not for the complete acquisition of Tudor Tailor.

We think there is still room for growth on the made-to-measure market in Romania. As far as Tudor Tailor is concerned, we are even considering the scenario where we will acquire smaller competitors to help expand the Tudor Tailor brand. And furthermore, we have bigger plans for Tudor Tailor, as we feel ready to take the next step and expand the business internationally.