Service All-Stars - Turnbull and Asser

One of my favorite places to shop is the Turnbull and Asser store on East 57th St. in New York. The facade is beautiful, as is the inside. I'm pretty sure it was once a townhouse, and one I would love to have lived in! I have been shopping there for close to 10 years, mainly for the gentlemen that I have worked for, but I have a few select pieces of my own.

For those of you who don't know "T & A," they are the venerable English shirtmaker of the British banking set as well as the NY power-broker set. They have been the shirtmaker to successive Princes of Wales since 1885. They are best known for their brightly colored bespoke shirts, but they also make custom suits, knitwear, neckwear, rain coats, pajamas, as well as a beautiful collection of ready-made clothing for both men and women.

I mention Turnbull and Asser because of their high level of service. I have been dealing with the same gentleman, Simon Hobbs, since the first time I walked into the store. He's moved to the Beverly Hills store, but I often still call New York for service. Anyone who answers the phone can help me. They have a great collection of records and can quickly pull up the measurements and notes of whoever I am buying for.

I called a couple of weeks ago because I had sent an email to the gentleman that I had been dealing with and I was following up. The laundress had brought me a shirt of the Mr.'s that was starting to show wear on the cuffs. Knowing that T & A replaces cuffs and collars on their shirts, I sent a photo of the shirt to see if they still had the fabric. A lovely woman, Lisa Riccardo, answered the phone and let me know that my usual contact no longer worked there. She was able to help me and left no gap in the continuity of service that I have had. I re-sent the email to her and she informed me that the fabric was no longer available, but that we could always put white cuffs on the shirt if I wanted. See, she didn't say no! She gave me an option and let me say no. My current boss wouldn't like the white cuffs, but one of my previous bosses would have.

I'm always thrilled with the service I receive at Turnbull and Asser. When I can afford to have bespoke shirts, they'll be from T & A! Until then, I can count on getting the best service when purchasing for my boss.

When in New York, visit them at 42 E. 57th St. When in Beverly Hills, visit them at 9633 Brighton Way. You could tell Lisa or Simon that I sent you, but you won't need to, as you'll get great service from the whole staff as a matter of course!

Visit them on the web at www.turnbullandasser.com