[iam.mike]

CircleRock is a brand new, Made in USA, Men's clothing & accessory brand.

The brand was founded by former Allen Edmonds CEO Paul Grangaard & Ross Widmoyer, the former VP of Retail Stores at Allen Edmonds.

CircleRock is also our newest Ask Andy About Clothes advertiser!

Andy got the chance to sit down with Paul Grangaard, and in this phone interview, Paul shares his vision for their new brand, and some details about how CircleRock will be more than just a destination to purchase men's custom suits, sport coats, dress shirts, and accessories.

Paul also took the opportunity to thank the Ask Andy community:

Well, just a word of thanks. I really haven't had the chance.

I tried to at the end of my tenure last summer, but I want to say thank you again to you and to the whole community for the interest, the support of American manufacturing, and what we were doing in those days.

And for what we're now doing in a completely different way with different products before at Allen Edmonds, and now, at CircleRock.

When I joined Allen Edmonds ten years ago, I had never been in the fashion industry and I got a PhD education from your community, and I just want to say thank you for that.

- Paul Grangaard, Founder CircleRock​

You can listen to or read the entire interview here:
https://askandyaboutclothes.com/news-media/andy-interviews-circlerock-founder/

 

[SG_67]

Best of luck to him.

 

[Fading Fast]

That does not sound like an easy way to make money. I wish him the best of luck. Fortunately, he sounds like the kind of guy who enjoys the journey.

 

[MNJ83]

His website looks nicely made. I like what I see so far.

 

[Sharpe]

Site looks good, and hopefully Paul will resume his Q&A with the forum.

Coincidentally, it appears that many of the items AE has gotten rid of 34 Heritage Denim and Schneider coats (I got one of those Bennett coats a couple years back) are being carried by CircleRock.

 

[peterc]

The Schneider coats were and are awesome. Worth twice the money if you ask me. Would have bought one, but I have way too many coats.

I hope CircleRock makes forward pleated trousers, or at least makes them available on a MTM basis. Side tabs too.

 

[medhat]

Checked out the site as well. Paul was a gracious contributor to the Forum as CEO of AE, and from the looks of the site the suiting is very much in line to the mainstream preferences of regular Forum types (read, "not overly tight"). Yes, they're likely priced above other online MTM/bespoke (not naming names), but the measurement model seems well designed with clear instructions. If/when I'm in the market for another suit I'm going to give CircleRock a shot.

 

[215339]

I'm skeptical of this.

$950+ online MTM suits?
$295+ quarter zip sweaters?
$95+ BD shirts with fused collars, and alpha sizing?

No thanks.

 

[SG_67]

I'm skeptical of this.

$950+ online MTM suits?
$295+ quarter zip sweaters?
$95+ BD shirts with fused collars, and alpha sizing?

No thanks.

Give the guy a chance.

The sweaters are manufactured domestically, hence the higher price point.

I don't think anything so far should lead one to claim skepticism. It may not appeal to your budget or your style, and that part I would understand. I'm not sure what so far has triggered you to be skeptical.

 

[215339]

Give the guy a chance.

The sweaters are manufactured domestically, hence the higher price point.

I don't think anything so far should lead one to claim skepticism. It may not appeal to your budget or your style, and that part I would understand. I'm not sure what so far has triggered you to be skeptical.

The online MTM aspect of the suits. We're all well aware of the disastrous results that has lead to.

The value of the goods. I don't see any item on there that I wouldn't buy elsewhere for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price.

 

[smmrfld]

“Suits by Mail” has consistently proven to be a disaster. Not sure why this would be different.

 

[SG_67]

The online MTM aspect of the suits. We're all well aware of the disastrous results that has lead to.

The value of the goods. I don't see any item on there that I wouldn't buy elsewhere for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price.

Ok, then say so instead of saying you're skeptical.

 

[drlivingston]

I wish Paul and his partner the best in this new endeavor.
I hope that he makes himself available as he did during his tenure with AE.

 

[Matt S]

One of the biggest problems I have found with online MTM is that the starting pattern is bad. I'm not convinced that the pattern on these suits is any better. I'm seeing shoulder ripples, poor shape at the waist and vents that don't hang well. If they can't get these things right when fitting a model, I don't have any hope.

 

[PaulG]

Greetings, Ask Andy Members! Nice to be in touch with you again and to see some familiar names (Oscar Wilde avatar and Dr. Livingston, I presume!)

Thanks for the good wishes. I will definitely be communicating with you again in these threads. Please use my new address for any private messages, not the old “AllenEdmondsCEO” one.

For the “why should this be different” question — We did a 40+ suits test of our processes and performance in July. Our batting average of great fits was above what Southwick experiences with in-store retailers with professional salespeople taking the measurements. In those cases where it didn’t work out well, it was because either the waist measurement or the arm length were not accurately measured. People assume they know those two numbers, but the waist numbers are different for dress pants than they are for jeans and the arms are also prone to confusion. Based on that feedback, we made major changes to the measuring instructions to try to clarify and achieve better accuracy.

As for the pricing discussion in this thread, experienced AAAC members will know that I’m driven to provide superior value. I believe that the efficiencies of the internet business model and, now, the custom measurement model, should be passed along to the customer, not pocketed. Our fabrics are superior to equivalent or lower cost MTM purveyors and equivalent to the “meet you in your office” MTM sales organizations who charge anywhere from $300 to $1000 more for similar quality. However, I know from 10 years of AAAC, that you’ll be the judges of that statement. Give us a try. If not a full suit, how about a sportcoat for this fall?

To be candid, I’m not doing this merely for the e-commerce suit sales. Please look at our content flow in our IN THE CIRCLE e-magazine these next few weeks. We’re looking to add to the positivity of our culture, to inspire, to edify and to entertain. It’s not just about great product this time, it’s also trying to contribute positively to our national dialogue. Please let me know what you think of that side of our pursuit.

Thanks for your assistance and your candor. Best wishes to you.

Paul

 

[smmrfld]

To be candid, I'm not doing this for the e-commerce suit sales. Please look at our content flow in our IN THE CIRCLE e-magazine these next few weeks. We're looking to add to the positivity of our culture, to inspire, to edify and to entertain. It's not merely about great product this time, it's about improving our national dialogue together. Please let me know what you think of that side of our pursuit.

Hmm...I'm confused. If you're not interested in selling clothes, isn't there a more efficient way to "improve our national dialogue" than by setting up an e-commerce site? :icon_scratch:

You may wish to check out Epaulet, which generates great dialogue (and sales to a wide range of buyers) via their Instagram, Reddit, and Styleforum feeds and features some of the same vendors that you're using...while not trying to make it a secret that their goal is to sell through their goods.

 

[eagle2250]

Welcome back to AAAC Mr Grangaard. It is great hearing from you again. I very much look forward to your future postings and you may be assured that I will include CircleRock in my future sartorial consideration(s). Best wishes for a successful enterprise!

 

[PaulG]

Thanks for your helpful comment. I edited my above post to be clearer. We’re passionate about the product side! The content is an additional pursuit.

 

[Peak and Pine]

Good wishes.

Along with a wish that you drop the Values driven company for men inside the arena thing which, to cut you some slack, I believe you intended for the stock offering brochure and not for my arena hating eyes since I cut a big swarth around what it is I believe you believe the arena is and a bigger one around those who talk that way.

Zimmer didn't use nouns and he didn't talk about the product, he spoke very succinctly (11 words) and about only two things, the effect of his product, and about me.

"You're going to like the way you look. I guarantee it".

One of the best ad lines ever created. But it's taken. The following is not, unless you choose to take it.

(Close up of your hands, but not so close that we miss they are not tradesman's hands, they extend from a cuff-linked shirt and are holding a tape measure. Over this in a hardy script...)

This time,
your clothes will fit very well.
It's not magic.
It's me.​

Then, in as few words as possible, tout your 100% guarantee. Which I know not if you have. But maybe you should, else the above's built on nothing.

 

[CLTesquire]

Thanks for your helpful comment. I edited my above post to be clearer. We're passionate about the product side! The content is an additional pursuit.

If I have a Southwick MTM pattern I already like (or would like a small adjustment to) can you get my existing info from Southwick and utilize that?