Men's outfitter
Herrenausstatter is the classic German-speaking term for a specialist shop that only stocks fashion and accessories for men.
The term was coined in the 19th and 20th centuries, when an increasing specialization of the previous tailoring and clothing stores produced corresponding special forms for women and men. Traditionally, a men's outfitter has a bespoke tailoring shop; however, this tradition no longer necessarily applies. Some of today's men's outfitters are only franchisees of larger chains or resellers. The term “gentlemen's outfitter” should then only identify the target group.
Classic men's outfitter
The classic men's outfitters offered high quality materials and craftsmanship of their goods, intensive advice for customers on questions of style and comprehensive customer service in a dignified atmosphere. They achieved a high level of customer loyalty, sometimes over several generations . Today this approach is only followed by some of the men's outfitters. In this tradition, comprehensive advice takes place with the aim of selling the customer a piece of clothing that fits exactly and his individual style, right through to complete outfits. Customers of the classic men's outfitters are primarily men of the upper and higher social classes, who attach importance to underlining their position and their individual personality through appropriate clothing and are willing to accept high prices for it.
Men's outfitter today
For some years now, men's outfitters and specialist shops for men's fashion have not only been (or not at all) tailor-made from their own production, but have also been serving their customers with luxury brands and collections from more or less well-known fashion designers. This new form of men's outfitter has resulted from industrialization and the faster-moving fashion trends . The clientele here is less traditional and more fashion-conscious men who are more of the younger generation. The focus here is less on personal style than on showing the financial possibilities. In times of increasing online shopping , you can not only find men's outfitters in the classic stationary sales environment of the promenade , but also more and more on the Internet, which can hardly be reconciled with the traditional approach of made-to-measure products.
