Looking after your clothes well has always been central to the PS philosophy - it’s not enough to buy better things, they need to be cleaned, altered and maintained. This requires time that many of us seem to have precious little of these days, but it’s worth it.
To that end, we’ve always maintained a London page that lists the places we recommend for cleaning, repairing and altering. Readers ask about it so often that sometimes I think it should have a permanent link in the menu - and people don’t seem to always find it that easy to find.
Anyway, a bigger failing is that we don’t have a list for other cities, so I asked a few brands, tailors and readers in New York which places they recommend, and have put together a list on that basis.
It is by no means comprehensive, so please let everyone know in the comments which places you recommend. And I wouldn’t be afraid include anywhere in the US, given we’re not going to expand to other US cities soon.
If enough people recommend somewhere, I will add it to the main list. Please suggest anything for cleaning, repairing or altering any type of clothing.
TAILORING: ALTERATIONS
Sam Wazin
57 W 57th St, Suite 1212
(212) 752-2239
[email protected]
sam-wazin.squarespace.com
The name that comes up most for tailoring alterations, and used by a lot of the shops and brands. The only disadvantage of its popularity is that it can get busy and have longer lead times.
Allen Tailoring
150 Allen St
(212) 475-2454
[email protected]
@allentailoring
Recommend by a few people for its alterations, Allen Tailoring is run by Eduardo Morales. Located on the Lower East Side, which used to be full of similar places - also recommended for specialist leather cleaning.
Noe Rodriguez
766 Madison Avenue
(212) 988-5085
Rodriguez used to make his own bespoke suits, so knows bespoke inside and out. Not one for cleaning, just pressing or alterations.
Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Ignacio's (also does alterations for some of the bespoke tailors), L&S Tailors, Shop Boy, Felix Tailor Shop, The Tailoring Room, Chasing Tailor (Williamsburg), Stanton Tailor Shop
TAILORING: CLEANING AND PRESSING
Hallak Cleaners
1232 2nd Ave
(212) 832-0750
There are lots of dry cleaners in New York, including some very high-end ones. The issue is that there's nowhere like The Valet in London that does all the pressing for the bespoke tailors and also accepts private work. Most of the tailors do their own hand-pressing. The one that comes closest though is probably Hallak, which offers a full range of services from a simple shirt to a spot-clean and press.
Rave FabriCare
8480 East Butherus Drive, Scottsdale
(480) 443-1005
www.ravefabricare.com
As a result, some people send their things to Rave FabriCare - all the way in Scottsdale, Arizona. It operates a national clean-by-mail service (and indeed international) and has the best reputation in the US for maintaining and pressing handmade bespoke.
Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Bahman Cleaners, Kingbridge Cleaners (does Anna Wintour's clothes), Renew Cleaners, Neet Cleaners (also does darning), Madame Paulette
REWEAVING / DARNING
French American Reweaving
119 W 57th St, Suite 1406
(212) 765-4670
Known for both darning of knitwear and reweaving of tailoring. The latter in particular is hard to find people for, and can be expensive, but always worth it if it saves an expensive suit.
SHOES
B Nelson
140 E 55th St
(212) 750-0818
bnelsonshoes.com
The best-known and one of the biggest locations for shoe repair in New York. Recommended for high-end shoes in particular, and adjustments like installing flush metal toe-taps.
Hector's Shoe Repair
11 Greenwich Avenue
(212) 727 1237
@hectors_shoe_repair
A smaller operation that Nelson and not so specialist, but comes with solid recommendations.
Cowboy Shoe Repair
396 Broome Street
(212) 941-9532
A Soho specialist in cowboy boots, and popular for them, but can also do regular leather-soled shoes.
Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Vince's Village Cobbler, Jim's Shoe Repair
DENIM
Todd Martin Studio
451 Fairview Ave, Queens
(845) 272-2356
www.toddmartinstudio.com
A denim specialist, the kind of place you can get jeans hemmed but also altered and repaired, as well as buying some denim shorts if you want. Based in Ridgewood, but worth a visit for that level of work.
Raw Meat & Repair Company
89 Grattan Street, Bushwick
(929) 900-4052
rawrepair.nyc
More a general repairs shop, but does a lot of denim as well as things like Barbour and Belstaff jackets. Based in Bushwick.
Self Edge, Blue in Green etc
Self Edge: 157 Orchard St, (212) 388-0079
Blue in Green: 8 Greene St, (212) 680-0555
A lot of the denim-specialist shops in Manhattan will do chain-stitch hemming, and some do repairs - Self Edge is a good example, darning both their own jeans and those of others for a reasonable fee ($40 for their own, $50 for others).
OTHERS
Tiecrafters
1232 2nd Av
(212) 629 5800
tiecrafters.com
Cleaning silk ties or scarves is quite complicated, as it often requires taking the tie apart and remaking it. The advantage of that, though, is that if you can take it apart you can alter it in the process.
Modern Leather Goods
2 W 32nd St, Suite 401
(212) 279-3263
www.modernleathergoods.com
Does shoe repair and clothes repair as well, but best known for leather bags, suitcases and leather garments.
Madison Avenue Furs & Henry Cowit
118 W 27th St
(212) 594-5744
www.cowitfurs.com
A fur specialist, particularly useful if you find yourself in possession of an old fur and don’t want it to go to waste - for example by remaking it into a coat lining.
Also recommended, by multiple readers:
Artbag (leather goods)
Interesting resource.
I would imagine that Paris or Italy could be next, but where in Italy? Rome, Naples, Florence or Milan?
I’m not sure if we will do another, partly as you said because other places are more disparate. But it would be Paris probably – bigger readership than Italy, and more concentrated
Hi Simon,
Interesting what you say about Italy. I imagine English speaking nations take up the majority of your readership, plus perhaps the Nordics, but what level of interaction do you get with Italian readers? I only ask as so many Italian tailors etc have been featured. Obviously I would assume a good many Italian men do take a real interest in clothing, but does that extend to blogs, websites etc as seems the case in the UK, US and possibly Sweden (and I guess Japan too)?
It does, yes, and we have a decent-sized Italian readership. But language does make a difference and that’s a key reason I’m sure that Sweden is bigger than Italy, for example
I would be keen to know where your main readership is located (wrongly or rightly I assume London). Equally, do you have any regular readers in places that you would otherwise not expect?
Actually, we have more readers in the US than the UK, always have. I assume because there aren’t many UK-based sites that are good, there’s a lot of craft here, and the US population is that much bigger.
About 40% of the readership is in the US, 30% in the UK. And there are lots of regular readers in unusual places – 6,000 people last year in Thailand, for example, 5,000 in the UAE
Thats the kind of articles i enjoy most. I dont need so many more clothes, now i must preserve what i already have. Do you Simon or anyone from the reader know of a good alterations option in Germany ? I bought last year the ps chambray cloth and Jakes made me a wonderful shirt but it is sadly too long and i cant wear it outside from trousers.
I have to put in a good word for Williamsburg Garment Company (which ironically is in Greenpoint).
Second this! I don’t live in NYC but send them my denim for alterations. I’ve sent multiple pairs for chain stitch hem and tapering, which they do by completing undoing the inseam, cut, and then re sew with a lapped seam. I’ve always had great results from them. They also do other alterations and make jeans so they can pretty much do any alteration possible.
Maybe you could do a piece on reweaving, piece weaving / inweaving, french weaving, darning, … mending in general. What can be done, how is it done, who does it.
Thanks, yes absolutely. We did cover things like darning more during Covid – there was a piece with advice on how to darn yourself here, which I know people liked. And we are planning something already on invisible weaving.
I have used Sam Wazin a number of times whilst working in NY. Always makes times for ‘emergencies’, lead times never been an issue.
Never heard of Hallak, have you had anything pressed or cleaned there?
I haven’t, but Paolo Martorano and another tailor both recommended them to me. They’re more an uptown ‘white glove’ service but they were highly recommended for their pressing and general knowledge, more than most such firms
Sam is very busy these days, I never need anything in a hurry but if you just want to hem pants etc then I can see someone find the wait annoyingly long
Village Cleaners in Chicago is an excellent resource for laundering and pressing shirts.
Chelsea Head in Detroit is excellent for all things denim. She previously was in charge of the repair shop at Detroit Denim. https://chelseahead.com/
Hi Simon,
I hope that I can “hijack” your post and ask if any reader would have some recommandations in Zürich, Switzerland ? I’m relatively new to the city and would need a good alterations tailer, dry cleaner and possibly cobbler.
Thanks in advance and have a great week everyone,
Marc
I don’t have any Marc, but one suggestion is to ask in shops like Trunk, as they tend to know places they have used a fair bit and trust. Also there are a fair few readers on here in Zurich so hopefully they’ll help out
There is a cleaner that’s called Jeeves of Belgravia, apparently with a branch in London, that says they do sponge and press. I’m wondering if any of your readers have any experience with them.
They came up among recommendations in New York, but I think only once so I didn’t include them. In London, to be honest, their reputation isn’t great. They claim to do hand pressing but it’s nothing that knows what bespoke tailoring is
Thanks, Simon. I was a little skeptical. I’d be very happy to hear of a solid recommendation for a cleaner who could handle bespoke—strange that there doesn’t seem to be a place in the city that fits that description.
This is great. The type of practical, super helpful guide I’d like to see more of on PS. And as I can certainly vouch for the several names on the list I’ve used — B Nelson, Jim’s Shoes, French American Reweaving (particularly awesome) — I have high confidence in the rest. Thanks.
Nice to hear Mark
Would you recommend any of the above specifically for repairing wax jackets? Some of the buttons that hold the extra lining fell off my wax walker (the ones where you would need to open the stitching in order to repair them) and I’m not sure what would be the best place to take it, whether this is something that a tailor or an alterations specialist would do. Thank you!
Raw Meat & Repair came recommended for work on Barbour and other types of wax jackets
Thank you, I will check them out!
I would reach out to New England Reproofers and see if they can help you if Raw Meat cannot. I’ve had a couple of good repairs done by them. https://www.newenglandreproofers.com/
Thank you Robert!
Le Majordome does bespoke shoes nicely and economically. On Madison Ave in the 50s, as I recall it.
Extremely useful article, Simon. I hope you reconsider not doing more of them.
Thanks David, and thanks for your contribution
When in NYC next time, you might want to stop in and order a pair of Oxfords. They are quite inexpensive compared with Northamptonshire.
Bhambi’s in Midtown is also good for alterations. Worth noting that the Sexton team uses L&S quite frequently during their NY visits, so I imagine they’re quite good.
Thanks Bruce
You ignored Mr. Ping! The man knows Bespoke inside and out as he used to be a full bespoke tailor.
Lived in NYC for many years. The guys in Church’s on Madison recommended B Nelson when I needed work on my shoes. Outstanding quality.
Sam Wazin Soho location is actually closed. I showed up after booking an appointment online as they show the location on their website, found out the hard way.
Ah, thank you
Frank Jedda of Union Square Tailors also does fantastic (and often the fastest) work.
Comes on high recommendation from some of the Armoury / Alfargo’s crew.
Great idea to have this list on your site. I live in Oklahoma and finding a good tailor is a challenge. Keep up the good work……
Yes, The Tailoring Room is great and prob best value, esp for vintage alterations.
I’ve used French American Weavers, they do ex work.
PS…I should say REWEAVERS!
Sorry for all the posts…………..I see Bhambi in midtown mentioned. They do bespoke, I had a dozen trousers made by them and some alterations. They do great work and I have used Hallak Cleaners which are very good also.
The soho location for Wazin is no longer open
Thanks Will, forgot to update that before. Done now
I brought several pieces of knitwear to Best Weaving & Mending in Union Square and they did a stellar job.
does anybody know a good place to repair umbrellas in NYC?
This is great, thank you Simon.