Suits made to suit the wearer
Miray and Jeroen Bik initially had no intention of coming to Orange County.
The Los Angeles-based founders of bespoke suit brand Klein Epstein & Parker spent many prosperous years in their hometown, nurturing their flagship store off Robertson Boulevard. They thought that expanding south would be too much of a challenge.
That is, until the husband and wife learned of and visited Lido Marina Village, a renovated retail center with sophisticated stores, restaurants and other property overlooking Newport Harbor.
“Orange County is so sprawling and it’s hard to find a heart and center,” Miray said. “But we were on a hunt to plant roots.”
That visit sparked the Bik’s latest venture last year: a third Klein, Epstein & Parker outpost, in the pedestrian-friendly shopping village in Newport Beach. The company also has an address in San Francisco, and the couple want to open stores in Del Mar and Seattle, Wash.
But the Newport store is unique. On the upper floor is Kep Barbershop, where Jason Lee and two other barbers offer haircuts and shaves in an old-school setting.
Men, Lee said, put their trust in their barber and tailor, and at the Newport store location they have the opportunity to get a makeover and suit under all one roof.
“Why not make it convenient?” he said.
The Biks founded Klein Epstein & Parker in 2011 with the goal of providing personalized tailoring and made-to-measure men’s clothing, like jackets, pants, suits and shirts.
Miray and Jeroen met while working for Dutch fashion retailer Oilily on the East Coast. Miray, who had worked at Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic, always enjoyed men’s fashions, and the couple decided they wanted to create a company where customers could choose every detail in a suit, from the pattern and stitching to the buttons and lining.
Being 1960s music enthusiasts, the Biks named their company after three musician managers who helped market the sound and fashion of the entertainers they represented: Brian Epstein, the original manager of the Beatles; Allen Klein who managed the business affairs of the Rolling Stones and briefly the Beatles; and Colonel Tom Parker, who turned Elvis into a household name.
“We wanted to create a brand with a throwback feel but super representative of what we stood for,” Miray said. “It’s not just for the elite. It’s for the everyday man.”
Prices for a two-piece suit start at $598.
It’s a reasonable price, Miray said, noting the process of pattern-making and highly-automated cutting.
The made-to-measure process begins with a stylist measuring a client for the correct fit, or as the company calls it, “a blueprint.” The client, with assistance from a stylist, then chooses from fabric made in Italy and England, selects lining, customizes threading, picks from a book of button options and selects embroidery or a monogram.
The customized piece returns to the shop four to five weeks after the consultation, and measurements will be kept on file for the next look.
Too busy to come into the store? Stylists will go to a client’s office to accommodate schedules.
Men’s behavior in shopping has changed and their spending is increasing, according to a 2014 study by NPD Group, a consumer tracking service. The study found that total U.S. retail sales of men’s apparel reached $60.8 billion in 2013, a 5% increase over the $57.8 billion generated in 2012.
Klein Epstein & Parker will host an event Dec. 1 at its Lido store with nonprofit Working Wardrobes, an Irvine-based organization that helps veterans and other adults dress for a return to the workforce. Customers may bring in a gently worn suit and receive a gift card.
“Customers are hungry to be seen and heard, and we want you to make the call and we’ll facilitate and guide you,” Miray said.
Klein Epstein & Parker is at 3430 Via Lido, Newport Beach. For more information, call (714) 668-9008 or visit kleinepsteinparker.com.
Twitter: @KathleenLuppi
