The Cloakroom

After their huge success last year, Super Rugby champions the QLD Reds approached us about dressing the team for this season and upping their stakes on the sartorial front.

In sport it’s generally rare to see sportsmen well dressed and more importantly properly fitted. So the challenge of dressing an entire team where the range of body shapes is so varied was certainly difficult for us to comprehend at first. But ultimately we believe the reason a business like ours exists is for this very purpose. The fact that we cut every suit from scratch and don’t work from a block or pattern means each garment is individually chalked and cut spefically for each each body.

After a lot of deliberation and some trial and error with different fabrics and cuts we came up with a complete look for the team and coaching staff. Executing to what we believed would be the highest level possible we selected a design and weight of cloth with French cloth supplier Dormeuil, and over Christmas they wove it for us at one of the English mills. Creating a look for the boys wasn’t as easy as we first thought. The range of shapes, sizes and proportions was difficult to accommodate with a single look, but in the end we are really proud of what we created for them.

Given the extensive travel the players do through a season (South Africa, NZ etc) we designed a 3 piece look for the boys that gives them lots options. For Summer the suit could be worn sans waistcoat or jacket. And as the weather gets cooler the boys have an option to really smarten up with the complete 3 piece.

Getting to know the players and staff through the process has been really great for all of us at The Cloakroom. The whole organisation are a very professional and driven group of people. And it has been extremely satisfying to see the reaction from the players and the excitement in their eyes with the final result.

SUIT Details – 2 Button Notched Lapel Cut with a Classic 5 Button Waistcoat cut in Dormeuil Amadeus fabric. Finished with a striped cotton shirt and Dormeuil knitted silk tie.

Players were also given a 2nd shirt option to create a more casual look to be worn without the tie.

QRU CEO Jim Carmichael and coach Ewen McKenzie have a bold strategy for the Reds and this is encompassed in their ‘pursuit of excellence’ strategy and very evident throughout the culture they have created at the club.  As a business that aspires to distinguish itself by its quality and craft we are extremely proud to be involved with such a team and an organisation. It isn’t often that a small business like ours is able to take its product to a world stage and international audience.