Rochester, New York has been an epicenter of classic menswear since the late 19th century. Hickey Freeman, the legendary manufacturer of suits for men and boys, was established in 1899. The factory operated in Rochester for over a century, from 1908 until 2023. Since 2023, the Hickey Freeman brand has been owned by Authentic Brands Group, whose global portfolio includes Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Sperry, and Tretorn, among others. In July of 2023, the Tom James Company completed its acquisition of the 112-year-old former Hickey Freeman’s Rochester manufacturing facility. The operation at the North Clinton Avenue facility is branded as the Rochester Tailored Clothing and continues to produce tailored suits for other brands as well as its own clothing line.
Justin Perez, a native of Rochester, was inspired by the sartorial heritage of his hometown to launch his own made-to-measure clothing line known as J.P. Rochester. Perez, the son of a litigator, works as a Wall Street lawyer as the in-house counsel at an investment bank. Like father like son, he comes from a family tradition which values being well dressed. His father exclusively wore Hickey Freeman suits.
Perez attended an all-boys Catholic prep school which required the prototypical school uniform of shirt, tie, and navy blazer, and this experience also influenced the development of his sense of style. During high school, he worked as a volunteer at the Hickey Freeman factory. Through this experience, Perez developed a deep appreciation for garment manufacturing.
‘Made in USA’ means something to Perez, and he is proud of the heritage of his hometown Rochester, which was once home to several major brands including Bausch & Lomb (founded 1861), Eastman Kodak (founded 1892), Xerox (founded 1906), and Champion (founded 1919). In keeping with that tradition, the goal is to have all the J.P. Rochester suits tailored custom tailored in Rochester, New York.
His first suit is called the Model No. 1, also known as the “house suit”, which is cut in the classic three-roll-two of Ivy League style. The soft shoulder 3/2 roll jacket features a 3.5″ notch lapel with flap pockets and ticket pocket, 2 button cuffs, and a double vent. The trousers have a 2″ waistband, side tab adjusters, and a single pleat. Perez has hundreds of swatches to choose from. Harris Tweed in herringbone is available for the ultimate Ivy League look. Perez cites Ralph Lauren as a major inspiration, along with other American and Italian tailors.
Perez is betting on the idea that the younger generation is discovering tailored clothing. Enclothed cognition, the concept that being well dressed has a positive psychological effect on the wearer, seems to be catching on among young people who are gravitating toward suits and ties rather than hoodies and tracksuits. Michael B. Dougherty, the editor of The Handbook of Men’s Style: A Guide to Looking Good from Esquire, discussed the trend toward ‘dressing up’ in an interview with Justin Perez. According to Perez:
When I’m in the office, I always wear a tie. And that’s something that’s just kind of been hammered into my head growing up with my dad and then through school and then all of that stuff. I just feel most comfortable when I’m in a suit, and I think you look your best. As old fashioned as that might sound, it’s still very true.
Perez enjoys being asked the question, ‘Where did you get your suit made?’ His goal with J.P. Rochester is to highlight the garment making abilities of his hometown and to preserve the time honored tradition of made-to-measure tailoring.
I have nothing against them, but I found it odd on a site called Ivy Style to see the featured photo using a darted jacket.
The sack suit is more traditional (my own personal preference) but not every man who aspires to Ivy Style must wear nothing but a jacket without darts – although you are free to do so. This clothing company offers an opportunity to purchase traditional made to measure suits, made in America.
And double vented vs hook vent.
The hook vent is the traditional style but a double vent is also acceptable.
Well, Andover Shop’s house cut for the past (at least 1.5 decades) has features double vent and a two-button front. You can’t argue that they aren’t a bastion of Ivy Style. That being said, I don’t wear their OTR jackets because of this.
Excellent point and so many of the traditional jackets from Ralph Lauren, Paul Stuart, and others have had a two-button front. I only wear three-roll-two models with center vents and flat front trousers, which is the classic Ivy League style, but I will not criticize someone who goes with a two-button fronts, double vents, pleats, etc.
Certainly Andover has long been a bastion of Ivy Style, but in recent years they have been changing quickly. One may certainly wear whatever they wish, and some clothing with darting and side vents looks quite nice, classic even. However, it is, to most older wearers of Ivy or American collegiate in the northeastern tradition, not Ivy. It may be a lovely expression of Ivy adjacent, as one might find Schubert to be Beethoven adjacent, but it is simply not the same thing. These are historically important details. This site has an almost impossible challenge, continually finding fresh material in a world quickly forgetting what Ivy has been.
The articles I enjoy most are those posing possible enlargement of the so called canon. Things that have become accepted since the heyday include, believe it or not, Topsiders, Barbours, and quarter zips. Most of us love coat and tie, but most of us have embraced aspects of the more casual lifestyle, a distinctly Ivy penchant. While I love Hickey Freeman, despite a closet of Southwick and Chipp, the things I love most are natural fibers, comfortable cuts, and USA provenance. I salute Hickey Freeman for keeping those alive.
We now live largely in a virtual world. I miss the Labor Day return to campus to discover what new things had been found over the summer and to see, and participate in shaping, which of those new finds would catch and which would disappear quickly.
Tim, you stated it here perfectly:
“This site has an almost impossible challenge, continually finding fresh material in a world quickly forgetting what Ivy has been.”
Ivy Style will continue to celebrate the traditional, while also featuring the innovative.
Custom tailored suits made in the USA – which can be as traditional or as unconventional as the wearer – are worthy of being featured on this site.
Encouraging news! And nice to think that (Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps?) society is moving gradually away from its in-your-face, overtly slovenly approach to public presentation of recent decades.
Kind Saturday Regards,
H-U
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U7vcFAHFjQs
I spent my childhood years in that area of NY state and am proud to learn Rochester isn’t a dying town. Good luck to Mr. Perez!
“ The soft shoulder 3/2 roll jacket features a 3.5″ notch lapel with flap pockets and ticket pocket, 2 button cuffs, and a double vent. The trousers have a 2″ waistband, side tab adjusters, and a single pleat.” That sounds like perfection to me. An ideal blend of American and British elements.
Matthew
One major NYSE Corp that was also headquartered and founded in Rochester,NY(1923)was the Gannett Corp newspapers.
At one time Rochester was known as the Clothing manufacture capital of the US. with Hickey, Fashion Park, Michaels-Stern Bond clothing,and Superba Cravats. Hickey Freeman also owned parts of Walhacks, F.R. Tripler and Capper&Capper in Chicago. Hickeys real down fall was when they sold to Hartmarks. They drained the “golden goose”. Hickey never really made a natural shoulder till about 20 years ago the Cantaberry. They sold that along with the their boardroom model which had more shoulder pads then football players wear today.
Now you have also Adrian Jules in Rochester which makes many MTM clothing for J Press.
Sandy
Early last week, The Epoc Times (not my favorite but it’s nice to handle newsprint regularly) featured a piece bemoaning slovenly dress. They even mentioned pastors greeting churchgoers in T shirts, jeans, and sneakers. Here’s hoping with you, Heinz.
Perhaps Mr. Perez could be convinced to also offer a traditional sack. I’d suggest starting with a blue blazer or glen plaid sport jacket and see how it goes.
On another note, folks might ruminate on whether rules and principles are interchangeable terms. I don’t think they are.
I have a wonderful Customer wearing size 60 long having a hard time Finding anything to Fix him. And I’m Tailor myself. I’m living in South Carolina it’s no good Material around to make him anything. Please pointed out to me where can find help as Making Companies. Please help me.Thanks
Adrian Jules is great. I’ve worn their MTM jackets and suits for decades. Their American natural shoulder model is the ‘Stuart.’ A lot of quality for the $ — exceptional value. On par with Greenfield and maybe even Oxxford.
This said, I feel sure J. Press opted for RTC (not Adrian Jules) for their stock inventory and MTM.
Tom James. J. Press Standard shoulder option.
https://www.tomjames.com/mens-custom-clothing/custom-details-and-options.aspx
According to Richard Press Adrian Jules did their MTM about 20 years ago. Living in Rochester,NY for over 60 years I agree that for the $ they make a really nice garment. I had a couple of sport coats made for me by them I supplied them the cloth. I dealt with the father till he died. Way back then he didn’t do any soft shoulder clothes. I had to take some of my Andover Shop coats in to show him the natural shoulder . Living in Rochester it was great to be fitted at their Ridge Rd. plant . S E how do you get fitted for your Jackets and suits from them.?
A little unknown fact that because Hickey would only have one clothing store in smaller cities they made and sold the same suit under a name of Walter -Morton so other clothing stores could sell a Hickey suit in the same city but could not use the Hickey name.
Thank you all for the warm welcome at Ivy-Style. As a longtime reader, I was excited by the opportunity Matthew presented to share this project with a community from which I have learned so much.
As mentioned here already, J.P. Rochester is certainly not a purist when it comes to Ivy style. However, its influence and history have been—and I hope will continue to be—visible in what we are striving to create.
I look forward to producing an undarted, natural-shouldered, 3/2-roll, hooked-vent, swelled-seam jacket with a two-button cuff for the purist—if not for myself first. However, my affection for American tailoring tradition is one piece of the puzzle for J.P. Rochester, which is admittedly a personal reflection of my own style.
I agree with Tim and Matthew about the nearly impossible task this site has taken on. Ivy-Style has become one of the few reliable places—if not the only one—that consistently honors the historical references and painstaking details that bring Ivy style to life in a palpable way. I certainly would not want to muddy those waters, but have always appreciated the breadth of views shared by the discerning readers of this community, for which I hope acceptance as Ivy-adjacent for J.P. Rochester is something this group may welcome.
This project is, for me, a love letter to Rochester. I am building relationships with the factories mentioned in the comments, with Adrian Jules as our primary partner. Our goal is to highlight the exceptional quality and craftsmanship found in Rochester, including the ability to produce a traditional Ivy jacket here in the USA. I would be delighted to meet or chat with anyone interested in learning more—or simply to share a friendly conversation about our mutual appreciation for American tailoring.
Thank you again to Matthew for the feature and for giving me the opportunity to introduce J.P. Rochester to you all.
JRP
I can look past the darts in the suit jacket as “undarted” is not something your average customer is ever going to ask for in the 21st century but the pleats and side tabs as “standard” is disappointing, to say nothing of the superfluous affectation of a ticket pocket.
The 3/2 button style is the epitome of “superfluous affectation”. The absence of pleats was never a “requirement” in the “Ivy” tradition. Some of the comments I read on this blog are absolutely ridiculous. No one in the 1950s who actually went to elite universities and to whom this style of clothing was natural, was aware of any such “rules”. Young college boys simply went to whatever shops were around and bought whatever was sold there without ever giving it much thought. Many Ivy League graduates and members of the “old money” elite commissioned suits from Savile Row tailors or New York City based Jewish and Italian tailors who also mostly worked in the British tradition.
A question for you ultra purists who won’t wear anything that couldn’t have been purchased in 1962, What did you wear in 1962? Spats, frock coats, derbies, detachable wing collars?
“Be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside.”
Alexander Pope
Justin J P Rochester
Except for 4 years in boarding school in MA and 4 year in college in MA I lived in Rochester all my life till I retired to Vero Beach ,Florida Way back in 1959 Charlie Davidson of the Andover Shop was my go to person and all through boarding school college and my business life. Would love to talk to to you about the old IVY New Heaven tailors and Rochester clothing companies. Matthew has my text and email address.
The legendary Jay Walter repeatedly insisted there are a few key features of authentically early 20th century “old Brooks” natural shoulder style — essential, non-negotiable. Inherent to the style. Alongside the sloping but constructed (thin pad) American natural shoulder, there’s the fullness of fit through the torso and waist — straight-hanging, voluminous. British soft tailoring with emphasis on modesty and comfort. Best I recall, the original OPH accurately captures this look/fit with one word: “baggy.”
Likewise pants are plain front but generous at thigh, knee, and bottom. I still prefer a 19” bottom.
Some of the Heyday “Ivy,” influenced by Italian tailoring, ventured way off-course: overly fitted/tapered, rendering a very fitted look. No thanks. Zero personal criticisms of Neapolitan/Pitti Uomo stuff, but it’s not old American Natural Shoulder.
I have nothing but good wishes for Justin’s new enterprise. It has some of the design flavor of classic Polo, which I quite like, despite leaning toward the 3/2 sack type myself.
I note that many of O’Connell’s current offerings are 3/2 sacks made by Hickey-Freeman, for the traditional Ivy die-hards among us.
C-Ville: old Hickey Freeman is mo more. RTC is using the old HF factory. I think the brand/label still exists in some form, but it’s not the old HF.
Ditto for old Southwick. I think a Japanese firm bought the brand. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn RTC is making their goods.
I hope there are good faith efforts to keep the pricing reasonable. Since Ivy is unfortunately no longer campus-centric, the market trajectory can easily go full-on urban professional. Rich hipsters drive up the costs of … everything.
I have written a fair amount about Rochester’s menswear history on the Ivy Style Facebook page; in those pieces, you can find information about RTC, Hickey-Freeman, and great Rochester menswear shops of yore (including the strict Ivy style Whillock Brothers). With the closure of Red Barn about five years ago, Rochester’s a kind of a retail desert these days, but both Adrian Jules, which does custom for Nick Hilton’s shop in Princeton, among others, and One Custom Clothiers, a smaller but equally high quality bespoke outfit, will make very fine Ivy Style if you like, but at a big price.
Mr. Perez’s offerings recall those of Juniors of Philadelphia; natural shoulder, three-roll-two closure, darts, and double vents; you can see my post about the suit he made me a year or so ago, in which I express my anxiety about the darts. Glenn Au, the proprietor, cut his teeth at O’Connell’s in Buffalo, and so understands and deliberately departs from the Ivy orthodoxy to good effect. (Note: I suspect RTC’s factory on Clinton Ave. made my Junior’s suit, but Glenn will neither confirm nor deny.)
I’ll be heading to Rochester for Thanksgiving week– will I see you at GVC, Sandy?– and will make a stop at the RTC outlet. What I’m most thankful for this holiday season, though, is that my son-in-law, a tech guy who usually wears hoodies to work, has asked me to take him to O’Connell’s for his first real suit.
I have written a fair amount about Rochester’s menswear history on the Ivy Style Facebook page; in those pieces, you can find information about RTC, Hickey-Freeman, and great Rochester menswear shops of yore (including the strict Ivy style Whillock Brothers). With the closure of Red Barn about five years ago, Rochester’s a kind of a retail desert these days, but both Adrian Jules, which does custom for Nick Hilton’s shop in Princeton, among others, and One Custom Clothiers, a smaller but equally high quality bespoke outfit, will make very fine Ivy Style if you like, albeit at a big price.
Mr. Perez’s offerings recall those of Juniors of Philadelphia: natural shoulder, three-roll-two closure, darts, and double vents; you can see my post about the suit he made me a year or so ago, in which I express my anxiety about the darts. Glenn Au, the proprietor, cut his teeth at O’Connell’s in Buffalo, and so understands and deliberately departs from the Ivy orthodoxy to good effect. (Note: I suspect RTC’s factory on Clinton Ave. made my Junior’s suit, but Glenn will neither confirm nor deny.)
I’ll be heading to Rochester for Thanksgiving week– will I see you at GVC, Sandy?– and will make a stop at the RTC outlet. What I’m most thankful for this holiday season, though, is that my son-in-law, a tech guy who usually wears hoodies to work, has asked me to drive him down the Thruway to O’Connell’s for his first real suit.
I have written a fair amount about Rochester’s menswear history on the Ivy Style Facebook page; in those pieces, you can find information about RTC, Hickey-Freeman, and great Rochester menswear shops of yore (including the strict Ivy style Whillock Brothers). With the closure of Red Barn about five years ago, Rochester’s kind of a retail desert these days, but both Adrian Jules, which does custom for Nick Hilton’s shop in Princeton, among others, and One Custom Clothiers, a smaller but equally high quality bespoke outfit, will make very fine Ivy Style if you like, albeit at a big price.
Mr. Perez’s offerings recall those of Juniors of Philadelphia: natural shoulder, three-roll-two closure, darts, and double vents; you can see my post about the suit he made me a year or so ago, in which I express my anxiety about the darts. Glenn Au, the proprietor, cut his teeth at O’Connell’s in Buffalo, and so understands and deliberately departs from the Ivy orthodoxy to good effect. (Note: I suspect RTC’s factory on Clinton Ave. made my Junior’s suit, but Glenn will neither confirm nor deny.)
I’ll be heading to Rochester for Thanksgiving week– will I see you at GVC, Sandy?– and will make a stop at the RTC outlet. What I’m most thankful for this holiday season, though, is that my son-in-law, a tech guy who usually wears hoodies to work, has asked me to drive him down the Thruway to O’Connell’s for his first real suit.