We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Eric Adler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Eric below.

Eric, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I started an apprenticeship under a master tailor named Manuel, who only made one-of-a-kind couture pieces. When I began my journey in the fashion industry I had a dream to start a brand and go into wholesale/retail sales at brick-and-mortar stores. As my experience grew in the custom/bespoke clothing niche of the fashion industry, my dream shifted to wanting to design/create/manufacture custom and small-batch clothing for my clients. This remains my passion and after two years as an apprentice, I dove in to start my own business, that focused on mainly custom-made clothing. I have had some amazing success in my business, but I tell everyone I meet that was in my position to slow down and take more time to work in a variety of professions within the industry to gain more diverse experience. I think I would have been more equipped to scale my business, have a larger network, and have the experience to create more solutions to problems.

Eric, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was living in Southern Spain when I was inspired to create my own clothing line, so I moved home and gained an apprenticeship with a living legend, Manuel Cuevas. He taught me the art of bespoke/couture tailoring and let me explore my tastes as a designer. Eric Adler Clothing was born from the combination of these experiences. Eric Adler Clothing is a true-bespoke, made-to-measure, and off-the-rack clothing line based in Nashville, TN. We create high-quality suits, shirts, jeans, jackets, accessories, and more for men and women. I work with fashion-savvy clients that have a hard time finding clothing off-the-rack that truly fits them properly and that suits their personal style. My attention to detail, eclectic taste, and experience as a tailor allow me to make clothing that is comfortable, looks great, and will last a lifetime. I am certainly most proud of the garments that I create from scratch with and for my clients. It is so rewarding to handmake a garment from scratch and see its’ owner wear it with pride and comfort for years.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I was fortunate enough to move back in with my parents after returning from Spain, which allowed me to live (mostly) expense free and save some money. At the same time I was working as an unpaid tailor’s apprentice, I was working as a valet part-time. Every dollar was put into the business and soon I had enough to start purchasing large equipment, fabrics, and other needs to start my business. One day my apprenticeship ended abruptly and I was forced to make a decision to start full-time as a business owner or find another part-time job to keep saving until I was ready to fully commit to Eric Adler Clothing. For a period of about six months, I was forced to do a combination of both. I worked as a tailor at an alterations shop and on nights and weekends I continued to build my brand. Luckily the owner of the alterations shop saw my passion and allowed me to set up shop in the basement of his establishment, even though there was an overlap in our two businesses. This was my first shop and I was barely making any money for the first couple of years. One day in December, I had just enough money left from my depleted savings account to pay rent for one more month. As a birthday gift, my wife (girlfriend at the time) paid my rent dues for the month and ever since then, it has been on a generally positive path upward. Of course, there have been hardships, like getting hit by a tornado and a global pandemic shut down in the same month. Only you can decide when the time is right, but the theme of this story is that a combination of frugality, hard work, and a lot of support from people that believed in me allowed me to break through the threshold and create a successful business.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I have been relatively lucky in that I have not had to spend significantly on advertising and marketing to acquire new clients. In the beginning, I set the standard high regarding the quality of my clothing, customer service/experience, and brand image. Most importantly, I treat every project like it’s the first one, meaning I strive for perfection with every client. This has given Eric Adler Clothing a good reputation around Nashville and beyond, leading to mainly word-of-mouth client acquisition. This reputation has created a solid foundation and allowed my business to reach goals and grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined. A simple referral program has been helpful as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: ericadlerclothing.com
• Instagram: @ericadlerclothing
• Facebook: /ericadlerclothing
• Twitter: @eadlerclothing
• Youtube: @ericadlerclothing

Image Credits
Alaina Mullin Rachel Deeb (2) Danielle Del Valle (2)