FROM OUR FEBRUARY ISSUE: TONY FINOCCHIARO, MEN’S WEARHOUSE—A TRUSTED LEADER

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Over the next few days, we’ll share profiles from our Tailored Clothing Section about Top Clothing Merchants, “Still Selling Suits!” With hybrid workplaces the norm and corporate dress codes an anachronism, how are some merchants still selling so many suits and sport coats? Here, they share some secrets.

It’s been more than 30 years since Men’s Wearhouse had the good fortune to hire an aspiring young merchant named Tony Finocchiaro. Starting out on the selling floor, he soon discovered his real passion is tailored clothing. He now buys clothing for 632 Men’s Wearhouse stores (seven new ones opened Q4 2023) and 109 Moores stores in Canada.

“Tony lives and breathes tailored clothing,” observes Tailored Brands’ president, John Tighe. “He is an expert swatch picker. He understands trends, fit, and the nuances of construction. He always knows the right styles to highlight and is always looking to give our customers and our stores what they want and need. That could be a perfect fitting garment, the right model, a new color or trend.”

Tailored clothing remains the backbone of Men’s Wearhouse’s business, approaching half of total store volume. “2022 was the Year of the Wedding, so those record-breaking numbers were hard to beat in 2023,” Tony confides. “But we came close.” In fact, under Tony’s direction, suit business remains strong, outselling sport coats by a ratio of 3:1. “We merchandise on the selling floor by fit (skinny, slim, modern, classic) and, within that, by swatch. We offer a wide breadth of sizes, from 34 up to 60. We also offer MTM in all stores, crafted in our New Bedford, Massachusetts, factory. And since 1999, we’ve had a nice rental program for wedding parties that’s now 20 percent of our clothing business and growing.”

Known for value pricing ($300–$600 ticket prices on suits) and good/better/best assortments, Men’s Wearhouse is said to sell one out of five suits purchased in the U.S. Although most are black, navy, charcoal, and “postman blue,” strong-selling colors in 2023 included pink, mint, and cobalt blue in the spring and hunter and burgundy for fall/holiday.

Interestingly, Men’s Wearhouse sellers are not on commission, so they don’t push higher-priced goods over more affordable offerings. “We let the customer decide,” says Tony. Apparently, this strategy has worked well in recent seasons, reinforcing camaraderie and team spirit on the selling floor.
Clearly, a key competitive advantage for Men’s Wearhouse is controlling its own prices. Most of the brands it carries are exclusive, including Joseph Abboud, Awearness by Kenneth Cole, Pronto Uomo, and Black by VeraWang. Top selling national brands include Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, and Paisley & Gray.

Of many Men’s Wearhouse charitable investments, Tony is most proud to be part of a partnership with Kenneth Cole (since 2016) that supports veterans causes to the tune of $6.5 million. These services include Hire Heroes, Canines for Warriors, Fisher House, Help USA, and Semper Fi. Tony also gives back as a trusted leader among his peers, training and developing his team by passing on the knowledge he’s learned over several decades. When not working, he is known to be a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who loves cooking, drinking wine, and rooting for his Giants.

Sums up vendor and friend Vince Marrone from Paisley & Gray, “Tony is the quintessential merchant and class act. He has immense experience and an innate feel for men’s fashion. He understands cycles and how the past impacts what’s happening today in color, model, or pattern. He has a great handle on his customers, so he can fill their needs while introducing just the right amount of newness: measured, never too trendy, always in good taste. I especially appreciate his warmth, kindness, and humility as a person. He has tremendous respect for the people he works with and goes out of his way to share his knowledge. You know Tony: he is just a great guy.”