This week, we’ve been chatting with the experts from Liz and Colin’s Martha Stewart-produced wedding at Sandals Emerald Bay Resort . We’ve shared a sneak peek of the now-on-newsstands issue, and given a grand tour of celebrity hairstylist Paul Labrecque’s tony CORE: Club salon , where Liz’s locks were treated before the wedding.
So it’s only fitting to show Colin a little love. And in a very exciting way.
Most Manhattanites know Kleinfeld as a one-stop shopping experience for bridal fashion. The storied wedding atelier has become increasingly popular due to their cameo on TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, but this past year, Kleinfeld upped the ante a bit more. They added custom-designed menswear to their repertoire, with a full-service shop offering the very best in tailored clothing and fine dress furnishings — all managed under the watchful eye of Frank Jedda, a true menswear expert and fixture in the New York City menswear market. 
After being on the beach to see Colin handsomely greet his bride, I made a second trip to Kleinfeld Men to chat with Frank Jedda about the new store and the intricacies of his custom-tailored craft… I’m thrilled to share our afternoon with you. Hope you enjoy!
It was Kleinfeld co-owner, Ronnie Rothstein, who really pushed for it. He and co-owner, Mara Urshel are very involved with the brides, walking the floor every day to make sure everyone is happy and taken care of and giving out their home phone numbers to every bride. For years, brides had been asking him what their fiancés should wear to the wedding and he’d always refer them to trusted retailers or tailors. Finally it just made sense to offer an option right under the Kleinfeld roof and design the department to be the ultimate destination for mens wedding attire, something that really never existed until now.
What was missing in the bridal fashion market that the Mens Shop provides?
Weddings are custom designed events by nature. Everything from the invitations, the songs played, the flowers, are all chosen with purpose to achieve a certain look and ambiance. Yet with all of this customizing, many grooms still rent their tuxedo or suit, not necessarily because they want to, but because there really haven’t been many options for them in the past. Kleinfeld Men provides men with a way to look special for their wedding and customize their look. 
A bridal gown is really a one-time-wear gown and that’s part of what makes it so special. The groom or groomsman, however, can absolutely wear their looks again so why not get it custom made? That way, he will always have a suit or tuxedo in his closet for every occasion that fits him flawlessly and that he is comfortable in because he chose the styles and fabrics himself.
How does a typical meeting work? What is your process for finding a perfect look for each groom?
The first thing I do is ask questions. I try to get an idea of the type of wedding and the groom’s sense of style—what he likes, what his concerns are, etc. Next, we take a look at fabrics and styles. Once we come up with a combination that works, I’ll take his measurements and take it from there. All that’s left for him to do is show up at the fitting and make sure everything is exactly like he wants it to be. 
His bride! I’m joking, but I also mean it! Remember that most grooms don’t know what their bride’s dress looks like. If his bride got her dress at Kleinfeld, then we happen to have that secret information and can guide him towards complimentary looks, without letting him know what she’s wearing. But still it is nice to have the bride there to aid in coordinating his look with hers. For the groom’s part, he can start getting familiar with different styles and options and get a sense of what he’d like to see himself in.
What is the biggest misconception guys have about picking their wedding day wardrobe?
The biggest misconception in mens fashion in general is that there aren’t many options. It isn’t true! A suit or tuxedo is not a uniform, it is made of elements that can all be chosen specifically to fit your needs- fabric choice, jacket choice, lapel choice, the list goes on. Of course, if he’s renting, options are fairly limited in terms of both style and tailoring, but if he’s purchasing and especially if he’s purchasing custom, the options are endless. 
The absolutely best way for a guy to personalize his wedding day look is by knowing what he wants and really having a sense of his personal style so he ends up being comfortable and happy with how he looks. It could be that he knows he prefers a vest over a cummerbund, or it could be that he wants to pull an element of his personality into his look.
I had a client once who was a huge baseball fan, it’s one of the most important ways he described himself. So we made him a pair of custom baseball cuff links and it was the thing he was most excited about that day… aside from getting married, of course!
You’ve had a wonderfully expansive career in menswear. What do you like most about your new role at Kleinfeld Men?
What I like most about my role at Kleinfeld Men is dealing with so many young men who never had to really dress on a regular basis. I introduce them to fabrics and styles they would like to wear. I get to teach them and help them discover their own sense of style. That’s exciting to me because it’s something that can really shape how they dress for the rest of their lives.
The biggest reward of my job is when a client comes for his fitting and sees himself in the look we’ve created together. I like knowing he is happy and feels good about himself. For the ones that never had an experience like this before, it can make them see themselves in a new way, give them confidence, and I’m glad to be a part of that.
Any funny wedding day stories or anecdotes you might want to share with Merci’s readers?
Actually, I recently got a text from a groom that I dressed while he was on his honeymoon! The guy was laying on a beach in Hawaii, relaxing and bathing in the sun with his new wife and he texted me to say thank you for how great he looked at his wedding. I was incredibly touched and I thought how funny it was that he couldn’t even wait until he got home to let me know how great he looked! 
Your wedding day is one of the most stressful and happy occasions of your life—enjoy it together! She should stop in with him at his appointment to help him find the right look for the wedding. Traditionally, the groom doesn’t see the dress before the wedding, but there’s no rule to my knowledge about her seeing his suit or tuxedo, so embrace the fact that this is something you can have fun doing together.
Photos: Top image by Merci New York , Kleinfeld Men interview photos by Sofia Negron Photography for Merci New York .
