Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Luxury Brand Settles In to Cady’s Alley

COURTESY ELISABETH EDELMAN Richmond-based men’s retailer will sell its made-to-measure and ready-to-wear shirts at its new Georgetown location in Cady’s Alley late this spring.
COURTESY ELISABETH EDELMAN
Richmond-based men’s retailer will sell its made-to-measure and ready-to-wear shirts at its new Georgetown location in Cady’s Alley late this spring.

Luxury retailer Ledbury will open a brick-and-mortar store in Georgetown late this spring in a 670-square-foot space in the central courtyard of Cady’s Alley.

Founded by Oxford University graduates Paul Trible and Paul Watson in 2008, the luxury menswear brand, which is based in Richmond, Va., is best known for its dress and casual shirts. The new storefront will share space with other retailers in Cady’s Alley like Rent the Runway and Bonobos and will be located across from the popular brunch location Kafe Leopold.

Trible and Watson jumpstarted their careers by working with one of London’s most qualified shirtmakers, Robert Emmett, who taught them much of what they know about the business. Emmett’s advice for the aspiring shirtmakers eventually became the inspiration for their business: “Be the best, make the best, and the rest will follow.”

Ledbury, founded after Trible and Watson’s training in London, now focuses on making shirts, sweaters, high-quality fabrics and materials.  According to their website, each Ledbury shirt is made from “fabric sourced from prestigious European mills and finished with a tailored cut, updated collar spreads and mother-of-pearl buttons.” The Richmond brand will offer both ready-to-wear shirts, priced from $125 to $225, and made-to-measure shirts, priced from $185 to $400, at its new Georgetown location.

Ledbury, which is headquartered in a renovated tobacco warehouse in downtown Richmond, currently has two brick-and-mortar stores in the District, only one of which sells the brand’s popular made-to-measure shirts. Made-to-measure shirt making offers customers a more personalized fit, as well as various custom options, such as different collars, cuffs and monograms. The company’s Georgetown storefront will be the second location to sell made-to-measure shirts.

The new store will act as a showroom and will also feature Ledbury’s ready-to-wear collection. Customers will be able to browse and try on the full range of products with the assistance of sales associates, and may place orders to be shipped directly to their homes. In addition to employing new sales associates, the company will also hire a store manager and a talented shirtmaker to head the made-to-measure service at its Georgetown location.

Trible, who is also Ledbury’s chief executive officer, said he and Watson have wanted to open a permanent store in Georgetown since its inception.

“Since we founded Ledbury six years ago, we have hosted four pop-up shops in Georgetown. We’ve flirted with the market long enough — the time was right to make it official,” Trible said in a recent press release.

Trible is confident that the brand will be popular in Georgetown, as the company’s clothing line enjoyed success when Ledbury previously had pop-up shops in the District.

“Washington, D.C., is our second -strongest market, just behind New York City. As we’ve confirmed with our pop-up shops, there is incredible opportunity not only to deepen the relationship with our existing customer base by providing a more personal level of service, but also to draw in new customers from this shopping destination,” Trible said.

Watson, Ledbury’s chief operating officer, explained that the Cady’s Alley location is perfect for allowing the company to focus on its customers and for showing off the brand’s ready-to-wear clothing line. The new Georgetown location will exhibit Ledbury clothing that customers can then order through the store.

“The Cady’s Alley location was exactly what we were looking for: a small space where we can offer a focused customer experience,” Watson said. “By showrooming products rather than storing inventory on-site, we turn our complete focus in-store to serving the customer. The entire floorplan is dedicated to their experience, to the point where we won’t even trouble them to carry a bag home.”

Gabriel Katsuya (SFS ’19), who is interested in men’s fashion, is looking forward to the Georgetown storefront’s opening. Katsuya explained that a quality brand like Ledbury will fit in with the wide variety of men’s clothing stores in Georgetown, which are generally pricey.

“Men’s retail at Georgetown is everything you’d expect from a high-end neighborhood: huge variety and no sales,” Katsuya said. “From big-brand names like Zara and Massimo Dutti, my personal favorite, to pop-up specialty stores like the Goorin Bros and Hat Shop, Georgetown is prime for guys with a more generous budget to have a bit of sartorial fun.”

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