Old-School Shopping

Walking into H. Herzfeld is like entering a temple devoted to menswear. There is a hushed awe surrounding orderly displays of precious items, guarded by priests who guide you through it all. This easily could have been the sort of place where a shabbily dressed (and that’s being generous) 26-year-old reporter gets the prompt brush-off.But that does not happen at H. Herzfeld. Jose Vargas, a store associate, is as quick to help you with your clothing needs as he is to engage you in conversation. Before you even think about pants or belts or a shirt, he’s talking about his interests, your interests, where you come from, and his beloved Brooklyn – all of which makes you feel instantly at home, even if your sleeves are too long and your trousers are too short.H. Herzfeld is something of an ancient tradition. If was founded by a young man named Alex Herzfeld in Hamburg, who, though he aspired to operatic stardom, upon the insistence of his wife’s parents agreed to take on the more practical career of owning a men’s store. Rather than abandoning the stage, however, he simply opened his shop across from the Hamburg opera house, and in the evenings rushed across the street to participate in the performances.Alex’s son Herman moved the store to New York, to its former location on Madison Avenue. Currently the store is owned and operated by Jonathan Cline, the son-in-law of Wolfgang Herzfeld, with his junior partner, Steven Holz. (One of them is always present in the store.)Last year, H. Herzfeld moved from its old home to new digs on 57th Street, due to enormous rent increases. But little else has changed. It begs the question: How does a store so steeped in tradition exist in the age of ubiquitous Gaps and H&Ms? The store is unapologetically old-fashioned and masculine, sort of like a gentlemen’s club, right down to the old wooden and glass displays.Suits, though a few can be purchased off the rack, are for the most part tailored by hand. This is done by Anthony Zanghi, a second generation tailor and the former owner, cutter, and designer of Bernard Weatherhill, the prestigious New York clothing company. The prices ($3,250 to $4,250, depending on the fabric) reflect the quality of materials, time involved, and the skill of the craftsmen. Accessories are available as well, including Borsalino hats ($295), and neckties ($95-$125) and braces ($150). On the brutally rainy day I visited, Mr. Vargas demonstrated a superbly crafted umbrella made by Swaine Adeney Brigg, an English manufacturer ($150-$450).But really, what H. Herzfeld has to offer is knowledge and experience. Mr. Cline asserts that often customers simply are not educated in how to dress – not only in terms of presentation but also in practicality. Surprising though it may seem, some men don’t realize that cotton slacks, for example, fail to keep out the cold in the winter. His advice – offered gently – is to buy wool gabardine.It’s advice that hits home as I leave the warm confines of H. Herzfeld and step into the freezing rain – wearing a pair of cotton slacks and carrying a decidedly less than superb umbrella.H. Herzfeld, 118 E. 57th St., between Park and Lexington avenues, 212-753-6756.

Old-School Shopping

Old-School Shopping

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