words |  TAMIA STINSON  photography | ADAM LEIGH-MANUELL  creative  styling |  ILYCIA KAHN  

Philippe Haas, owner of Philippe Haas Bespoke Tailoring, has a downtown studio and showroom that is exactly what one would expect from a high-end designer, but it is in a slightly unexpected location. Once past the building’s receptionist, Haas leads me through a maze of law offices before opening the door to his studio which is done up with plush green carpet and decorated with gleaming shelves and a bar cart. Natural light shines through a tall window illuminating a rack filled with sample blazers, coats, and trousers; light casts over dress forms draped with dapper shirt-tie-jacket combinations. I would wear all of it.

Haas dispels the intimidation factor that may be felt by those who have never had custom clothing made by making his services accessible to all. He makes it easy for newbies to choose from an edited selection of fits and fabrics while still retaining the excitement for those with a practiced eye.

I stopped by the studio to ask Haas how the process works and to ask what is next on the horizon.

Your family has a history in the retail industry, but how did you get started as a bespoke tailor?
I grew up with a mom who owned a high-end clothing shop in downtown Cincinnati called Monsieur Andre and with uncles in Berlin who created their own luxury fashion label called Patrick Hellmann Collection. My family is very European by lineage and culture, so fashion was naturally in my blood. I decided to create Philippe Haas Bespoke Tailoring after working for my uncles’ collection in Berlin for almost five years. This is where my knowledge was elevated through great working experiences, and my passion for fashion was too much to ignore. I decided in the beginning of 2015 that I would make a career of it in my hometown, Cincinnati.

What was the inspiration for opening the showroom?
The concept of having a showroom is very important to me because it allows me to tell a story. When I was in Europe, the showrooms we worked in were true masterpieces that took you on a journey. When you walk in, there is a feeling of escape from normal everyday activity, and you enter an artistic environment where you sense creativity is brewing. The individual attention I am able to offer, along with an engaging artistic atmosphere, provides what I hope to be a great experience.

You’ve definitely accomplished that! The studio feels über classy. Any future projects or events we should look out for?
I have done a couple of private showings of my collections and am looking to do more collaborations with other brands that share similar clientele. I have joined Downtown Cincinnati, Inc. and the OTR Chamber of Commerce in hopes of getting more involved in my hometown. I want to create some fun events to help spotlight the new businesses opening here. For a future project, I would like to do a fashion show that represents all types of style in Cincinnati from street wear, to business casual, to business, and formal wear.

Where can people find you online and in real life?
I am online at my website PhilippeHaas.com, Facebook at Philippe Haas Bespoke Tailoring, and Instagram at @bespoketailoring. I post a lot of pictures of new fabrics, outfits, and design details. In real life, I enjoy going out to dinner in OTR and Downtown. Some of my top picks are Abigail Street, Sotto, and Salazar, but the actual list is much longer. Don’t get me started on food!