Michael Andrews

michael andrews

Tailor | Craftsman | Entrepreneur

True embodiment of one’s brand emerges from a series of deliberate, thoughtful decisions about guiding principles and personal style. Master of his craft, Michael Andrews understood early on that distinction in how one carries themselves — their style, their polish — can so often be an extension of their professional success and reputational respect.

What ensued was a swift career shift and several years of immersion into this world...

Craftsmanship and quality, therefore, have been guiding principles for the artisan and entrepreneur, who helms his acclaimed bespoke tailoring practice in Manhattan’s Lower East Side for the past X years.

Andrews began his career in corporate law, traveling to London and Hong Kong early on. There, he identified a certain kind of professional aesthetic that was made possible through the meticulous craftsmanship of a bespoke suit. This tradition had long been a thriving line of business abroad, but the United States lacked the same appreciation for the bespoke tailoring sector. What ensued was a swift career shift and several years of immersion into this world, shadowing master tailors and extensive research into the traditions and innovations of the craft.

It was about redefining the relationship people have with their clothes, celebrating individuality, and preserving the timeless art of bespoke tailoring in an increasingly impersonal world

Michael Andrews Bespoke came to be known for the highest level of integrity in the New York tailoring industry. “Starting my own company wasn't just about filling a gap in the market. It was about redefining the relationship people have with their clothes, celebrating individuality, and preserving the timeless art of bespoke tailoring in an increasingly impersonal world,” states Andrews.

Each stitch, each fabric choice, each design decision embodies a narrative that's deeply personal.

Like the ethos underpinning Authorne, Andrews acknowledged that a bespoke suit tells the story of its owner. It becomes a living emblem of their profession, their disposition, their history and tastes, and ultimately their brand. In Andrews words, “it is a dialogue between tailor and client. Each stitch, each fabric choice, each design decision embodies a narrative that's deeply personal.”

...much like the cicada's transformation process. It's in the quiet moments of refinement, where we meticulously sew each stitch and select the finest fabrics, that we find the true essence of our craft.

The Cicada motif comes to mind when describing Andrews’ approach. In fact, Authorne’s own Rachel Bu collaborated with the clothier for her inaugural exhibition, adorning a striking 3-piece black suit with a mass of delicate gilded cicada wings on the jacket, which gradually dispersed into refined hints of gold before disappearing into the coat tail.

Andrews reflects:

“The cicada's ability to endure long periods of underground solitude before emerging in its full glory mirrors the patience and dedication required in the world of bespoke tailoring. Crafting the perfect suit demands time, precision, and a commitment to excellence, much like the cicada's transformation process. It's in the quiet moments of refinement, where we meticulously sew each stitch and select the finest fabrics, that we find the true essence of our craft.”

In this way, Michael Andrews, founder and CEO of New York’s most trusted bespoke clothier, is in so many ways an ambassador for the principles guiding Authorne. Through this Encounter, Bu demonstrates the synergies shared between masters of their craft whose commitment to dialogue, storytelling, and quality distinguish them from the norm.

Photography By: Chen Zhe