Vancouver’s fashion reputation might need a little TLC, but Zahir Rajani, CEO and Creative Director of The Sartorial Shop, is here to change that. As the exclusive menswear sponsor for this year’s most stylish event, The Cup, Zahir shares his expert tips on embracing bespoke elegance and effortless sophistication—perfect for elevating your wardrobe all year long. Ready to redefine your style game? Let’s dive in. —Noa Nichol
What inspired The Cup to bring The Sartorial Shop on board as the menswear sponsor for The Cup, and how does this align with your brand’s vision?
Well if I were to directly quote Dax Droski, Principal and Co-Owner of The Cup:
“We couldn’t be more excited to have The Sartorial Shop partnering with us for the 15th anniversary of The Cup this year. Their dedication to quality and individual, sharp style brings an energy that matches the spirit of the event, and community in attendance. We can’t wait to make this year’s experience truly unforgettable.”
Vancouver’s fashion reputation often gets a bad rap. How do you think your style tips can help change that narrative in 2025?
The one misconception about dressing well is that it’s expensive. While that’s not completely untrue — it doesn’t have to be. The price that some of the big box stores charge today is unreasonable, yes, and they can do this because of their name, but what you should know is many of the brands they carry are also available through others (hint hint, nudge nudge: us, at The Sartorial Shop). Dressing well has less to do with a brand than it does with the fabrics of a garment. If you want to up your game, take your time to get an understanding of fabrics. Quality fabrics. And then find a few quality pieces made with good fabrics, that will last, and intermix into your daily wardrobe.
Vancouver has claimed its fame to wellness by immersing it in every way possible, which is great, but sometimes it’s best to retire the yoga pants and opt in for a more refined look. Appearances create trust and it’s important to remember that what you choose to wear can impact the way others see you. If you’re looking for a job, or are a business owner, or want to be seen a certain way, you have to care about how you appear. Choosing to dress well speaks volumes about whether or not you choose to take care of yourself. And if you don’t, it can get others questioning how well you will do in a role at their firm or if they became one of your clients. As “superficial” as it sounds, appearances are ‘the first window’ into who we are as people. Many times we don’t get more than one chance, and so when you do get one, own it.
On another note, we’re often inspired by what we see in front of us. It’s all about visuals, and thankfully, we’re in the business of making people look their best. If you need help in this arena, we’ve got your back. Soon to come is our Spring/Summer 2025 collection, and we believe once people start to see how we’ve incorporated that collection to be specially curated for The Cup, they’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it actually is to dress up.
What are the key trends in menswear and womenswear you’re predicting for this year, and how can Vancouverites incorporate them into their everyday wardrobes?
For both genders, this year’s theme is Soft Power. The idea of soft power is to influence, beguile, charm, seduce and bewitch (as Vogue puts it). Think deep, rich colours and thinner textiles. These can be easily interwoven into your daily wardrobe.
Masculine archetypes for both men and women have also come into play over this last year and will remain active in 2025. Think blazers, collared shirts that are “strict” and well-tapered.
Another very cool thing to point out is how fibres are being blended, so we are now seeing silk, linen, cotton, and wool being woven together as a combination. There has been a big push from clients/consumers to bring comfort alongside durability and looking good, so with the new Spring/Summer 2025 bunches (fabric books) that are coming in, it looks like the fabric mills have listened to this demand and have incorporated this accordingly.
How does bespoke tailoring elevate personal style compared to off-the-rack options?
Bespoke tailoring allows you to really incorporate your personality into each garment. For example, you can customize the colour of the buttons and stitching threads in your shirt. You can choose to have the inside of your suit jacket or sport coat be as subtle or as loud as you like. You can choose to have the trousers be slim and snug on the waist and hips, but loose and flowy through the thighs all the way down to your ankles. The options to really make what you are wearing truly represent your style and personality are endless.
Style is personal, authentic. Yet, Vancouverites are well-known for sticking to the “Vancouver Uniform” – #IYKYK – it’s time to change that. Everywhere else in the world, fashion is embraced. It’s colourful, loud, takes up space and plays a role in creating a sense of liveliness on the streets of each major district. You don’t see this in Vancouver.
What advice would you give someone looking to invest in their first bespoke garment?
Start with the basics. Always look to build a capsule wardrobe. Pieces which you can mix and match with or layer. For example, if you are going to buy a suit, buy a suit where you can break off the jacket and trousers and also wear them as separates. If you’re investing in a sports jacket or overcoat, try to make something that allows you to have multiple outfits. Bespoke and custom clothing is an investment, and the idea is to have these pieces last you a while.
Can you share your top three style tips for staying chic yet practical in Vancouver’s notoriously unpredictable weather?
1. Have a nice overcoat that you can layer or wear on its own. Vancouver has unpredictable weather, which means it can be dry and sunny one day, and wet and cold the next day. Nothing worse than dressing up only to not be able to reveal what’s underneath your coat. Instead of having to worry about this, bring your overcoat into the equation.
2. The second would be to have a nice sport jacket that you can throw on a pair of jeans and even wear with sneakers. So if you’re heading out for dinner, you can easily dress up your look with that sport jacket.
Third would be to have a couple of nice button-down shirts – this goes for both men and women! Button down shirts allow you to dress up or down your look. They’re versatile in functionality and aesthetic. For example, if you want to be more casual, keep the top two or three buttons open, and roll up the sleeves. If you want to make it more formal, button everything up, throw on that sport jacket, and wear a tie.
The Sartorial Shop specializes in bespoke garments for both men and women. How do you approach designing pieces that are timeless yet modern for each gender?
This goes back to what I mentioned above. We’re inspired by what’s in front of us. So when we have a client visit us and share their vision we immediately start to visualize what may work for that particular client. Every body is different and everyone’s style is different and trust me, we take that into account. The very essence of having something custom-made is so that you feel fabulous in it — it’s for you. Beyond that, we also consider what’s trendy vs what’s timeless or classic. There also are times where we work to blend these two concepts together.
Ultimately, we really consider what styles still stand the test of time. We have a lot to work with given that suiting goes back to the 17th century. Even if we go back over the last 100 years, so many things which we would have considered basic then, are basic now.
Having a consultation with us is the best place to start. During that meeting we can show our different fabrics, their colours, have you feel them. Everyone has a preference and some of us are drawn to thicker fabrics while others are drawn to thinner fabrics. Maybe you want something that drapes over you or something more structured. Needless to say no matter what we make for you will be timeless. We only work with the top fabric mills in the world today. This is the only way to produce high quality garments.
What role does sustainability play in your design and tailoring processes, especially as more consumers seek eco-conscious fashion choices?
We avoid working with mass production facilities, that is a big no-no for us. We have also established a system which leaves very little cloth or fabric leftover once we’ve completed a customer’s garment, allowing for little-to-no waste. Additionally, there is a lot of handwork which goes into our garments, which helps reduce our overall carbon footprint as less machinery is required.
Can you give us a sneak peek into any exclusive styles or design elements you’re creating for The Cup this year?
Without giving away any spoilers, you can expect to see colour and vibrancy for sure! The event is about having fun and expressing yourself, in addition to betting on horses, of course. So we want to encourage people to bring out their inner selves and have fun!
For those looking to revamp their wardrobe in 2025, what essential pieces or trends would you recommend investing in?
Unless you need a suit for a special occasion or work, I always recommend going with three staples to start with; a sport jacket, an overcoat, and a nice crisp shirt. Likely all three can make their way into your existing wardrobe to help complement what you have.
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