BALANI Custom Clothiers
Review from Josh W.
I went to Balani with no expectations, but was blown away by their fantastic service. I walked into the store on a cold afternoon, and was immediately welcomed by Will Hightower, who helped me design a custom blazer/pant combo. After sampling a range of fabrics and looking at various designs, Will helped guide me through the fabric selection and at a price that was in my range. Within a few weeks, the suit had arrived and I went in to try it on and get a second fitting. I cannot stress the importance of the second fitting enough. The suit goes from great to stellar when they fine tune the tailoring.
I am so happy with my new blazer/pants combo and would recommend Will to anyone. He has a great deal of experience with design and fitting and can help pick out a really sharp outfit for any type of occasion. I also moved to a new city and Will has been critical in coordinating shipping and making sure that I continue to use Balani despite the distance. I will never go back to buying off-the-rack suits when I can pay a bit more for something that looks better, feels better, and holds up better.
Review from James M.
I worked with Joanna at Balani’s and was quite pleased with the experience. She understood that i wanted pieces that were expressive but not over the top. We spent over 3 hours in the initial consultation (I drove in from Iowa) looking at fabric and discussing my fashion goals. In the end i came away with two suits, 4 jackets, and 4 pants and several complimentary shirts. I’ve just received the clothes (shipped for free from Chicago) and I’m in heaven. Any shop that takes the time to notice that one sleeve should be 1/4 of an inch shorter and spend the time to correct it borders on perfection. Very difficult to find in this day and age. Now i can just drop an email to Joanna to order what I need.
Review from Bruce M.
Two months ago Will Hightower surprised me with a visit to Grand Rapids, MI. to look at my closet and give me recommendations on my needs. My life is very hectic with many business and community activities so getting to Chicago is tough for a fitting. When this young man showed up at my door I was blown away.
We have communicated many times by phone on fabrics, suit styles, shirt color ect.
It came apparent to me that over the phone was not going to work so I considered canceling the custom suit idea. Mr. Hightower was not on board with this decision he was able alter his schedule to meet me at my home at my convenience.
To finish, I gave Mr. Hightower carte blanch on this order and I was floored with the outcome. The styles, fabric, color were made for me. This young man’s customer service reminds me of the days when my own Father would take me to the custom tailor as a boy.
As a new customer I am speechless, he has a very good eye especially when given an opportunity to view a client’s wardrobe.
A highly satisfied Customer,
Bruce Matthews
Review from Adam S.
This was by far the best men’s custom clothes store in Chicago.
I can’t say it enough how amazing the service was that I received at Balani. My wife and I came in on a Saturday in November to hear about the custom experience and I walked out with a purchase of 3 custom shirts.
Not only was Elizabeth very friendly and knowledgeable, she never pressured me or used sly sales tactics to get me to buy anything. This is different from other places I have been and a big reason why I will be coming back in the future.
I received my shirts in the middle of December and absolutely love them.
Review from Stephanie R.
Below is my husband’s experience:
My experience at Balani was fantastic. At my initial consultation Cordt walked me through the entire process and patiently helped me select all my fabrics. He was very informative and pleasant throughout. I ended up choosing the 3 suit package (which comes with 5 free shirts).
Now that my suits have arrived I could not be happier. The difference between a custom and off the rack suit is significant and I don’t know if I’d ever buy off the rack again. The custom fit is amazing and I truly enjoy wearing them. I definitely plan on buying additional suits from Cordt in the future.
If you have ever considered purchasing a tailored suit, give Balani a call and ask for Cordt. You won’t be disappointed.
Bryan R.
Review from Ben L.
I’ve had two suits made for me by Balani, including the one I wore at my wedding! I worked with Joanna and her service was impeccable. She even made time for an emergency measurement the week of my wedding to make sure those extra holiday pounds didn’t change how my suit fit! When you make an appointment, ask for Joanna!
Review from Ryan H.
I had never purchased any custom fitted clothing before, but after getting connected through my friend (and repeat customer), I really can’t say enough good things about my experience at Balani, especially having the opportunity to work with Steve.
He’s been very helpful through everything, taking the time to learn what I am looking for, as well as just educating me on the whole process. He’s also been very accommodating, including staying open late on a Friday to accommodate my schedule and offering to meet me in Milwaukee for some final adjustments if needed.
I never thought I’d be one to invest too much in a custom fitted suit, but after working with Balani it might be tough to go back.
Review from David J.
I went to Balani for my first ever custom suit, and now that I have it I don’t know that I ever want to go back to getting stuff off the rack. They have a TON of fabric choices. They have so many fabrics available that it would have been overwhelming if Ricardo hadn’t been there guiding me through it. Ricardo seemed to have a very intimate knowledge of the thousands of different fabrics they have available, and I ended up very happy with my selection (a worsted super 120). Ricardo did not pressure me to go with a more or less expensive fabric (I ended up with a less expensive fabric for one of the shirts I got). The measurement was done very carefully, and Ricardo measured everything at least two or three times. You can tell that he takes a lot of pride in his work.
After a couple weeks, my suit was ready to try on. I went in and was pretty happy with the fit, but Ricardo had some suggestions for some alterations. Since he’d done such a good job before, I went with his advice, and I’m happy I did. The suit came back a second time and this time it really fit like a glove. I really like the feel of the suit and it looks great. It’s pretty versatile as well, so I’d feel comfortable wearing it to a job interview, wedding, or even a fancy night out.
I really appreciate the superior service and guidance that Balani and Ricardo provided throughout my experience with them. They’ve earned my trust and I will definitely be back for more suits in the future. Thank you!
Review from Jay L.
As a short guy, having a resource like Balani is really incredible.
I can’t buy things off the rack and have them fit right away. What’s worse, sometimes when I buy something off the rack and I try to have it tailored, it just looks funny. There’s only so much a tailor can do with a shirt that’s made for someone a with different physique.
Enter Balani Custom Clothiers.
I’ve been going to Sonny and his staff for at least 7 years, I think.
They are truly amazing, not only for their craftsmanship, but especially for their customer service.
I’ll pick out a fabric for a shirt, and based on what I like, they will point out two more that I like even better!
I couldn’t be happier, and I couldn’t make a higher recommendation than to try Balani. They are definitely “a cut above the rest.”
Review from Angela B.
However, our experience at Balani was beyond exceptional! The sheer amount of measurements taken during the first session gave us a lot of confidence that the suit would fit well, and the sheer amount of choices he was given made our heads spin. Also, Elizabeth called him back shortly after the first round of measurements, because apparently the tailors wanted to make sure some of the vest measurements were right. This was a nice touch. Plus, of course, the finished product is superb–there was no end to the compliments on the big night!
In summary, the suit is great, Elizabeth was great, and we’ll definitely be back. Great!
Review from Jeremy R.
7/18/2013
Went to Balani to get my first custom suit as a law school grad gift from grandpa. Although this is my first custom suit, I am a savvy consumer when it comes to clothing.
Balani is a pleasure to go to. The atmosphere is clean and modern without being overly pretentious. They always offer beverages and I have never had to wait around to be seen.
I have been working with Joanna; she’s an absolute pleasure to work with! She’s been super helpful in terms of picking fabrics and patterns and is very responsive if I have a question over email (responds very quickly). She’s a great saleswoman but also not too pushy with regards to up-selling.
As for the tailoring, everything is looking great! What really distinguishes this suit is not just the meticulous taking of measurements when ordering the suit (I was there for at least 90 minutes), but the willingness to fine tune it upon arrival to make sure it fits your body perfectly. Well worth the price to look that good.
Review from Nicholas G.
Balani is a fantastic place to get great fitting custom suits and shirts. My first experience was the result of a gift certificate, which I used to get two custom fitted shirts. The downtown location was convenient to my work, and I came in the early evening. There was a receptionist, who lead me to my own room and offered me a choice of beverages, including beer and wine (all gratis, or priced into the profit margin of the clothing, I suppose).
Soon after I met a tailor/style consultant (whose name escapes me now), who walked me through their fabrics and styles, discussed what I was looking for that day, and helped me choose the right materials and shirt styles. He was very knowledgeable and not pushy about upselling to higher quality (i.e. more expensive) fabrics. After I chose my style and fabrics, he took all of the necessary measurements, I paid the bill, and was back in the store to pick up two impeccably fitting shirts about 4 weeks later.
I had such a good experience that about 8 months later I decided to get a suit as well. I went back in, and worked with a different tailor than the first time, but the experience was just as good. In the meantime I had lost about 10 pounds as I was training for a marathon. The tailor found this out, and learned that the shirt I was wearing was from my prior fitting. He noticed that the fabric around the arms was a bit too loose as a result of my weight loss and insisted that I leave it to be taken in (for no charge). Sure enough, when I came to pick it up, the shirt looked much better (not that I had the eye to realize this before the tailor did).
If you want clothes that fit better than anything in your closet, along with excellent customer service (and are willing to pay the price for these benefits) I strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with Balani.
Review from Matt K.
Balani continues to impress me. I freaked out after finding a tear in the leg of my pants and Steve made sure that it got repaired quickly. Can’t even see where the tear used to be if you look for it.
Review from Leo P.
A few months back i purchased the Groupon for suit, 2 shirts, 1 tie and a set of cuff links and let me tell you how pleasantly surprised i was with what i experienced at Balani’s.
At first i was a little skeptical that I could get a high quality suit and all the trimmings for under $1000 and i was incorrect in that thinking. The experience start to finish was second to none. I have had custom made suits from other vendors such as Tom James previously. Balani hit it out of the park. The quality of the fabric, the attention to detail on the construction of the suit and the fit is perfection at its best.
Ricardo Bucio was my suit consultant. He has been a pleasure to work with and i will continue to get my suits from him at Balani. This is as good as it gets.
Thanks again Ricardo.
Review from Margaret S.
This review is for any woman looking for an absolutely perfect gift for a very special man in her life. I know absolutely nothing about suits. I found Balani off of yelp last year and bought a suit package for my boyfriend. Cordt was super helpful and explained the process to me. Then when I brought boyfriend in to pick out his suits, the look on his face was priceless–completely thrilled and delighted. Again, Cordt made the experience part of the gift–walking us through all of the possible combinations.
We picked up the suits a few weeks later and they were amazing. He’s had them for about a year, and he gets compliments every time he wears them. And I have to say, he looks amazing in them. This year for Christmas, I had to get him another one. Once again, a great experience. I’m pretty sure, short of an italian sports car, I could not find a more perfect gift.
As a gift, a custom suit is like an infinite gift: the fun experience of picking out every aspect of the suit, the actual (perfect-fitting) suit, adjustments for life, and compliments every time it is worn.
Review from Ryan D.
Never thought I would take the time to get a custom suit but I’m glad I did. It was a great process and I will absolutely be back to Balani in the future. I really appreciated the excellent customer service and overall attention to detail. These guys really take care of you….money well spent!
Review from Michael G.
Had been here before to get a tuxedo and had a great experience. came back this year to get a suit/shirts for an upcoming wedding. I worked with Cordt and all I can say is WOW! He had an excellent knowledge base of mens fashion and in particular what would work great for a guy my build/size while staying attuned to my personal style. When I was stuck on patterns/cuts, he had great suggestions. Overall, excellent experience from the appointment process, front desk staff, quality of store and craftsmanship, to the impeccable attention to detail. Will definately be coming back and recommending Balani.
Review from John C.
My wife had purchased a package deal for me as a subtle hint to update my wardrobe. I’ve never had custom made clothing so I had no idea what to expect. I was blown away! Joanna was my stylist and she perfectly guided me through the process. She explained all the different textiles, custom features, and other options while giving her opinion and input as appropriate. Joanna clearly loves what she does and is very knowledgable. She was a delight! Having a complimentary beer or cocktail while you work through the details is a nice little bonus. They take extensive measurements your first visit and keep them on file to expedite future purchases. After my suit and shirts were made, I came back for a second fitting. By that point, I had dropped some weight and everything needed to be adjusted. They were happy to refit everything. The finished product is amazing. The price is not much different than what you would pay at a department store but the product is leaps and bounds better than off the rack. As my wife pointed out, I “have never looked better.” Everything fit me perfectly, the fabric is light and comfortable, and the extra features are great. I can’t imagine a better experience.
Review from Nick S.
I recently picked up my custom suit along with a couple shirts made for me. I don’t own to many suits because everything off the rack doesn’t fit right, due to height and wingspan.
I took this bad boy to Venezuela for a wedding in the 85+ degree heat, the shirt and the suit still felt remarkable comfortable.
Fellas, do yourselves a favor and don’t sell yourself short when you need a custom suit for special occasions. This is coming from a regular t-shirt and jeans guy.
Tell my homeboy Cordt I sent you, that is if you are lucky enough to have him as your consultant.
Review from Jason P.
I have seen the error of my ways, and I will never go back to buying a non-custom suit ever again.
I would never have tried this place out if it wasn’t for the recent Groupon. For the price of the Groupon I got a suit, a couple of shirts, a tie, and a pair of cufflinks. We’re not here to talk about Groupon though, we’re here to talk about the service and the quality. Getting an appointment was a little tricky, as they were swamped post-Groupon. I got my appointment about 3 or 4 weeks after calling (also due in part to my wacky schedule). About a month and a half to two months later, I picked up my shirts and had the first fitting on my suit, and a week later I had the finished suit. Really makes you realize how much effort goes into making sure everything looks perfect, and it does.
The initial visit (with Riccardo B.) was great. He took the time to show me just about everything, and didn’t put a hard sell (or any sell really) on me to go above and beyond what the Groupon covered. I think it took about 45 minutes to get all my measurements in, pick the fabric and options for my shirts and my suit, and to have me on my merry way.
First, the shirts. Best fitting shirts ever. I’m 6’4″ and 195 lbs with a 37″ sleeve and a 15.57 neck. Anything “off the rack” in that sleeve size is going to look like a blouse on me because for some reason clothing manufacturers equate tall with fat… dunno why. When getting a shirt made just to your specifications you have complete control. How long do you like your sleeves? How broad should the shoulders be? Do you want an extra button on the bottom because your torso is longer than the average 5’10” male? The shirts aren’t cheap, but for the awesome fit and quality you are getting, they are definitely worth it. Expect to spend around $140 on the low end to, I think, about $190 on the high end (depending on the fabric).
Next, the suit. Wow. I have never had such a well made, good looking suit in my life. I don’t know how much this would have cost me if I had bought it without the Groupon (somewhere around $800 I think?), but this makes my $700 suits from Jos. A. Bank look like I picked them up from a Goodwill store. The fit is amazing, the stitching and the details feel nice and sturdy, and the attention to detail in the tailoring is apparent (making sure the pin stripes align at the seam on the shoulders, for example). My favorite part about putting together the suit, was getting to pick the lining. Might not sound very exciting to some (or most), but I like walking into court, wearing a suit that has a shiny purple paisley lining… I can even pull out the breast pocket (which is lined with the same fabric) and pass it off as a pocket hanky.
Not sure I would shop here for non-custom items (the ties, at $90 a pop, are a bit expensive), and to that end they really don’t have that huge of a selection of pre-made items. Rather, this place is all about making sure you look your absolute best. Will definitely be coming back here the next time I’m in the market for a suit.