Today we’d like to introduce you to Alec Smith.
Alec, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’d like to start by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share my story. Thank you, Kristen and the Voyage Dallas team for considering me, a suburban menswear enthusiast and my business for a column in your magazine and for spreading the awareness about our work.
In all honesty, I can’t pinpoint exactly where it all started; my passion for menswear. It could’ve been in church. It could’ve been the influence of my father. It could even have something to do with early decisions made in my collegiate and professional career. In hindsight, all of these things, in combination with God’s guidance, have led me and Alec Xavier CO. to this place and time. My team and I am blessed to be on this journey and excited for what’s to come.
My story begins with my parents, Angela and Willie Smith Jr. of Dallas, TX, who instilled values of integrity, perseverance, and love in me at an early age. As their firstborn child, they challenged me to set an example that my siblings and peers could follow. I was blessed that they were always there to lay the framework. My father educated me on the importance of being true to self, upholding faith-based principals, and embracing moments of failure as life lessons and not life sentences. However, the one thing my dad has taught me that resonates with me and my business is that “style means nothing without substance.”
He and my mother were always critical of appearance and particular about the approach. They placed emphasis on manners and respect, on books and speech, on rules and regulations, but I never understood the relevance of these practices until much later in my process. Though simple people, my parents did all they could with all they had to lay a foundation for my future and it was by these little things that I started to develop into the entrepreneur I am today.
I came up in First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park in North Dallas and it was there where I started to find my voice as an adolescent. Like many of my African-American brothers and sisters, I had the distinct privilege of serving at my church from age five until I graduated high school. Wednesday through Sunday was spent somewhere in or around the church for rehearsals, banquets, services, etc. But it was during those pivotal junior high and high school years that I developed a particular eye for suiting. The truth is, I can’t tell you if it was when I learned to tie my first tie at thirteen when I got my first suit on my sixteenth birthday when I rented those tuxedoes for the homecoming or prom dances I attended; I’m not sure. All I know is that between dressing up on Sundays and feeling ten times better in a suit than I did Monday through Friday on my high school campus, my style preferences were changing.
Fast forward a little bit, and I’m stepping into my freshman year of college at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. For those who are unaware of the mystique that surrounds this institution, I highly recommend research; however, I will sum up my one-year-experience with the pillars known as “The 5 Wells”: Well-Read, Well-Spoken, Well-Dressed, Well-Travelled, and Well-Balanced. Under the leadership of Dr. Robert Michael Franklin Jr. these values were instilled into our curriculum to lift the standard for black, Renaissance men in this country and though I did not finish my college education at “Da House,” the experience has been a driving force for me ever since.
While in Atlanta, I was afforded the opportunity to walk in some runway shows, showcase my own menswear taste, and even help in styling my peers for galas and events. This is where my career seemingly began. I eventually found my way back to DFW, where I applied myself in a very similar way on the campus of the University of North Texas. From banking to pledge life, my peers rarely saw me without a suit on; or at least presenting my best-dressed self. Looking back, I might have overdone it but my style quickly became a stamp of who I was. A full-time student with a full-time job trying to make ends meet. It was while at UNT I embraced the notion of looking good to feel good in an attempt to compensate for shortcomings in the classroom. Lack of focus put me behind. Lack of finances had me sleeping out of my car. Lack of drive got me suspended.
This moment deserves a quick praise break because it is by the grace of God that I walked that stage in December of 2016 with my bachelor’s degree and a career in menswear with Suitsupply on the horizon. This is how we got here…
Has it been a smooth road?
Not much about this process has been smooth, but there is no success without struggle. Alec Xavier Co. has been a brainchild awaiting birth for over six years now. The business has seen countless blueprints and recycled numerous names but the most difficult thing for me was starting. As a business owner, oftentimes, one finds that more has to go in before anything comes out. Before launching my business, I put countless hours of training into my craft, I spent countless hours on a 9 to 5 just to invest it back, and I am still spending countless nights developing and networking only to be met with resistance and slow progress.
The beautiful thing is, I love what I do. With growth comes growing pains and in this pursuit of passion, I’ve had to have tough conversations with myself. I’ve even had to acknowledge that the biggest roadblocks have not been supernatural acts of God, but have simply been figments of my own imagination posing as barriers. Getting out of my own way has been my struggle.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Alec Xavier Co. is a custom men’s tailoring company located in Dallas, TX specializing in “The Art of Tailoring” with a focus on an overall naturally fitted aesthetic while providing an air of timeless elegance and stylish excellence that transcends fashion trends. So often gentlemen ask why they should consider custom suiting. We are more concerned with “why not?”
In our professional experience, one size simply does not fit all. You are one-of-one and deserve to invest in a suit personalized for you and your occasion. We believe custom garments should flatter your specific shape and size and should address your distinct posture and individual taste. A made-to-measure piece with Alec Xavier Co. is constructed to meet your needs, designed to enhance your image, and tailored to leave a lasting impression on anyone you come in contact with. Our question is, “why settle?”
There are a list of reasons as to why I’m proud of my business, starting with the fact that we have been blessed to endure this COVID season. We don’t require that you drive to a shop; we make our way to you and are happy to offer virtual consultations before scheduling an in-person fitting. We carry thousands of fabrics from across the globe, including England and Italy, with hundreds of design options to choose from. We also offer a swift 10-turnaround for custom pieces. Our tailors have over 60 years of combined experience and construct each garment with integrity. I personally pride myself in knowing my product as well as the history of the craft so, not only do I work to provide the most sound styling and fit advice, but I keep detailed records and study daily to perfect my art. Our company is bigger than clothing. Alec Xavier Co. is a lifestyle brand focused on transformation and client satisfaction.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The fashion industry is ever-changing, and no matter how far we try to get away from trends, they have a funny way of finding their way back. I suspect retro styles will continue to circulate; however, the marvelous thing about suiting is that it doesn’t get anymore timeless. Over the course of 5-10 years, we will see the coming and going of 50’s and 60’s style such as slim ties and slim lapels as well as the 70’s zoot suit. However, I don’t suspect any of these trends will last long. I have more faith in our industry holding firm to the traditional style of 2 and 3-button coats and fuller trousers. I’d be happy to experience the resurrection of 90s style across the board; however, for the most part, this style has never died; it’s just taken on some new interpretations.
Pricing:
- Custom suits start at $600
- Custom jackets start at $400
- Custom trousers start at $200
- Custom shirts start at $125
Contact Info:
- Email: alec@alecxavierco.com
- Instagram: @alecxavierco
- Facebook: @alecxavierco
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/qTKq/xQ8yWltSW8
- Other: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=20103098
Image Credit:
Cory Moore @eyecreatereality
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