By Amy Patton
A stunning line of ready-to-wear suits is seeing Montalvo on Montana makeover its business to meet modern-day demands. The local favorite menswear store celebrated its fresh direction with a reopening ceremony Thursday, Dec. 7, and they’re excited to welcome a variety of new customers.
“We are now able to bring a line of ready-to-wear men’s suits to Santa Monica,” explained Montalvo on Montana owner and tailor Esmail Astanboos. “Ready-to-wear suits are for those who want a quality, nice-fitting, Italian suit, but maybe can’t afford the customized suit price or don’t have the time to wait for a custom suit.”
Astanboos has long been at the cutting edge of men’s suits and fashion, although his journey in life began elsewhere. Astanboos immigrated to the United States in 1968 to pursue his education in industrial engineering, only to discover that his passions lied elsewhere.
“Once I finished school, I found that I liked tailoring much more than engineering,” the master craftsman said with a small chuckle.
Fast forward a generation and nearly 40 years later, and Astanboos is celebrating the grand reopening of Montalvo on Montana – one of his three tailoring shops – with his favorite employees: his two sons and wife.
Up until the reopening, Montalvo on Montana provided custom-tailored clothing for its loyal customer base spanning generations of local families, celebrities, industry executives and professional athletes. With the introduction of ready-to-wear suits, the Astanboos are now able to sell suits that are, well, ready to wear straight off the rack – saving both time and money for the customer.
“[Purchasing custom, hand tailored suits] used to be an elite experience, but with the ready-to-wear suits, we are providing quality clothing articles for different [financial] levels,” Esmail’s oldest son Nader explained.
Tailoring has been a family affair for the Astanboos since Esmail’s sons were nine or 10 years old, he said. Naseer, the older son, added that working in the family business has not only helped him develop a marketable skillset, but has contributed to his artistic abilities as a screenwriter.
“A million guys can say they’re writers, but not everyone can also stitch together a shirt like me,” Naseer laughed.
Both Nader and Naseer design the menswear and work with clients on custom tailoring, while their father does most of the stitching and tailoring.
“It’s like sculpting, where if we start with the form before it is finished, we can refine the shape and custom fit it to each client,” Nader said.
As for Esmail’s wife Maryam, she “does pretty much everything else,” both Esmail and Naseer articulated. Esmail said that it is through his family’s contributions and dedication that he has been able to expand his business.
“We love what we’re doing, Esmail said after the re-opening ceremony. “We do it with love.”
The re-opening included a raffle with prizes such as a ready-to-wear suit, a sports coat, pants, and a custom-made shirt and pair of Boos Boos denim jeans.
Aside from custom tailored suits, shirts and jeans, Montalvo on Montana offers a variety of services including alterations, monogramming and material reweaving. Montalvo on Montana is located at 1628 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. For more information, visit montalvotailor.com, or call (310) 828-7748.
