WELL SUITED
A bespoke tailor’s new studio
Until recently, Paul Doran of Doran & Doran operated out of a little studio above a Malaysian restaurant on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road. In October, the tailor moved into a small store in a former warehouse in Parnell. Architects (and landlords) Fearon Hay are upstairs; a coffee roaster is a neighbour and Xero’s Auckland headquarters are across the street.
Doran’s signature look is clean and minimalist. Made-to-measure suits are crafted to his patterns in Italy by the Marzotto family and the Caruso group, an arrangement that took four years to develop. His bespoke suits, meanwhile, are made at his workroom in Epsom – though we particularly like the Tokyo jacket, made to order from a Japanese knitted cotton in Italy: it rolls up without creasing, while still looking smart. You’ll also find beautiful leather goods at the store from London label Troubadour.
Doran might have done two stints on Savile Row learning the finer arts of tailoring, but his new store – a collaboration between his wife, designer and stylist Amelia Holmes, and Fearon Hay – is far from traditional. It’s a small box built from raw concrete, glass, steel and original timber. It’s very open – breathtakingly so – but it’s still private, thanks to a black linen curtain that sweeps around to create a capacious fitting room. Here, bamboo carpet feels beautiful underfoot when you’re standing there in your socks being measured.
Hidden behind walls of smoky mirrors is a Rubik’s cube of cabinetry, holding accessories – and a Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer stocked with craft beer and wine. “It’s designed to be a respite,” says Doran. “Often coming here is the only downtime our clients get.”
7/15 Faraday St, Parnell, Auckland doran-and-doran.com