They’ve dressed men for more than 52 years. From weddings and rehearsal dinners to golf outings and work events, the Ryan family knows how to create the perfect fit. Fabrics, styles, brands and colors may change from one season to the next, but the final cut never varies.
With three full-time tailors and a dedicated staff that has been on the sales floor for years, Dan Ryan and his brother John, owners of Jerry Ryan Clothing and Sportswear, know clothes. Mounir Elbard, head tailor and undisputed “master of his needle” as Dan Ryan described him, has trained with some of the more renowned bespoke tailors in the world. Elbard, who lived on three continents before joining the company in 1992, is responsible for all in-house alterations on store merchandise, as well as outside tailoring for men and women.
“We care about what you wear, how you wear it and how well it looks on you,” said Ryan. “Our dad (Jerry) always believed in strong quality clothing lines that stand the test of time and really instilled in us how to take care of people. We are a fourth-generation family serving the fourth generation of our own customers and we are truly blessed to be able to say that.”
The store offers a wide range of high-quality, stylish men’s clothing and accessories to businessmen, professional athletes, farmers, diplomats and students throughout the Midwest and around the globe. From work to play and everywhere in between, the made-to-measure clothing includes suits, sport coats, trousers and shirts representing more than 40 premier brands such as Peter Millar, johnnie-O, Jack Victor, Mizzen+Main, Rhoné and Raffi, to name a few. Ryan’s wife, Karen, also shows her seasonal women’s collections by Lafayette 148 in the store.
Fifteen years ago, the store introduced its wedding program, which Ryan feels especially proud of because it’s added an entirely new dimension of service.
“We are part of one of the biggest days of someone’s life, and it’s our job to ensure that individual looks fantastic,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many times a bride becomes awestruck when she’s in the store and sees her man look so amazing in his suit. I always tell the guys, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll have you looking so great, she will definitely say ‘I do.’”
The Ryan family has ridden the crest of evolution in wedding, leisure and professional wear trends throughout their five decades of service. It’s something that Ryan has enjoyed being part of.
“The key preferences in today’s look include fabrication, comfort and care,” he said. “Microfiber material feels great, is stretchy and provides moisture wicking. This type of fabric is comfortable to wear and extremely easy to care for. Years ago, cotton was the preferred fabric.”
As for sports apparel, it’s all about trim and easy care for the younger guys, he said.
“People are really into physical fitness these days, and when you have a nice physique, you want to show that off,” he said, “so a lot of the lines are trimmer cuts, as opposed to the bulky and baggy looks of the ’80s and ’90s. Back then, I couldn’t get things big enough.”
Ryan said that while no two days in the store are the same and he loves it that way, the level of service and commitment to a quality fit will never change.
For more information, call 402.330.6614 or visit jerryryanclothing.com.
