Our History... 

 Our family's tailoring profession began in the early 1900's, with my grandfather Javier Avendano,  in Santiago, Chile. His shop catered to the political and diplomatic community at the time.  In the early 1900's all fine clothing was tailor made and all great cities had several tailors to choose from. The ease and accessibly of manufactured clothing had not yet become as widespread as it is today. 

    Due to strategic military conquests and the discovery of valued mineral deposits, Chile had become one of the wealthiest nations in the world.  As the American West prospered, the Chilean population was simultaneously enriched by the western migration. As merchant ships and European immigrants stopped in the port of Valparaiso, the Chilean culture developed distinct democratic ideals and a uniquely European atmosphere. These were the times that began our tailoring tradition.   

    My father, Claudio Avendano, was born in 1913 and began his apprenticeship at an early age under his father. Later, he continued his training under the well known Italian tailor Estromille, considered the preeminent tailor of his time.  Subsequently, he specialized as a cutter at Sastreria Pinaud, the premier French tailoring house in Santiago, where he worked for many years.  In 1947, Claudio risked everything and took a chance, ordering the largest shipment of fine fabric ever delivered to Chile from England.  Through hard work and great expense, he was able to open his own atelier in Santiago. With the finest cloth and expert workmanship, he founded a solid reputation for quality which continues to this day.

  This period between 1948 and 1958 was the best. Santiago was wealthy, and it was a time when people loved to dress well.

  These years also coincided with the beginnings of the cold war, and a wave of communism was sweeping the entire South American continent.  Aware of the changing political climate, my  father chose to move his family to the United States.     

    In 1958, Claudio Avendano immigrated with his family to Asheville, NC and started a tailor shop making  handmade clothing for men and women.

  Ten years later, he moved to Atlanta and established a shop in the Lenox area.  This year also began my own apprenticeship, at 13 years of age.  Working together for the next several years, my father and I made clothes for a select Atlanta clientele.

   The economics of the tailoring profession were changing. Not only was manufactured clothing becoming less expensive but we began to see the start of off shore manufacturing. Even more damaging to the craft was that no young persons were apprenticing to become tailors, the talented hands that would be able to make these clothes  in the future were disappearing.

   These are the causes that bring me to Chile  to make clothes that are true to a craft that we have upheld for generations. 

   Thank you for considering us, and I hope I can be of service to you.  I attend to each order personally and with great attention to detail.  When your customer expects the best, you will find no better made clothes than what we can make for you.