“ I came upon the guests in this particular episode, Reza and Luke Nasserbakht of The Hop, custom shirt makers , in much the same way as I have come across people in my daily life: responding to my immediate environment in the moment with as little prior prejudice or planning as is possible. Much as I found our producer, Laurie Strickland simply by the ritual of getting a coffee in a coffee shop, Think Coffee to be exact, I was struck by a storefront on Elizabeth Street in Lower Manhattan.
The beauty and design of it which led me into that environment, couple of course with my open-minded curiosity as much as my love of beauty. At that time I had very few shirts bespoke, resorting mainly to made to measure and the very best ready to wear. If you fast forward to today in 2021 their business has changed location: they are in a much tonier address uptown on Madison Avenue in a vicinity of New York City known for the better menswear and custom tailoring more generally. To me, of course it is very much the same family, and the very best level of craft and, dare I say, art. I thought it would be interesting given that my physical body has changed, like so many around the world at this time, to start from scratch and with a single shirt, to offer one simple example of what someone like Reza does and to include this episode as part of a larger series on clothing which inaugurated with Avery Lucas.
I recorded some short audio interviews with both the father and his son Luke at their new space in Manhattan. The other thing that was clear to me is the validity of my snapshot theory of art applies here too. One thing that should be immediately clear concerning this particular episode is the extraordinary steadfastness and commitment to quality of craft, both over the longest period of time, as well as the greatest expanse of global geography. I met this family at a certain period of time and location of the years 2010 and 2011. Yet from their point of view what matters most is the very real progress involved in their move uptown.
There is a palpable sense of pride in this move as best reflecting what they are all about. In a sense that is their current "snapshot." And we see two opposites: on the one hand there is the sometimes great changes in the cut or silhouette of clothing in popular fashions seem to sweep the decisions of everybody, both in the initial construction of all clothing as well as the habits of those who will wear it.
Yet on the other hand we see the absolute consistency of both measurements which are objective as well as quality of craft which always applies, no matter the garment in question, and how this commitment to such quality is passed on though generations and eras so that it can be enjoyed in the world, notwithstanding the vagaries of where any of us happen to find ourselves.
For me what Reza and his son practice is as important as anything in art and culture."
Reza, Luke and The Hop's Bio
A FAMILY CUSTOM
OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN MAKING CUSTOM SHIRTS FOR OVER 100 YEARS. WE LEARNED HOW TO MAKE SHIRTS FROM OUR FATHER WHO LEARNED HOW TO MAKE SHIRTS FROM HIS FATHER. IN OUR FAMILY, WE BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF EXPERTLY CRAFTED GOODS. IN QUALITY OVER SPEED. OUR SHIRTS ARE MADE WITH THE FINEST QUALITY MATERIALS AND AN EXPERIENCED HAND.
Links to Reza & The Hop’s beautiful work
Website: https://thehopnyc.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehopny
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ thehopnyc/
