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Draft: Stars of tomorrow already suiting up
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
North Texas grad Jay Lombardo began his business out of the back of his car in the 1980s.
DALLAS -- The making of the image starts here, inside the small office of Brent Lob.
Inside the office of one of Lombardo Custom Apparel's wardrobe consultants are color schemes, swatches, patterns, samples and pictures of famous athletes wearing their suits.
This is Lob's studio, the swatches and patterns are his tools, and people such as Vince Young and Brady Quinn are his canvas.
"The only thing we don't do is the underwear," Lob said.
For 15 years, Lob has designed the high-tone, big-money threads to adorn many of yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's NFL stars.
Since Timmy Newsome and Tom Landry started wearing custom suits designed by the "then-small time" Jay Lombardo out of Dallas in the late 1980s, Lombardo slowly built a stable of clients throughout the sports world. More than a handful of the players at the NFL Draft this weekend will be sporting "the look" designed by Lombardo.
Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith are among the 30 or so who have been fitted and will wear Lombardo suits this weekend.
Some players, usually the higher-end draft picks, have as many as four suits made for the weekend -- one suit for a party on Friday night; one suit for the draft, one suit for the news conference with his new team, one suit for Saturday or Sunday night's activities.
"We want to create an image for them and be consistent for them," said Lombardo, who grew up in New York City and whose mother was a fashion model gracing the covers of Elle magazine.
He graduated from North Texas and runs his store out of North Dallas.
"You're not just making a suit," Lombardo said. "You have to create a wardrobe for people. It's all up to your imagination. But we create images."
An image created at Lombardo's includes the jacket, the shirt, the tie, the vest, the pants, the belt, the shoes, the socks and, usually, the cufflinks. Sometimes it includes a hat, too. The image is just a little different than the traditional blue or black jackets that the power broker businessman wears to work.
And how much does creating an image cost at Lombardo's?
According to Lombardo, who started his business out of the trunk of his car in the 1980s, the average suit for an athlete goes for $2,000. Sometimes it can go up to $5,000, but that's rare.
Strictly by word of mouth, Lombardo has built a large cache of high-end clients that includes Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, Stars center Mike Modano and former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson.
The process is simple: A designer will fly out to meet the client and measure him. Thirty minutes later, the designer has everything he needs. Four weeks later, the suit is ready.
Athletes such as former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints receiver Joe Horn have as many as eight to 10 suits designed each year by Lombardo's. One for each road game.
"For the most part, the athlete trusts us to design the suit," Lombardo said.
And then there are those who are more hands-on. Lombardo and Lob fondly recall former Cowboys defensive back Brock Marion. Lob flew to Miami to meet Marion, and spent two days designing suits and Marion's "look".
This "look" is not a joke. This is all about image. An image of professionalism and class -- and it reeks of money.
Lombardo has taught a class on style at IMG, which represents clients from the sports and entertainment world. The message is simple: Look good.
"These are larger-than-life figures, and people expect these guys to look nice," Lombardo said. "What we try to show them and give them is a look and a style that compliments and accentuates who they are."
A lot of it starts in a little office in a store in North Dallas.
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
North Texas grad Jay Lombardo began his business out of the back of his car in the 1980s.
DALLAS -- The making of the image starts here, inside the small office of Brent Lob.
Inside the office of one of Lombardo Custom Apparel's wardrobe consultants are color schemes, swatches, patterns, samples and pictures of famous athletes wearing their suits.
This is Lob's studio, the swatches and patterns are his tools, and people such as Vince Young and Brady Quinn are his canvas.
"The only thing we don't do is the underwear," Lob said.
For 15 years, Lob has designed the high-tone, big-money threads to adorn many of yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's NFL stars.
Since Timmy Newsome and Tom Landry started wearing custom suits designed by the "then-small time" Jay Lombardo out of Dallas in the late 1980s, Lombardo slowly built a stable of clients throughout the sports world. More than a handful of the players at the NFL Draft this weekend will be sporting "the look" designed by Lombardo.
Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith are among the 30 or so who have been fitted and will wear Lombardo suits this weekend.
Some players, usually the higher-end draft picks, have as many as four suits made for the weekend -- one suit for a party on Friday night; one suit for the draft, one suit for the news conference with his new team, one suit for Saturday or Sunday night's activities.
"We want to create an image for them and be consistent for them," said Lombardo, who grew up in New York City and whose mother was a fashion model gracing the covers of Elle magazine.
He graduated from North Texas and runs his store out of North Dallas.
"You're not just making a suit," Lombardo said. "You have to create a wardrobe for people. It's all up to your imagination. But we create images."
An image created at Lombardo's includes the jacket, the shirt, the tie, the vest, the pants, the belt, the shoes, the socks and, usually, the cufflinks. Sometimes it includes a hat, too. The image is just a little different than the traditional blue or black jackets that the power broker businessman wears to work.
And how much does creating an image cost at Lombardo's?
According to Lombardo, who started his business out of the trunk of his car in the 1980s, the average suit for an athlete goes for $2,000. Sometimes it can go up to $5,000, but that's rare.
Strictly by word of mouth, Lombardo has built a large cache of high-end clients that includes Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, Stars center Mike Modano and former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson.
The process is simple: A designer will fly out to meet the client and measure him. Thirty minutes later, the designer has everything he needs. Four weeks later, the suit is ready.
Athletes such as former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints receiver Joe Horn have as many as eight to 10 suits designed each year by Lombardo's. One for each road game.
"For the most part, the athlete trusts us to design the suit," Lombardo said.
And then there are those who are more hands-on. Lombardo and Lob fondly recall former Cowboys defensive back Brock Marion. Lob flew to Miami to meet Marion, and spent two days designing suits and Marion's "look".
This "look" is not a joke. This is all about image. An image of professionalism and class -- and it reeks of money.
Lombardo has taught a class on style at IMG, which represents clients from the sports and entertainment world. The message is simple: Look good.
"These are larger-than-life figures, and people expect these guys to look nice," Lombardo said. "What we try to show them and give them is a look and a style that compliments and accentuates who they are."
A lot of it starts in a little office in a store in North Dallas.
