Davelle Clothiers — Attraction in Reston

Invest in your style. That is Davelle’s motto. It’s simple, clean, elegant and mostly importantly accurate. Every word is carefully chosen. Why? Because they are trying to help adjust your mindset. You are not just buying clothing. You are making an investment and one that does pay dividends. I receive unsolicited compliments all the time from random strangers on my Davelle pieces. I’ve never experienced this before and for someone that has struggled with image it is a nice boost to self-confidence in that area.

This is going to be a longer review. Largely to provide perspective on some of the other reviews here, especially the negative ones. The individuals complaining about Davelle’s have fundamentally misunderstood the value proposition here and I believe are not being fair to David Sr. It’s why some of the people complaining of high prices or poor service have an expectation mismatch.

Let’s talk about prices. I think the expectation mismatch is that some people go into the store thinking that David Sr. and Dave Jr. are just selling you mass produced clothing. That isn’t accurate. For all intents and purposes, they are image and style consultants. The prices of the clothing do not just reflect the exceptionally high quality but it also reflects the value of their time. They work with you to create a style that is unique and authentic to you. There is great value in that service and that value is reflected in the prices of the clothing sold.

A word to those complaining about prices or lack of “discounts.” Imagine if you were getting ready to sell a luxury home you built over decades. You have perfectly landscaped it, modeled it, and renovated it. You spared no expense. It’s perfectly turnkey. You’ve done your research on comparable homes. The price is clearly visible on Zillow. Then during an open house, some random stranger tells you “I’ll buy it if you give me a 40% discount.” Would you react well? Should you? It’s no different with David Sr. or Jr. It’s insulting and devalues what they do. That said, they are very committed to loyalty pricing and working with a range of budgets. Just be honest and respectful and you will get the same in return.

I also want to be very clear – they will not treat you differently depending on how much or what you are buying. I recently went in to enjoy an excellent value opportunity and neither Davids treated me any differently because I came in for that. Dave Jr. went and pulled shirts for me and came by each time for nearly ten shirts to give commentary and advice.

David Sr. and Dave Jr. have different styles but they actually complement each other very well.

David Sr. spent a lot of time with me (over 4 hours) helping me craft a wardrobe. He was witty, sharp, assertive and one of the most professional people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. And it wasn’t because he was kissing up to me or telling me what I wanted to hear. In fact, the opposite – he told me what he thought I needed to hear. The result is that he helped push me out of my comfort zone into some of the most beautiful clothing I’ve ever owned. As an aside, David Sr. is very wry and it was delightful bantering with him. For those that think that David Sr. pushes too hard, consider this. He honed and developed his craft during a time when it was not as socially acceptable for men to be concerned with fashion. He helps overcome that natural resistance that men might have for investing in this area.

Dave Jr. has a softer touch, but no less potent. He won’t push as hard but he brings some extra pieces for you to try on (which open your eyes to new possibilities). He is also very honest (in a kind way) as to whether something works or not. Dave Jr.’s genuine excitement when you find the perfect look is energizing.

I am very grateful for all their help – I’m still a work in progress but I feel much more at ease in making these types of investments now and appreciate the difference in my own confidence. Thank you, David Sr....

Having only been introduced to Davelle Clothiers in 2020, there are some choice words that we feel to be synonymous with this small family owned, family run business for the past 25 years, located right here in the Reston Town Center: formidable workmanship; consummate professionals; and invaluable integrity.

I accompanied my husband through this process, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they also cater to both men and women. We were both blown away with the level of detail and personalized care they provided, down to the color and style of stitching and unique customized buttons combined with magnificent fabrics from the highest quality of Italian craftsmanship, right here in town! Based on our very first experience, we knew we were in excellent hands working with Dave Eisele II, Chief Operating Officer, who has honed his craft working along side his father, David Eisele, and someone who not only has a trained and refined eye and a heightened sense of style but helps you learn about your own, in a way we’ve never experienced before. Dave patiently helped guide us through the myriad of customized tailoring choices that can easily be overwhelming, but he made it feel seamless, and made us feel confident in the choices and investment that we ultimately made. Dave closely measured and examined body type, build, coloring, and helped choose unique individual patterns and styles that are specifically flattering whilst simultaneously teaching you tidbits on what to look for and how to enhance your individual look and style. We learned so much working with Dave. The wildly impressive and exclusive quality and comfort of the shirts and suits that were tailor made were like nothing we’ve ever found anywhere, period. The experience at Davelle’s is unparalleled, truly one of kind, and simply a cut above the rest. Small businesses like this one are a rarity in today’s market when it comes to Clothiers with this level of detail and personalized attention. We are extremely grateful for their undeniable expertise and personal touch of class. Without a single hesitation, we overwhelmingly endorse and recommend Davelle Clothiers to anyone looking for this unmatched level of personal care, quality...

If you check my profile, you’ll see I seldom leave a bad review. Not that I haven’t been disappointed at times, but sometimes people screw up, or there’s just a mismatch of buyer and seller.

No problem. I ran my own business for 30 years and understand. I err on the side of being magnanimous.

But this one really stuck with me.

The Story: I went in wanting to buy a nice sport jacket for summer EU travel. Was greeted well enough and looked around the inventory. A few pieces caught my eye, but others I didn’t really like the style or fabrics. Anyway, focused in on a sport jacket I thought looked sharp. Tried it on, and it fit nicely. Then I looked at the price and was a taken back a bit: about three times what I expected for what it was.

(As a benchmark, I have a Brooks Brothers sport jacket I’ve owned for 10 years that I absolutely love, and it cost exactly 1/3 of this one.)

No problem. Out of my league.

I said to the clerk, quietly and with humility, “I’m sorry, this is not in my budget.”

He replied (haughtily), “Well, you mentioned you travel to Europe, so I assumed price was no option. Most people don’t even ask the price.”

I replied, quietly (though there were no other customers in the store) and again with humility, “Well, that’s what I like to spend my money on.”

I kind of wished I had said what I was really thinking at the moment: “Look, I could fly to London, visit a vintage shop, find a gorgeous jacket that you can’t even buy the fabric for anymore, have it custom tailored, see a museum or show, and fly back; for about the same price.”

Look, I’ve worked hard for my money. And I don’t mind paying for quality. It didn’t bother me that we weren’t a business fit. Again, that happens. No problem.

What I did mind was the attitude the clerk took the second he knew I wasn’t going to buy that jacket: defensive, smug. Or that he was going to try to shame me into spending more than my budget for that particular purchase.

I’ve shopped in many nice stores in the US and EU, and I’ve never been treated like that.

So, if you never even look at the price, and don’t mind being treated nicely -as long as you buy now -then go for it.

For me? I will never even look in that store...