The agreement with the Ottawa Senators will allow Surmesur to demonstrate its expertise to the Senators’ many partners, in addition to participating in various activities.
“We are going to enter the dressing rooms. The Senators owners will invite partners to our store. This goes much further than putting a simple logo on an ice rink. We want to create an experience between people and Surmesur.”
— Jean-Pierre Lachance, Marketing Director of Surmesur
As with the Pittsburgh Steelers, an NFL football team, Surmesur will lend a hand to the Ottawa Senators Foundation by donating clothing. Every year, in Pittsburgh, Surmesur dresses underprivileged young people for their start of career.
The exhibition models are donated by Surmesur to philanthropic causes. (Jocelyn Riendeau/Le Soleil)
“We ensure that at the end of their studies, these young people can show up for interviews wearing suits and nice shirts. The fashion show organized with the Foundation brought in $1.3 million,” rejoices Mr. Lachance.
A beautiful showcase
If you watched the final game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers on Monday night, you probably noticed the costumes worn by the coaches.
Guess who created them. Oversized. And the company has just renewed its contract with the NHL Coaches Association for another season. The NHLCA brings together more than 200 coaches and instructors across the league’s 32 teams.
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice during the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)
According to Mr. Lachance, subsequent purchases bring in more than the clothing offered. A totally “winning” decision, says the brand spokesperson.
«It is fabulous for us. Coaches also visit us for more casual clothing. They bring their families. We believe a lot in this snowball effect. Peter Laviolette, the coach of the New York Rangers, came with his sons,” he cites as an example.
Loyalty
The company, founded in 2010 by brothers François and Vincent Thériault, has created a shopping concept that appeals to men.
“Our customers come back regularly. In the world of sport, transfers are common, but most players, some of whom started being dressed by Surmesur before becoming stars, like to come back to the same store,” says Mr. Lachance.
The secret? Personalized support for very busy men.
“We owe this success to our stylists. Our employee retention rate is incredible. In retail, this is becoming increasingly rare. At Surmesur, stylists have the opportunity to have a real career.”
— Jean-Pierre Lachance, marketing director of Surmesur
Women too
The booming Quebec company doesn’t plan to stop there. Surmesur wants to become a reference for women as well.
“We already dress women, but the fabrics and patterns are quite masculine. We decided to create collections of more stretchy fabrics for women,” reveals Jean-Pierre Lachance.
To make women feel as good as men during their visit to the store, the concept has been completely revised to provide a more feminine touch.
“Some people are less comfortable having their measurements taken or trying on clothes in front of other people. Everything will be done in the same cabin. The place will be much more private,” says Mr. Lachance.
Democratizing tailor-made
Do you have to be a millionaire to afford custom-made clothes?
Jean-Pierre Lachance (Jocelyn Riendeau/Le Soleil)
“No,” says Mr. Lachance. People often have prejudices about prices. But the prices in our industry don’t mean much.”
“We sell Honda Civics as well as Ferraris,” he says. Costs depend on the needs of each person. We try to make the lowest possible profit margins. Our goal is to democratize tailor-made.”
In Mr. Lachance’s opinion, buying a high-end brand in a ready-to-wear store will cost more than a custom-made garment.
“If you like a suit from a brand, you can take a photo of it. We certainly have the fabrics in our catalog. Then there, you can design the same thing at lower cost and add a personal touch,” argues Mr. Lachance.
Surmesur currently has 10 points of sale, namely in Quebec, Montreal, Laval, Ottawa, Mississauga, Toronto, Vancouver, Waterloo, Pittsburgh and Mexico.
The company has also developed a road service. Teams travel across the country to meet customers, with the aim of analyzing markets before opening new stores.
