A Luxury Destination for Designer Wedding Suiting – Parker & Co.

Inside the nostalgic walls of Parker and Co.’s Perth flagship, you will find floors and racks artfully arranged with a coveted edit of European luxury menswear designers. Set inside the iconic 19th century Trinity Arcade, Parker & Co. are purveyors of the finest in men’s tailoring and suiting since foundations were laid in 1895. Fast forward to 2022 and father-son directors Victor and Christian Tana continue to uphold their family legacy as connoisseurs of men’s fashion, bringing an exclusive edit of luxury brands to Australian shores all under the one elegantly, antiqued roof.

Reimagining the wedding suit shopping experience, Parker & Co.’s dedicated wedding suiting floor is an aesthete’s dream. The ornate space is carefully considered down to every fine detail, with luxurious two pieces from the likes of Ermenegildo Zegna and Kiton, fine leather accessories by Moreschi and a collection of treasures picked up along Christian’s buying trips abroad. Stepping into the iconic space is like entering a stylist’s personal wardrobe, where you find yourself privy to inimitable pieces and styling tips honed from years in the industry. 

We caught up with Christian in between consultations to gain an insight into their new edit of wedding suits, and what groomsmen can expect to experience in-store and online.

What advice do you have for grooms searching for their perfect wedding suit?

A wedding is undoubtedly one life’s most important occasions and so it is imperative that we help our grooms in finding a look that reflects their personality and something they can feel extra special in. At Parker & Co. we really spend time getting to know our grooms so that we can work out a direction in terms of design. Once we have the overall design, from there it easy to work out colours, fabrications and styling that reflects the wedding style and personality of the groom. At the end of the day, nothing is more important than our grooms feeling confident and extra special on their wedding day. Our expertly trained stylists are on hand to guide our grooms through every step of the process to ensure that it is a worry free and enjoyable experience.

We have a wide variety of suits in an array of luxurious fabrications to suit any style wedding. We have styled weddings held in all the corners of the world from villas in Tuscany to beach weddings in the tropics and functions held in New York, South Africa and China.

We can accommodate a wide range of budgets across our Ready to Wear, Made to Measure and Bespoke services.

What can groomsmen expect to see and experience during their consult at the Parker & Co. wedding suit floor?

On our wedding floor you will discover an Incredible array of offering in evening wear from brands such as Pal Zileri, Zegna, Kiton, Canali, Brioni and Eton. We offer the complete range of accessories to complement any wedding. You will discover our collection of studs, cufflinks, silk scarves and textural dinner shirts. Every type of evening jacket from silk brocades to velvets and luxurious merino wools to correspond with a huge collection of dinner suits that we carry.

Complete your wedding look with a stunning selection of dinner shoes from Barker, Moreschi and Zegna in fine leathers and velvets.

“We really spend time getting to know our grooms so that we can work out a direction in terms of design. Once we have the overall design, from there it easy to work out colours, fabrications and styling that reflects the wedding style and personality of the groom.”

Can you talk us through the made to measure process you offer via private appointments, for grooms after something a bit more individual?

Our Made to Measure service is a full bespoke experience, where every detail is customised to meet the demands of the customer ensuring superior attention to detail. Grooms can make an appointment with one of our highly trained stylists and from there they will be measured meticulously to ensure a perfect custom fit. Once we get to know our groom and their needs, all the details will be decided on including choosing the fabric, cuffs, plackets, collars and stitching.

We also offer completely customised shirts under our own Parker & Co. label to ensure everything down to the shirting is tailored to fit perfectly. There are thousands of fine fabrics to choose from, some of which are highly rare and exclusive such as cashmeres and premium super fine Australian merino wools from the best mills in Europe. Made to Measure really is an ultimate personalised service dedicated to delivering excellence in fit and craftsmanship.

Once all the details are decided on, each garment is lovingly handmade by artisans in accordance with the specifications, for something truly special!

Tell us about the importance of high-quality fabrications and tailoring when it comes to crafting and of course selecting the perfect suit?

The brands that we carry use some of the finest quality fabrics from the world’s most exclusive fabric mills, creating the ultimate in luxurious garments. Combine these quality fabrics with world leading handmade tailoring and the finished result is an undeniable feeling of luxury and quality. These garments truly feel amazing and you really do feel very special when wearing them. In addition, the impeccable tailoring means that the garments fall properly and fit better on the body, they therefore last longer.

Its not until you experience something of luxury in the level of these suits that you really understand the difference and the value that this brings.

Who are some of your favorite designers in-store and what is it about their fabrications and aesthetics that set them apart?

Zegna – for the simple reason that its very understated, very sophisticated and the focus is on the detail, fabric, tailoring and the intricate way its put together. Zegna is really the pinnacle of craftsmanship where they start with the finest quality materials and don’t cut corners on quality. That’s why their business has been around so long. They are always ahead of the game and their styles don’t date.

Another favourite brand of mine is Kiton due to the hand tailored flair to the design and their lightweight tailoring which is perfect for the Australian climate. Kiton managed to achieve unparalleled levels of softness and comfort by sourcing the most incredible fabrics of highest quality from some of the top fabric mills in the world. From their shirting cloth to suiting to jackets, to denim they always display a very niche fabric selection. Everything that Parker & Co has on offer from Kiton is a direct collaboration with the brand. Each season we sit down with them to design our own exclusive collections for our store so that it is perfect for our clientele.

You’re renowned for your unparalleled one-on-one service and styling advice. What does shopping for a suit look like at Parker & Co.?

Parker & Co. is a store with a very rich history, having been founded in 1880 by two English tailors Parker and Jones. In 1985, Jones retired, and the store was renamed Parker & Co. where it continues to be a fashion institution home to some of the world’s leading luxury menswear brands.

The rich history of both the historical Trinity Arcade building and the store are visible in every element of the design and take you back to a bygone era where every detail matters.

When you walk through the doors, you will receive personalised service from a team of our highly skilled stylists. We like to make the process of shopping for a suit as enjoyable and as simple as possible. Everything you will need is available in our various rooms from an array of ready to wear suits, our Made to Measure room and upstairs on our mezzanine floor which is entirely dedicated to evening wear. Shopping at Parker & Co. truly is the ultimate in a personalised shopping experience

For readers unable to visit your store in person, how can they access your collection online and what virtual services do you offer?

In addition to our online offering of ready to wear and accessories in the evening wear and wedding categories, you can also book an appointment for one of our virtual styling sessions.  A virtual appointment is a personalised shopping experience that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. This is designed to extend our in store experience into the digital space allowing you to enjoy our personalised customer service at your convenience, anywhere in the world.

At Parker & Co. we specialise in providing an unparalleled experience to meet the demands of our clientele. We have even been known to fly interstate and overseas for private styling appointments!

What’s next for Parker & Co.?

We are always looking to add to our offering and spend a lot of time in Europe with the brands that we carry. Along with our major brands, we are always on the look out for smaller artisanal brands to complement our offering. We are also constantly working on our online presence so that we can mirror our in store experience online for customers who can’t make it into store.

To book an appointment at Parker & Co. or shop their online curation, visit the website. 

Photography / Dion Robeson for The Lane.