Minichiello Bespoke Couture Page 12.

Minichello has been a leading Vancouver firm since its beginnings in 1964. Our proud history goes back to historic tailoring town Campo Basso Italy, where *at age of 12 the young Minichiello presented his father with a bespoke suit, which he had designed and crafted entirely by hand. That gift to his father was to mark his father’s 1952 Atlantic crossing in search of a new life in Vancouver. In 1954, now Master Tailor, Paul Minichiello boarded a ship in Naples Italy and sailed to join his father and start his new life in Canada. The young master tailor arrived with impressive credentials and soon secured a job at Tip Top Tailors. He went on to work for Billy Tothery and Louis Roth. By 1964 he opened his own shop at the corner of 14^th Street and Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver. The late 1960’s presented a perfect opportunity, for the young, flamboyant and creative designer. He flourished. The fluid style of Paul Minichiello was from the start, the distinguishing feature of the house. The word soon got out and he quickly developed an all-star clientele. The firm gained eminence amongst sports stars, musicians and entertainers alike. Men such as Pat Quinn, Harold Snepts, Dennis Verregehart, Jerry Korab (who was picked as the best dressed player in the NHL for 5 years in a row) chose to be dressed by this fine tailoring institution. The house enjoyed a long association with many other luminaries including Al Wilson, Sonny Homer, Karl Weathers, Sonny and Cher, Jack Wassermann, Leslie Nielson, to name but a few. On Paul’s retirement in 2011, he handed over the reigns of the renowned Minichello institution to his daughter Julie Galati Minichello. Much like her father before her Julie had been attracted to the business from a very early age. Her earliest memories are the whirr of sewing machines and the hubbub of tailors and fittings. Concern with easy movement and a natural body line continues to this day, thanks to the unbroken transmission of skills. Under her leadership and creative design flair, this bespoke tailoring and couture institution continues to thrive and attract clientele that seek out true craftsmanship. The Minichiello name has been attached to the finest bespoke tailoring for 50 years. Every item that bears our name is designed cut and sewn, in our workrooms by our team of expert cutters and tailors. All of us work with a knowledge and pride in the long legacy that we are now a part of.