This past summer, Moris Fashions underwent an extreme makeover. The Central West End store moved to a much smaller location at 226 N. Euclid, just around the corner from its old spot on Maryland Plaza. Not only did it change its location, it also fully rebranded itself as Moris Men’s Shop, a boutique entirely devoted to men’s fashion.
“The new location is very much a men’s club,” says co-owner Brian Smith. “We have a 60-year-old bar, vintage liquor bottles, and a much more rustic feel. We based the store after some men’s shops in New York and worked with local designers Temple and Hentz. It feels intimate and hip—a place where you want to come and hang out.”
He describes the interior as polo club meets turn-of-the-century saloon. Navy walls and cool vintage decor make the store cozy and intimate. All of the accent pieces, from a box la-
beled “EXPLOSIVES” to a vintage basketball, were sourced from within the state—and just about every item tells a story. Jeans are piled on a vintage poker table, ties are artfully arranged in an old curio cabinet, suit jackets are hung from a brass lion door knocker, and an oversize vintage map of Illinois hangs in the dressing room.
The selection is also different: more casual weekend wear, less business attire. Moris dropped a few lines that it stocked at the old location and now is the exclusive carrier of several new designers in the area, including Ethan Williams and MAX & Co. The store also has tried-and-true brands like Theory and John Varvatos.
Moris also continues to offer custom suits, dress shirts, and pants, which are often the same price as—if not less than—buying off the rack, says Smith. Though the custom-made clothing takes six weeks to manufacture, the process allows items to be tailored to the individual and designed to fully match each customer’s style.
