Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel

OUR ARTICLE

It’s the cuff at the bottom of the jean that folds up against your boot just high enough to see a trilogy of laces. It’s that black jean jacket that makes you feel like a renegade compared to the people you crash shoulders with on your walk down Melrose to get coffee. It’s the hat you put on before leaving your pad, knowing the exact looks you’ll get, and the eyes that will follow.  The colorless t-shirts, the stitching in the denim, it’s the vintage boots you laced up that even your eyes refuse to look away too long from. It’s classic men’s style that’s been whispering to you since the days where you would watch your old man get ready for a night out with his lady. It’s the best advice we can give to you — it’s Los Angeles’s own Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel.

Chances are that the lead singer in your favorite band, your tattoo artist, or maybe just your amigo who doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to style is probably rocking some Japanese denim. And there is a very solid chance that they got it right here in LA, right off Sunset Blvd., at Schaeffer’s. With only a single signature white button, there is no exposed logo, allowing these style beasts to roam free, keeping quiet on one of the best-kept secrets in LA. It’s like finding a shortcut home from work, you’re limited on who you tell, and you’re almost always looking over your shoulder as you take the off-ramp.

While their T-shirt collection, vintage boots, and hats will all make your starting lineup on your next night out, their denim is the store headliner.

So, as you duck into the shop off Sunset that you’ve probably driven by a hundred times, be prepared to have what you thought you knew about men’s shops ripped up and ready for repair. The recently revamped shop is not fancy, it’s not supposed to be. It’s amber-lit and surrounded by wooden casings. A timeworn red couch, a vintage cash register, and hardware in the form of pianos and old guitar cases find themselves reinvigorated, not through new life but as an aesthetic principle.

The multi-purpose store offers shopping, denim repair, and custom hats by Gunner Foxx. When you’re ready to drop some coinage on some new threads, stop in and see store owner Robert Schaeffer. When it comes to denim, it would be a hard-fought battle to find someone who knows more. While their T-shirt collection, vintage boots, and hats will all make your starting lineup on your next night out, their denim is the store headliner. The jeans are mainly all 14 to 16.5 oz. Japanese denim. The indigo dyed fabric that they carry is made from vintage Shuttle Loom Heads as it was milled in the pre-1950s. Each pair of jeans offers two custom tailorings. The first is to provide a custom fit, which is specific to each customer’s body type. The second is to re-fit any areas that may have stretched over time. So, as you put on what will unquestionably be your new favorite pair of jeans, rock them in confidence knowing that they were constructed for you.

There is nothing wrong with just going to 1st base. If you find yourself married to another denim brand, it’s okay, a little flirting never hurt. Bring in your favorite pair of jeans that need to be repaired, hemmed, or tapered. They specialize in full invisible repair, custom patch repair, and standard denim patch repair. Full disclosure: You’ll have the divorce papers signed, sealed, and delivered before you take two steps out of the store. Sayonara, old jeans, you were faithful, but we’ve met someone else.

Ready to have the word “customization” brought to a new level? Make an appointment with Gunner Foxx for a custom hat. Gunner is a 3rd-generation hat maker who has been making hats for the film industry, celebrities, and any man who is cool with the idea of being the focal point of any room he walks into. Gunner doesn’t use machine hat presses or pre-formed hat blocks. No two hats will be the same, and he will sit down with you to design the perfect creation. Without a doubt, this badass is the Mad Hatter of Los Angeles.

Our CYTIES pickup? It’s a tough choice, but their black jean jacket makes our rebel hearts sing. Tell them you want it the CYTIES way, and they will throw on an extra button by the wrist, perfect for keeping it tight when flipping up the sleeves.

Los Angeles is not a city for the weak. It’s a city for survivors, for innovators. So when you first meet Schaeffer’s, know that you have met a shop that is tougher than the sole on your boot and rougher than the denim covering your legs. Welcome to Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel. We hope you enjoy your stay.