March 25-31, 2004

naked city

Livin' Large

Celebrities (and average Joes) go to Torre's for fashion that fits.

by A.D. Amorosi

"We’re just a little men’s store."

Torre Men’s Fashions owner Mark Rosenfeld has more than a hint of irony in his voice when he makes this statement, and it’s not just because his store, in his family for three generations, specializes in designer names for plus-size men who measure from a 36 up to a 78, men who need long, extra long or, to use the industry term, "portlies." It’s more than the obvious big/little joke -- Torre’s has also long been more than a little store in the eyes of its nationwide clientele, which has always included more than a few celebrities.

Jersey Girl auteur Kevin Smith told Maxim last month that he shopped at Philadelphia's premiere outlet for big and tall menswear. Last week, after a local screening of the Philadelphia-shot film, Smith again brought up his Philly find. "I found this awesome store -- Torre's Big & Tall -- while we were filming," he said. "Great for a fat guy. Really cool."

Rosenfeld, 46, is always appreciative of the notice.

"That's great," he says from his office, located above 5,000 square feet of floor space. But Rosenfeld is somewhat nonchalant about attracting and keeping celebs like Smith, music types like American Idol Ruben Studdard and Fat Joe, radio guys like Irv Homer and Butterball, actors like Heavy D and Geoffrey Holder, and sports figures like Wilt Chamberlain and members of the Globetrotters.

"Certainly, Kevin and Ruben are popular right now," he says. "But we've always had guys like them coming in from all over the country. We're the only store they can go to and go to comfortably."

Rosenfeld has lived in the shadows of the big and tall since he was three -- the business was started by his grandfather Harry, a Russian immigrant-tailor who opened a men's clothing manufacturing plant, Rosenfeld & Cohen, with Harry Cohen in 1937. Along with making men's coats for J.C. Penney outlets, they were contracted by the government to make military uniforms. The sons of Rosenfeld (Philip) and Cohen (Willie), upon leaving the military after WWII, entered the family business, changing the name of the manufacturing business, in 1945, to Victory Clothing. In 1962, Philip created a retail outlet to match their manufacturing facility.

"My dad gave the printer "Vic Torres' so that it sounded like an actual person," Rosenfeld explains, "but the printer messed up and just used "Torre's.'"

The name stuck, though the business has moved three times, from 12th and Carpenter to 10th and Washington to its current location at 1217 S. Broad St. (Torre's made its last move in 1982). It was at the10th Street location that they began a made-to-measure business, one geared toward nontraditional sizes. Though they went out of the manufacturing business in 1982, Torre's had developed relationships, business and personal, with many larger-sized clientele.

Along with building up their big-and-tall business, Torre's also developed a plus-size shoe section, with lengths up to 18 inches and widths up to EEEE, and a flair for high-fashion clothes that drew the attention of athletes and entertainers as well as the average joe.

Rosenfeld, the first generation of "absolute retail," says Torre's became the big-and-tall specialist due to his family's time spent in both manufacturing and selling. It's in the bones, so to speak. "My head and my gut too," he says.

Rosenfeld has implemented advancements for clients who can't make it to South Broad Street, like a recently developed Web site where the hard-to-fit can buy online. It's called, ahem, SizeMatters.com.

But, technological developments aside, the store is the thing -- due, in large part, to Rosenfeld's staff. Many of Torre's employees have been there for 15 years, and know the ins and outs of the clothing and of the clientele.

What Rosenfeld understands is the psychology behind selling plus sizes. Bring up the dreaded word "husky" and he laughs. "That word is only used by old-time manufacturers and grandmothers of heavy kids."

This isn't your grandmom's chubb shop.

"We call it "big.' And "big' is hip," he says, referencing the cool factor of big, urban-based clothing by designer names with hip-hop cache for dandies of all races.

Designer labels like Fubu, Rocawear, Phat Farm, Timberland, Sean John, Akademiks and Karl Kani line Torre's walls with the dressiest gear for play and show. Though men still wear "jerseys," they're not a big seller at the retail level. Instead, it's all about beautiful broadcloth woven dress shirts in delicious colors, styling and patterns with French cuffs and big, high-boy collars with two buttons on the neck.

"It's like Jay-Z said," Rosenfeld says. ""Authentic jerseys are dead/ Guys over 30 wear button-downs instead.'"

It's Rosenfeld's job to know what people want and need, now and next. "When something is hot, we're there," he says. "If we can get bigger and better, we will."

Torre Men’s Fashions, 1217 S. Broad St., 215-468-7272.