Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Christopher Schafer of Sharp Dressed Man Is Helping To Change Our World
My dad used to say that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. It took me a while to understand what he meant when I was a kid. I’ve come to understand that it means that you either do or you don’t. There is no maybe. You have to commit to getting the reward. I apply that to my business and personal life.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Christopher Schafer.
Christopher Schafer wants you to look your best for every one of life’s great occasions. He takes pride in his work and feels that every garment that he creates is a direct representation of himself. Christopher makes sure that all the details are correct and that you get the best fit possible. He will take the time with you to design the best clothing that you have ever owned. This old world work ethic is not going unnoticed, he was voted Baltimore’s Best Tailor by City Paper in 2009, Baltimore Magazine in 2010, Fashion Awards MD & City Paper in 2012, and Baltimore Magazine in 2014.
Christopher learned the art of measuring & design to create custom clothing while living in London, a city that had a profound effect on his life. He learned from some of the best clothiers in the world and immersed himself in the English culture. Christopher would frequently visit Savile Row and Jermyn Street to gain ideas and inspiration. The end result was a new style which blends European style and fit with comfort to create clean understated lines. This formula produces fashionable, fitted and comfortable clothing that you will love to wear.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
The idea to start recycling suits came from delivering new custom suits to a client of mine. He had a couple of garbage bags of gently worn high-end clothing that he didn’t want anymore but didn’t know what to do with the bags. He asked me to take them and I did but wasn’t sure where to take them either. I soon realized that there wasn’t anyone focusing on recycling menswear and we started Sharp Dressed Man.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
The most interesting story that has happened to me since starting Sharp Dressed Man was when we hosted our inaugural Holiday Suit Giveaway in 2016. We had no idea if it would be a success or not but I was shocked to see the huge line of gents out front that rainy morning. We suited up over 200 men that day for free and have been suiting 200–400 gents each giveaway since. It really makes it feel like Christmas when you get to help out so many people in such a cheerful environment.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The funniest mistake that I’ve made when we started was underestimating the need for our service. We had days with dozens of gents showing up to our regular Wednesday fittings with only 2 volunteers to serve. We make it a point to play some good old Motown music to lighten the vibe and get to work. The guys are usually very cool and grateful when they see us hustling. We’ve since tried to beef up the volunteers whenever possible!
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
We believe at Sharp Dressed Man that when you look good you feel good. The clothes are a tool to help our clients get back on their feet. We recently received a donation of funds and shaving products from King C Gillette that has been extremely helpful to our nonprofit organization and our clients. We desperately needed the funds to operate and the gents love the high-quality shaving products. It’s the icing on the cake to our clients that have worked hard to turn their lives around, get suited up, and have a fresh shave ready to take on the world!
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
A few years ago a gentleman named Maurice came to us to get suited and I met him at the front desk. I couldn’t get past the tattoo on his face. I felt horrible for passing judgment but he wouldn’t make eye contact with me and made me uneasy. Wouldn’t you know that when it was my turn to call the next client back to help out that I called Maurice’s name. It took a while for us to click but I found him some cool clothes and won his trust. Then he started opening up to me and we had a real conversation. I admitted to him that I passed judgment and that he looked like a completely different person that made eye contact and spoke directly. I told him that I no longer even noticed the tattoo.
I recently learned that he’s remained quite the dresser, has a good job and covers the tattoo until he can have it removed. His mentor told me that the honest conversation that we had that day made an impression and that he’s not been the same since.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
The root problem that we see with many of our clients is an addiction of some sort. That leads to crime, homelessness, unemployment, etc. I feel that if more was done to help treat addiction it would save lots of people from the pain it causes everyone. We’re so thankful that King C Gillette believes in us and helps us to help others.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
As I person that’s been in recovery for 17 years, I believe in attraction rather than promotion. The best way to lead is from the front, show others that you are in the battle with them. Many times I’ve shared with our clients at Sharp Dressed Man about how my life was once a huge mess and the work that I put into changing it. If I did it, so can they…
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Honestly, I’ve had some amazing teachers, coaches, and mentors to help me along the way. I think it’s very important to have a network of brilliant people around you to help, guide, teach, and hold you accountable.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Thank you for such a compliment. I truly believe in the work that we are doing at Sharp Dressed Man. I believe that every man needs a suit that makes him look and feel like a million bucks. I’d like to see Sharp Dressed Man in every city around the world that could use our services.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My dad used to say that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. It took me a while to understand what he meant when I was a kid. I’ve come to understand that it means that you either do or you don’t. There is no maybe. You have to commit to getting the reward. I apply that to my business and personal life.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
A person who I’d like to have breakfast or lunch with is Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters. The reason is that we have run parallel lives for a long time, we’re both drummers from the same era. When I was younger we even looked a lot alike. He seems to be a good dude with a lot of great stories. I’d like to meet him and maybe even jam!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram — @sharp.dressedman & @christopherschafer
Facebook — @sharpdressedmanbaltimore & @christopherschaferclothier
I also encourage you to check out King C. Gillette on Instagram and Facebook.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Christopher Schafer of Sharp Dressed Man Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.