Dublin Tailor Trevor Furbay Wants to Help You Curate Your Wardrobe
The fashion veteran helps customers unleash their individuality with handmade, custom clothing at his tailor shops in Dublin, Cincinnati and Harbor Springs, Michigan.
From working in Manhattan’s fashion district to opening three of his own clothing stores in the Midwest, Trevor Furbay earned his trade making suits. Gaining inspiration from several years of working for Ralph Lauren, Furbay has infused RL’s timeless yet modern aesthetic into his own work, while adding a layer of rustic flair and refinement into his three eponymous tailor shops in Dublin, Cincinnati and Harbor Springs, Michigan.
How did you get started? I grew up partially in New York and would go to stores like Barneys and Bloomingdale’s with my dad. This is where I really got a taste of fashion. I’ve always had a passion for clothing—I got a job at Ralph Lauren when I was 19 and have been in the industry ever since.
You say you’re “not your average tailor.” What do you mean by that? We do everything state of the art, new world versus old world, using the computer and designing online yet cutting everything and offering a handmade garment, with most of our fabric sourced from Italy and India.
Why did you choose Dublin when deciding on a Columbus location for your shop? I fell in love with the aesthetic of the stone in old Dublin. The building is amazing. It’s been in the family for 150-plus years. The problem is, it’s tiny. So, we use the garage as the warehouse and the inside as the store, which are both evolving.
Tell me about the Style Box offered under your services. The Style Box is the most creative thing my wife and I have ever done. During COVID, we had a store full of clothes and no one entering the store. We asked ourselves, “How are we going to make a living?” It all came from Instagram, talking about the clothes, telling people what was in the store.
We started hand-delivering [what became] the Style Box during COVID, doing consultations with customers on who they are and personalizing it from there. The customers keep what they want, and we pick up what they don’t. We maintained half our revenue doing this while our doors were closed.
Where do you see fashion heading in the next year? Is bespoke clothing and styling here to stay? We’re seeing it more than ever—everyone is shopping online. That’s why we like to create experiences. You don’t need me to shop for you. You need me to help you curate your wardrobe. So, I build your personal brand. It’s not about buying clothes. It’s about coming in for the experience. Those who are creating experiences are the ones who will survive.
What can customers expect when coming to the Trevor Furbay shop? An unparalleled level of customer service equipped with homemade chocolate chip cookies [made daily by Amy Furbay, Trevor’s wife]. And of course, a room full of excellent-taste clothing.
Find more about Trevor Furbay at his website, trevorfurbay.com, and on Instagram @trevorfurbaycolumbus.
This story is from the February 2024 issue of Columbus Monthly.