May 17, 2017

Meet Matt Harpalani of Imparali Custom Tailors in Upper Kirby

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Harpalani.

Matt, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Our Imparali business is a father and son team.

My father started the business in 1967 doing trunk shows throughout the United States and eventually settling in Houston due a majority of his clients being from the area. His father (my grandfather) was in textiles so the profession of being a tailor was only natural.

I expressed interest in the business at an early age, traveling with him and learning it via apprenticeship.

Eventually, Dad discouraged me to not follow in his footsteps as he claimed it was a dying business and people were buying off the rack brand names as opposed to getting items personally stitched for them. So, I ended up going to college (U of H). During college, I still expressed interest in the business and then he agreed that this was also my path.

But he recommended I go and start my business in NYC (late 2006-early 2007) as it was the last professional city in the United States that wore suits frequently.

I’ve opened up NYC and settled and took advantage of what the city had to offer regardless of the financial crisis (Lehman and bear sterns employees were huge clients of mine) I managed to be one of the few new business that survived.

My father decided to retire as he felt I was “settled” in NYC and was going to take it easy at the point. But he couldn’t just stay home. The business was his lively hood and after I left Houston I started realizing the huge potential it had to offer. I kept reading articles in Forbes, Bloomberg, etc. talking about how the city of Houston is the city of the future.

Then realized that all along this was the right city just not the right time.

So recently I’ve decided that I wanted to open a branch in Houston, New York has been running fine and well but I knew I couldn’t do it alone so I convinced my father to come out of retirement (which was an easy thing to do because he kept talking about it).

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been smooth because I’ve had the help, guidance and mentorship of my father, but I’d also have to re-familiarize myself with the city I once called home, and how it’s drastically changed from 10 years ago, since I last lived here.

Also, how their styles differ from the styles in the Northeast.

So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Imparali Custom Tailors story. Tell us more about the business.
Imparali provides every client with the personal, undivided attention in custom-tailored, Bespoke clothing which include Custom Suits, Custom Shirts, Custom Tuxedos, Custom Overcoats, along with alterations by a skilled tailor through in-store appointments.

We provide personalized style advisement, a complete range of customization options, and an expansive, diverse choice of fabrics. We are committed to building handmade suits and garments that are constructed to last through years of wear.

Our most proud aspect of the company is that the business has been a family business for over 40 years.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck has been great for us, I’m a strong believer that things happen for a reason and I’ve been fortunate to do what I love for a living, and also having a close working relationship with my father in the process.

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