The name sounds so normal that it must either be cleverly invented or genuine. The truth lies in the middle. Anton Meyer is a combination of the names of the two founders Marc Anthony and Max Meyer-Abich. The former is a local Hamburg celebrity when it comes to made-to-measure clothing; he has been stylishly dressing Hamburgers to measure in his studio for 25 years (his name is also real, by the way, it is pronounced in German). Together with Max Meyer-Abich, he has been offering off-the-peg classic wardrobe basics since 2012. The concept lies somewhere between the London Hackett stores of the late 1980s and SuitSupply. Anton Meyer has a sense of style in common with the early Hackett, and a young look with SuitSupply. Which, of course, also appeals to the older generation.
Italian cut, German figure: the positioning of Anton Meyer
Most comparisons are not accurate, including those with the English and Dutch labels. At Anton Meyer, the English style is only one component of the look, the fit has more of an Italian touch. Basically, however, Anton Meyer has tailored its suits to the German figure, which is often very tall, sometimes also very strong. And the guys here don’t want too much chichi either. And as far as the difference to SuitSupply is concerned: Anton Meyer has his suits sewn in Portugal by the same small company that has been supplying the made-to-measure parts for Marc Anthony for years. Nevertheless, the prices remain moderate. The “Ingmar BF” suit, for example, costs 485 euros, the “Chester” linen jacket 345 euros, the “Helmut Blau” shirt 95 euros and the “No. 6” chinos in green 125 euros.
Suit fabrics from Italy, Austria and England
The suit fabrics come mainly from Italy, e.g. from Vitale Barberis Canonico, while coats and jackets are often made from Austrian cloth by Leichtfried. Occasionally, English fabrics were also used, e.g. the Solaro copy by weaver William Halstead. A Solaro suit is otherwise hardly ever available off the rack in Germany. Max Meyer-Abich admits that this model, aptly named “Gianni”, was not a top seller. But he has found his friends. At Anton Meyer, safe suits are at the heart of the collection, the dark blue or dark gray single-breasted suit for the office. But there are also double-breasted suits, suits with vests and, from time to time, checked and brown suits. Even if it’s just to arouse customers’ curiosity with an exciting piece in the shop window. It’s understandable that the Hamburg lawyer ends up sticking with blue or gray. But he might at least buy a tweed jacket for the fall, a hunter linen jacket for the spring or the “Valentin” goatskin blouson based on an Italian classic.
High-waisted suit pants: what sets Anton Meyer apart from the competition
There are plenty of mainstream business suits, even in Anton Meyer’s price range. However, if you look at the cut of the suits, especially the suit pants, the number of competitors is close to zero. Anton Meyer offers several models with a high, wide waistband, side buckles and suspender buttons, and this cut is also available with pleats and, more recently, with a “flat front”. John Crocket in Cologne, for example, only offers pants with belt loops, the tweed suits from Ed.Meier in Munich also have belt loops (and suspenders buttons on the inside of the waistband), and you might only find suit pants with a comparable cut at Chelsea Farmer’s Club in Berlin or Shoes & Garment in Hamburg. Anton Meyer stands out from these competitors in that you can mix the sizes of jackets and pants as you wish, e.g. jacket in 48 and pants in 46. The fit is excellent, at least for my figure, and the fittings are tasteful in every detail.
Festive wardrobe, casual and accessories
Another parallel to Hackett in the late 1980s is the large selection of festive wardrobe. At Anton Meyer, there are more than 10 different black-tie outfits including velvet tuxes and white dinner jackets, as well as “morning dress” with a large selection of vests and a tailcoat. As a counterpoint to the formal wardrobe, Anton Meyer also offers casual, smart casual pieces, e.g. slim-fit chinos and various jackets, such as the already mentioned, very successful interpretation of the Italian goatskin blouson “Valentin” (685 euros). The range is rounded off with ties, scarves and pocket squares. The range of shoes is more than just an addition; Anton Meyer offers a large selection from the Carmina collection.
Branches in Hamburg, Munich and Vienna
If you would like to try out Anton Meyer, you can visit the stores in Hamburg, Munich and Vienna. All stores are very centrally located, in Hamburg for example just a few minutes from the Rathausmarkt and in Vienna near the Graben. Like all retailers, Anton Meyer is currently struggling with the catastrophic situation caused by the coronavirus. At least he can continue to sell through his store. The collection is still available online and the Anton Meyer team is ready to help customers at the Hamburg headquarters. We’ll report on my experiences with a single-breasted Anton Meyer and the necessary changes in a few weeks’ time.
