I think Toronto Life first picked up on this story a little over a week ago, but now Toronto tailor Michael Nguyen, owner of Garrison Bespoke on Wellington St. East, is making headlines around the world for his bullet-proof suit.
Yes, you read that correctly as Mr. Nguyen recently unveiled a three-piece suit lined with the same carbon nanotube technology worn by U.S. troops in Iraq! “At Garrison, we take pride in building relationships and trust with each and every one of our clients,” boasts the company website. “That’s why, this year, it was crucial that we offer our clients a bullet-proof suit to keep them safe during their travels to dangerous places for work. We wanted to create a lightweight garment that not only looks professional, but can also act as reliable body armor. The idea was to create a stylish and discreet alternative to wearing a bulky bullet proof vest underneath a suit.”
Each bespoke outfit takes an average of 160 hours to make from start to finish, with the end result comprising of nanotubes in the fabric hardening to block force from penetrating through. This ultimately makes the garment 30 times stronger than steel and 50 times lighter than Kevlar with the ability to protect the wearer from, not just bullets, but also knife attacks.
Clearly you can’t put a price on safety, but Nguyen has gone and done it anyway with a sticker price of $20,000. It’s a little salty for your everyday business needs in the big city, but already this type of men’s clothing has built up a suave fanbase including President Barrack Obama (who reportedly wore a similar suit at his first inauguration). Now Nguyen claims he already has a waiting list of back orders from budding Bond business-types, but what are the chances that you’ll join them and shill out on your own bullet-proof three piece?
Image via Garrison Bespoke
