Clothes Make the Man
Insights by Daniela Kopp | 10.12.2025
In the heart of Munich’s Lehel district, Daniela Kopp and her team tailor exclusive shirts for quality-conscious gentlemen and international film stars. These bespoke garments, produced in Germany, fit like a second skin and often accompany their primarily male wearers for decades.
Even upon entering the Reiser manufactory in the exclusive Lehel neighbourhood, it becomes clear that this is a truly special place: the path to the actual shop of the bespoke tailoring house leads through a long corridor. Inevitably, one’s gaze falls into the various small ateliers. Pattern cutter Irina Filichkina, head designer Sue Ann Lamboy, and their colleagues practice their craft right on site. More than one customer has been tempted into an unplanned shopping spree after catching an unexpected glimpse of the next collection. But at Reiser, such a spree is not associated with stress or haste – rather with a relaxing break from the often extremely demanding daily routines of their predominantly male clientele. “We take an incredible amount of time,” says Daniela Kopp, who has been managing the traditional company since 2022. Over a cup of coffee, one chats about life and finds the clothing to match. Reiser is particularly known for bespoke shirts at the highest international level. The experienced staff – so far, the 14-member team is entirely female, though they will soon welcome a male colleague – adeptly guide customers through an almost overwhelming selection of fabrics, collar shapes, cuffs, and buttons. The shared goal is nothing less than the perfectly personalized cut. Once that is found, the individual pattern is stored for future orders.
Sustainably Tailored to the Body
Unlike the more common made-to-measure shirts, bespoke shirts are created from scratch with the highest degree of individuality. Fine adjustments are made using a try-on shirt. Only when this fits like a second skin, the actual shirt is sewn. All of this is done by hand in Munich. The sewing room is located directly in the basement of the shop. “Each shirt passes through the hands of around ten people during the production process,” says Daniela Kopp. Before the customer can take the exclusive piece home, it is freshly washed, dried, and ironed. This carefully created garment, tested down to the smallest detail, is meant to bring joy in everyday life for a long time. If, after many years and even more washes, it begins to show signs of wear on the collar, cuffs, or elbows, it often finds its way back to Reiser, where the experts are happy to repair it. Since the legendary in-house fabric archive is now bursting at the seams, Kopp advises: “If you’re smart, you’ll buy a bit more fabric right away and store it at home for possible later repairs.” And her expert tip: “Wash it from time to time – especially blue fabrics. Blue fades a bit more than other colors.” Considering that a Reiser bespoke shirt costs between 480 and 600 euros, repairs are an obvious option – not just for sustainability reasons.
Wrapped in Reiser Around the Clock
Who treats themselves to such an exclusive garment? “We have a group of young customers who allow themselves one special shirt for a big occasion – like their wedding. But mainly we serve gentlemen whom we accompany with bespoke shirts for a long time – sometimes their entire lives,” says Kopp. “Many of our customers work 80 to 100 hours a week. They can’t waste time worrying about their clothing. It simply has to fit perfectly.” If they wish, customers can wear made-to-measure Reiser garments 24 hours a day. Kopp recounts that her predecessor once even flew to a customer’s home to adjust a new pair of pyjamas under real wearing conditions. Such requests are not everyday occurrences, she says, but they are of course gladly fulfilled when possible. Currently, alongside the classic pyjama, the nightshirt is also seeing a resurgence. “It’s experiencing a revival among men,” Kopp notes.
On the Big Screen
Another line of business for the manufactory is producing shirts for major international film productions. These assignments come with intense time pressure, but they are also incredibly exciting, the managing director explains. “The most famous actor we’ve dressed so far is Russell Crowe,” reveals Kopp, admitting: “When we see our shirt on the big screen, we can’t help but feel a bit proud.” Measurements for film shirts are, of course, not taken on site in Munich. Even the responsible costume designers often learn only shortly before filming whom they will be dressing. “Sometimes we have to sew shirts – and even draft the pattern – within three days because we receive the actors’ measurements at such short notice,” Kopp explains, offering insight into these special working conditions. For an upcoming cinema production she isn’t allowed to talk about yet, Reiser is producing an especially large number of shirts. She is allowed to share, however, that her company contributed to the costume stock for the Disney production about fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. And Cate Blanchett has already appeared in Reiser: her tuxedo shirt for her role as a conductor in the award-winning film “Tár” didn’t come from Hollywood, but from the traditional manufactory in Munich’s Lehel.
You can reach OPMG by phone at +49 89 414243 99-0 or by email at office@opmgstaff.com.
Their clientele includes global entrepreneurs and corporations, aristocrats, icons from sport and lifestyle, and world-class decision-makers. The team operates internationally and across borders, with Europe as its base – and soon with an office in Zurich, Switzerland. OPMG works exclusively on a success-based model – no upfront fees, no hidden costs. Placement is always free for candidates.
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