Indiana-born and raised Richard Hall is passionate about providing customers with what he refers to as “luxury convenience.”
Specializing in custom suits, Hall and his business partner McGregor Madden are the owners of Hall Madden, a clothier with showrooms in cities across the country including Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
A graduate of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Hall started on this path while studying abroad in China. He studied at IU’s sister school in Hong Kong and decided to stay.
“The U.S. was kind of going through the recession at the time, and I actually was able to get a job in Shanghai,” Hall said.
Unlike his classmates, who were more interested in investment banking, Hall was drawn to entrepreneurship. While working in China in the early 2000s, he learned about manufacturing opportunities, eventually leading him to the men’s fashion world.
“McGregor and I were always kind of interested in the suits,” Hall said. “The suits had always just been interesting and fortunately we’re able to make a business out of it.”
Hall said a great suit is a mix of science and art with three main components: the fabric, the right drape, and the construction. The quality of the fabric and the fit, along with their “expertise and consistency,” is what Hall says sets their clothing apart from other brands. The custom fitting involves a three-appointment process.
“People come in, they get fitted with our showroom director, like Jaime or myself, and then they come back in for their second fitting and then their third fitting may be little touch-ups,” Hall said.
“My job is just to know how to fit each body type and (make) recommendations to each client based off of their needs,” said Jaime Gamez, the showroom director at Hall Madden’s Los Angeles location.
With eight years of suiting experience, Gamez has spent the last three years with Hall Madden. Part of his job is finding the right fit for each body type. For him wearing a well-fitting suit feels like “a modern suit of armor,” no pun intended.
“The whole point of the suit is to make your frame look good,” Gamez said. “It makes me feel taller. I just feel more confident in a structured garment like a suit.”
In addition to custom suits, Hall Madden offers an array of custom clothing options such as tuxedos, blazers, shirts, knitwear, ties and slacks for both men and women.
“We’re kind of famous for our suits, but a lot of our clients value this head-to-toe convenience,” Hall said.
After a fitting, each customer’s measurements are saved in their system, allowing the customer to shop remotely or online and still have the desired fit.
“They just like to be able to point and say, ‘Hey, just give me this outfit,’” Hall said. “We’re offering a kind of luxury convenience.”
Hall also wants to introduce more customers to “casual elegance,” like pairing a blazer with knitwear or a chino for a nice dinner out, offering several custom items that can work together in and out of the office.
The closest showroom for Hoosiers is in Chicago, where Hall said many of his friends go to be fitted for tuxedos or suits to wear for special occasions and weddings.
But soon, customers in Indiana may not have to travel far for this custom shopping experience.
“We’re looking to always expand,” Hall said. “We just expanded into Texas; we opened two showrooms there. I’m hoping to eventually open in Indianapolis.”
When exploring new markets, Hall and Madden start by building their customer base through trunk shows. When demand in the area grows, they know it’s time to open a shop in a new location.
So, what pushes Hall and his business partner to keep going?
“You have passion for your work, and then that causes you to just keep going because you don’t want to see it fail,” Hall said.
While he is always looking to refine his work, Hall has learned over the years that “done is better than perfect; iterate and improve.”
Hall Madden has come a long way since their first suit, which he jokingly refers to as “Madden 1.0.” His advice for aspiring or new entrepreneurs is to just keep going and sometimes you just have to put yourself out there.
Hall appreciates his first customers — the friends and family who have been supporters from the very beginning. Since their early days, his focus has been on providing a great experience for their customers.
“At the end of the day, we’re fortunate enough to have clients that come to us and maybe we’re helping them experience their best events that they’re attending, or they want to look good in the workplace,” Hall said. “So, we’re helping them improve their lives and that’s where we get fulfillment these days.”
To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit hallmadden.com or follow on Instagram @hallmadden.
Contact Editor-in-Chief Camike Jones at 317-762-7850.
Camike Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of the Indianapolis Recorder. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Jones has a lifelong commitment to advocacy and telling stories that represent the community.
