Jimmy Aus Trunk and Road Show -- July 19-21 in NYC

Designer Short Men's Clothing Collection Makes a Stop in New York City

Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under of Beverly Hills is having their first ever trunk and road show in New York City during men's fashion week.

Proudly, we will always be a short men's shop, but it would be an even greater honor to one day have a chain of stores for short men nationwide. Beverly Hills, CA
July 8, 2010

For three days only, from July 19 to the 21, Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under (www.JimmyAus.com) is holding their first ever East Coast trunk and road show featuring the nation's only designer clothing collection specifically developed for shorter men. Mr. Au seized the opportunity to have the trunk and road show in New York City when it was announced he would once again be honored by MR magazine at their Uptown Downtown Awards Reunion Banquet during Men's Fashion Week. Mr. Au and the store were one of the original recipients of the prestigious award its inaugural year for having catered exclusively to shorter men. Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under continues to remain the nation's only designer men's clothing store catering exclusively to men 5'8" or shorter.

Mr. Au's client base in New York City is the largest outside of Southern California. While many customers do fly out to Los Angeles to shop in their Beverly Hills boutique, some cannot and instead, rely on the store's special "goodie" package system that entails a range of requests along with appropriate fashion suggestions to complement their choices. The trunk and road show would allow customers to view a larger portion of the collection in person and also to try on various items in adjacent sizes to get the best fit. For potential new made-to-measure buyers, it would be a chance to have their measurements personally taken by Mr. Au himself.

The trunk and road show will feature clothing designed by Jimmy Au himself, along with fashion essentials procured by Mr. Au that pass his strict quality standard of fit, fabrication and design. The collection available for viewing include suits, sport coats, leather jackets, casual jackets, dress pants, dress shirts, casual pants, premium denim jeans, sport shirts, polo shirts and shoes. The collection is the largest of its kind.

Alan Au, the owner's son and client relations manager says "The trunk show provides an opportunity for potential customers to see and feel what its like to have clothes that fit properly. The frustration of not finding clothes that fit can affect your psyche and overall attitude. Men eventually stop looking and accept their fashion fate. We hope to offer a solution to the savvy shopper that cares about the way he looks."

He also says. "We can't make a man taller, but we can make him look taller. That's our secret. Whether you're 5'2" or 6'2" all men seem to want to look taller. Perceived height is very powerful. It creates confidence, increases self esteem and allows others to focus on you and not your height. The goal sometimes isn't even to look taller, but to make height a non-issue by looking proportionate; something we achieve with the design of our clothes. It's why we've provided wardrobe on over 30 prime time shows in the last 4 years. It's also why we're on the list in Forbes Top Ten Clothing Stores for Men."

It's also why they're being honored by MR magazine, the menswear industry's leading trade publication. Mr. Au and the store are being recognized for its pursuit of designer clothing for shorter men, Au's own short men's clothing collection, exceptional depth and breadth of inventory, and customized shopping experience. Jimmy Au only designs clothing for short men, and Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under is the nation's only short men's designer clothing store.

MR magazine's annual Uptown Downtown Awards only recognizes the very best menswear retailers in the United States and Canada who have demonstrated achievement in innovative store concepts and are doing exceptional things in different aspects of selection, style and service as chosen by a panel of industry veterans and MR magazine. As the title suggests, some winners are classic stores (Uptown), some winners are contemporary stores (Downtown), and some are retailers who are successful at combining both (Uptown Downtown). Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under was awarded for being able to achieve both classic and contemporary styles within their unique retail strategy in their highly specialized niche.

When asked for the main reason the store was chosen, Karen Alberg Grossman, MR's editor-in-chief, said "The store is unique among its peers with an unusually large amount of merchandise manufactured specifically for the store and its customers, rather than chosen from the market."

The small, independently owned Beverly Hills-based boutique was nominated for several reasons including convincing and helping famous designer manufacturers like Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren and DKNY to develop their clothing collections to include more sizes for short men. Jimmy Au now also has his own short men's clothing and sportswear collection. Au is also popular among other menswear stores for taking on hard to fit shorter men because his store boasts the largest size selection for short men in the country. Suits and sport coat sizes start at 34 extra short, short rise casual and dress pants start at a 28 waist, dress shirt sizes start at a 14" neck in a 30" sleeve and sportswear sizes start at an extra short/extra small. And if it weren't mysterious enough already, why there aren't more stores for short men, the customer service and shopping experience at Jimmy Au's feels unusually comfortable and inviting… if you're under 5'8". Perhaps it's because the entire store is scaled down, including the mannequins.

Grossman called Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under "an exciting store that manages to go above and beyond in terms of offering top quality clothing and outstanding service to men 5'8" and under. This store is very special and one of a kind; definitely different from all the rest. This is an often-neglected niche in the market, and by working with upscale vendors to properly scale down their sizing specifications Jimmy Au has done a service to the entire industry."

"I feel validated among my peers in the menswear industry. I'm very grateful to be here and honored to be included among such magnificent retailers," said Jimmy Au, owner and designer who began catering to short men in 1975. "Proudly, we will always be a short men's shop, but it would be an even greater honor to one day have a chain of stores for short men nationwide."

His son, Alan, who initiated the recent move to Beverly Hills, further added, "It feels great to see my dad be recognized by his peers among such innovative and established retailers. This award is a testament to what my dad has been developing and expanding since I was a kid. It's great to see his work get acknowledged by the menswear industry. He's worked very hard to create and develop better fitting menswear for shorter men that taller men have long taken for granted."

Media Contact: levine communications office Shannon Donnelly 310-300-0950 x245

About MR Magazine Uptown Downtown Awards:

90+ retailers will be honored at this year's 5 year reunion event including 14 lifetime achievement winners in Mario Bisio of Mario's, Dick Braeger of Garys, Izzy Ezrailson of Up Against the Wall, David Fisher of Bloomingdales, Cliff Grodd of Paul Stuart, Gerald Gushner and Kent Gushner of Boyds, Tom Kalenderian of Barneys, Saul Korman of Korrys, Jack Mitchell and Bill Mitchell of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, Harry Rosen and Larry Rosen of Harry Rosen, Wilkes Bashford of Wilkes Bashford. Honorees include AK Rikks, Akira, American Rag, Andrisen Morton, Ascot Shop, Atrium, Barneys, Base, Bauman's, Beecroft and Bull, Bergdorf Goodman, Boyds Philadelphia, Butch Blum, Caruso Caruso, Circa 2000, Clubman, Coffman's, Cuffs, Darien Sport Shop, Duggers, Elton's, Garage, Garmany, Garys, Gene Hiller, George Greene, Gorsuch Ltd., Gotstyle, H. Men, Halls, Harley's Texas, Harolds in the Heights, Harrods, Harry Rosen, Holt Renfrew, Hub, Hubert White, James Davis, Jeffrey, Jimmy Au's For Men 5'8" and Under, John Craig, Khaki's of Carmel, Kilgore Trout, Lansky Bros., Larrimor's, LASC, Levy's, Lisa Kline, Louis Boston, M. Penner, Malouf's, Mario's, Mark Shale, Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, N, Oak Hall, Odin, Oslo's, Over the Rainbow, Patrick James, Peter Elliot, Pockets, Relish, Riccardi, Robert R. Bailey, Rodes, Ron Herman, Rosey Jekes, Rothman's, Rubensteins, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sams New Jersey, Scoop Men, Sebastian's Closet, Shaia's, Stanley Korshak, Sy Devore, Syd Jerome, Taylor Richards & Conger, The Closet, The Clotherie, The Met, Theodore, Traffic, United Arrows, Vinnie's Styles, and Von Maur.

About Alan and Jimmy Au:

Jimmy and his son Alan have been featured on NBC's Today Show, TLC's Ten Years Younger, TLC's The Little Couple, TLC's What Not to Wear and E! Entertainment News. For an informative and entertaining interview on how shorter men can dress better or to receive an invitation to the trunk and road show to view the collection, please call Shannon Donnelly at (310) 300-0950 ext 245. The trunk and road show will be held July 19-21, 2010 at the Double Tree Hotel, New York City - Chelsea, 128 West 29th St., New York City, NY, 10001