034 The Bath Perspective Alex Edwards BSc in Business Administration current student Few undergraduates know much about the tailored suit market, but Alex Edwards is no ordinary undergraduate. As a final year student on our BSc in Business Administration (BBA) Alex and his business partner Richard Demczak, have launched their own business selling tailored suits to rival those on Savile Row. Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly. Epictetus Alex and Richard stumbled across the world of bespoke tailoring whilst doing holiday jobs working as waiters at an exclusive Cotswold estate. They quickly realised that a well-made suit is a vital part of the armoury of a successful business person. They also saw a gap in the market for bespoke tailored suits targeted at a lower price point in the market. Taking on the establishment Traditionally tailored suits can range anywhere between £1,200 and £15,000. Aptus Suits have pitched themselves in the £400 - £850 price bracket. Alex explains how they have achieved substantial cost savings, enabling them to charge lower prices than the establishment: ‘We have cut the overheads associated with having an expensive London office; instead we have opted for a small studio in the heart of the Cotswolds. We have also been able to make further savings by adopting sophisticated technologies to streamline our entire ordering system. Our biggest problem has been showing people that it is possible to produce high quality tailoring at affordable prices without lowering the quality.’ A successful new business Alex believes that the key to the success of their new business lies in the brand they have built. He comments: ‘We have worked very hard to create a brand that stands for high quality, exclusive, affordable tailoring that can’t help but turn heads. During my gap year I travelled across Asia and carefully researched tailors and suppliers. Having found a tailor with over 40 years’ experience who could fulfil our dream of producing high quality hand-tailored suits at affordable prices, I knew we could make the business work. We have since teamed up with some of the best master tailors around the world; we have selected them very carefully and the university holidays have been helpful in allowing us to visit them on a regular basis. We have been very careful to ensure that all of the staff employed by our tailors benefit from good working practices,