Podcast Summary:

How Much Can I Make? - Career Insights For Your Job Search
Episode: Custom Shirt Making: Career Insights from a NYC Entrepreneur
Host: Mirav Ozeri
Guest: Carl (Carl Edward Goldberg of SEGO Custom Shirts, NYC)
Release Date: August 12, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mirav Ozeri sits down with Carl, a New York-based custom shirt maker whose journey includes outfitting Broadway stars, film actors, and discerning individuals seeking the perfect fit. Carl shares his path from working in his family’s Army-Navy store in Philadelphia to becoming an entrepreneur in Manhattan’s competitive garment industry. The conversation covers the realities of custom shirt making, building a business from scratch, memorable client stories (including celebrity anecdotes), and actionable advice for anyone considering entering the field of bespoke clothing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Carl’s Background and Entry into Custom Shirt Making

• Roots in Retail: Carl grew up helping at his family’s Army-Navy surplus store in Philadelphia, which exposed him early to both retail and fashion.

  "I worked there as a kid a lot of time, through college as well." (01:23)

• Move to NYC: He followed a romantic interest to New York instead of joining the family business, briefly worked at Barney’s, and then moved through various roles including factory sales and fabric wholesaling.
• Discovering the Niche: While selling woolens, Carl met custom clothiers—professionals who measure and style clients, then use outside factories for production.

  "I am not a tailor. They would measure people, help style, and then they would have the stuff made in various factories." (03:41)

• Starting His Own Business: By leveraging relationships with local tailors and factories, Carl slowly built up a client base, eventually opening his own workshop.

Growing an Organic, Specialized Team

• Staffing: The team grew organically, often as talented craftspeople sought Carl out after leaving other NYC shirtmakers.
• Roles in the Shop: Pattern makers, cutters, and sewers—all critical to the hands-on, artisanal nature of the business.

  "People sort of found me in some ways..." (05:45)

Who Buys Custom Shirts and Why?

• Clientele:
  • Men requiring specialty fits (e.g., larger necks/smaller bodies).
  • Those seeking unique design elements or distinctive fabrics.
  • Individuals with a taste for personalization, and the occasional non-celebrity with a strong passion for the craft (e.g., the tribute Sinatra singer).

  "He was a bus driver... wanted to have shirts that look like something Frank Sinatra wore..." (08:03)

Breaking into Broadway, TV, and Film

• First Big Break: A call from the costume team at 'Spin City' led to making shirts for Michael J. Fox.
• Networking: Word-of-mouth among costume designers was crucial for expanding into TV and movies.
• Famous Productions: Worked on 'The Producers', 'The Music Man', and for stars like Nathan Lane, Hugh Jackman, and Tom Hanks.

  "We made shirts for... Craig Pierco. I even made shirts for the recent Music Man with Hugh Jackman..." (09:02)

• Memorable Fitting Room Story:

  "I remember we were doing a fitting for Tom Hanks for the Post... He does the voice, you know, does the mannerisms. It was so much fun to watch." — Carl (12:02)

The Making and Pricing of Custom Shirts

• Process: Carl handles measurement and design, with production by in-house staff.
• Pricing: The cost ranges but isn’t prohibitive—a story about a bus driver paying in installments shows that custom shirts aren’t solely for the elite.
• Entertainment Work: Productions order multiple sets due to frequent changes and laundering. Rush jobs command a premium, but otherwise, Broadway pays standard rates.

  "I usually charge them the same price. The only time I charge them more is if they need it in like a day or two." (11:08)

• Material Choices: For stage work, appearance is prioritized over fabric luxury.

  "For the Broadway things, it doesn't have to be expensive. It has to just look the way they want it to look." (11:23)

Industry Realities: Challenges and Rewards

• Artisan vs. Factory: Skepticism about fully computerized or “robotic” shirtmaking.

  "With robots, there's no love... We cut by hand..." (15:14) "There’s nothing worse than non iron fabric. It’s an abomination." — Carl (15:30)

• Tariffs & Costs: Fluctuating tariffs and shipping costs create unpredictability (e.g., imported buttons).

  "I ordered mother of pearl buttons from Italy, and they came in much higher the tariffs than I thought they would." (17:37-18:01)

• Pandemic Impact: Previously outsourced work to a New Jersey factory, which closed during COVID-19. Now fully in-house.

Advice for Aspiring Shirt Makers

• Training Paths:
  • If you want to sew/cut: need proper training—formal or via YouTube, but best with hands-on teaching.
  • For designers: Options exist for outsourcing actual making, but deep product understanding is essential.

  "If you just want to be a designer, there's lots of ways to do it..." (16:41)

• Learning by Doing: Understanding construction is important even for non-sewers.

  "I don't know how to sew, but I know when I see a shirt when something's been done properly or not." (19:45)

Reflections and Personal Rewards

• Impact on Life: The real drive to succeed came with fatherhood.

  "When my son was born... there was this revelation. I said to myself, oh my God, I've really got to start working. No more fooling around." (16:18)

• Biggest Rewards: Customer satisfaction, collaborative problem solving with designers, and seeing creations on stage/screen.

  "Helping them to get what they want... when you see the finished product... how happy they are with the fit and the design, it gives me a lot of rewards." (18:25)

• Lifestyle Choice: Carl enjoys a moderate-sized business, has no interest in mass scale or full automation. Enjoys balance and fulfillment.

  "If I really wanted to grow the business, I could, but I don't want to... We're busy. I make a nice living." (20:21)

Miscellaneous Insights & Notable Moments

• On Custom Baby Clothes: Not a good business—same labor for less value.

  "It takes just as much time to make a little shirt almost as it does to make a large. So. Yeah, it does. There's no. It's expensive." (21:03)

• Women’s Shirts: Occasionally, but much trickier than men’s due to greater style variation.
• Collaborating with Spouse: Tried—and abandoned—a pajama line with his wife.

  "We... did not know how to work together." (21:55)

• Online Presence: Instagram: @CEGONYC (SEGO Custom Shirts).

  "I'm famous in a very narrow field. So if you... Google 'custom shirts, New York,' I show up." (22:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s always because of love.” — Mirav (01:30)
• “Here's how it started. One day I get a phone call... She’s one of the costume designers of the show Spin City.” — Carl (09:02)
• “Nice Jewish boy was making Nazi Stormtrooper shirts for a year.” — Carl (10:20)
• “There's nothing worse than non iron fabric. It's. It's an abomination.” — Carl (15:30)
• “If you want to see real artistry, go to a Broadway costume department during a change.” — Carl (paraphrased themes throughout theater discussion)
• “With robots, there's no love... We cut by hand.” — Carl (15:14)
• “I'm famous in a very narrow field.” — Carl (22:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Carl’s Story: 00:28 – 05:18
• Team & Shop Growth: 05:18 – 06:19
• Who Buys Custom Shirts: 06:19 – 07:51
• Celebrity & Broadway Anecdotes: 07:51 – 13:01
• Business Mechanics & Industry Changes: 13:01 – 15:29
• Philosophy on Craft vs. Automation: 15:29 – 16:10
• Entrepreneurial Advice: 16:10 – 20:12
• Reflections & Rewards: 20:12 – 21:32
• Niche Business and Social Media: 21:32 – 22:41

Conclusion

Carl’s career offers an insider’s view of the “bespoke” garment world, revealing that custom shirt making blends artistry, tradition, and relationship building. While many imagine it as an old-fashioned or elitist career, Carl shows its accessibility—with enough grit, network-building, and hunger, it’s possible to carve out a fulfilling niche. For listeners exploring small-scale entrepreneurial paths in fashion or artisanship, this episode is both practical and inspiring, filled with real-world wisdom and engaging New York stories.