Slapsie's established Devore's lasting friendship with Martin and Lewis. Freedman says Lewis was the biggest Devore clotheshorse in town, mostly because he was allergic to dry cleaning fluids and gave away his suits when telltale signs of soil appeared. (He also never wore a pair of socks more than once.)
Lewis, whose sons worked at Devore's when they were teenagers, is still a dedicated customer; his annual Muscular Dystrophy telethons tuxedos are tailored by the shop.
And the entertainment industry continues to be vital to the store's well-being. Clients include "The West Wing," "C.S.I.," "ER," "Everybody Loves Raymond" and several daytime soap operas. The actors are costumed from Devore racks--a fashion mix of Hugo Boss, Tommy Bahama, Nat Nast and Zegna. Sometimes, an actor such as Freddie Prinze Jr. will come in for a fitting.
"But it's rare when a star pops in," says Marsh, who became a partner more than a year ago and works with the studios. "It's not like back then when my uncle first started out in the heart of Hollywood," Marti says. "It's about business these days, not about hanging out" even though she encourages that in her store. Still, she's glad for the memories that are part of the Devore legacy. "They're the backbone of Sy's today."
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Movie Review
Steven Soderbergh's suave caper movie "Ocean's Eleven" owns the patent on style. F1
