made to measure
You can only find Jennifer Butler’s clothes in two places: in her store and on the people who have purchased them. That’s because Jen’s designs are made one at a time and are individually cut and sewn to fit the woman (or man or child) purchasing the garment. In other words, “couture.”

Jen designs a new line every fall and spring, using fabrics she finds in the garment district. (I was thrilled to hear she goes to some of the same haunts—often with her two daughters in tow—as the Project Runway crew.) Sometimes Jen knows what she’s looking for, but most often she lets the fabrics inspire her. Recently, she saw a pretty, embroidered cotton and knew right away that she wanted to use it to make a newfangled “denim” jacket. Similarly, she found a bar cloth with some great colors—turquoise, brown, peach—and just knew she had to design a bustier with the fabric.

Jen began making clothes in high school in Rhode Island. Her supportive father would drive her into town and let her peddle her clothes to the local boutiques. Some of the shops put her clothes on the racks, and…they sold. She’s been designing ever since. Jen had very little formal training—she spent a year and a half at the Rhode Island School of Design—but worked for a time with a tailor, where she learned all about fitting clothes. “Fit is so important,” she says. “You can have the most beautiful piece, but it all comes down to whether the arm hole is in the right place.”

Jen lives in Fairfield and, until recently, ran her business from her home. (I attended a runway show in her spunky, modern abode.) But visions of a “real” studio space danced in her head. When zoning said “no” to an addition and Jen saw the turnover of stores going on in downtown Fairfield, she decided it was time to move. “There was no way I could work from home any more,” she says. Now Jennifer Butler, the store, is located at 1326 Post Road (the former Baskin Robbins).



The light-filled space has racks with Jen’s latest line as well as past season designs. There’s the “division” skirt (with several different fabric options), the totally versatile hoodie and my personal favorite, the “one and only” cashmere coat. Potential clients can come in, touch the garments, peruse the styles and chat with Jen. If they want to order a piece, Jen has designed her space to include an area measure and fit her customers. In the back, there’s a cutting room and two sewing machines. After a series of fittings, the client will have her (or his) own custom garment. Made right here in Fairfield.

Jen’s clothes come in limited quantities, not because of a desire to remain exclusive, but because the fabrics are in limited supply. “I can only make two or three more of these,” Jen explains, pointing to her “found all the parts” silk skirt. “Then that fabric is gone.”

The store may expand Jen’s clientele a bit. Right now she has a nice-sized group of “regulars” that come to her for special occasion outfits—she designs wedding gowns too—or for a few suits or separates each year. She’ll also make custom pieces, picking up fabric swatches in New York to present to clients before she makes their clothing. “The majority of those clients are just too busy to shop. It actually takes less time to get fitted than to go from store to store looking for something you like that fits well.”



Jen is thrilled to have a storefront in downtown Fairfield, with windows right on the Post Road. “I look forward to being a vibrant presence in my hometown,” she says. If what’s hanging in the window is any indication, she certainly will.