Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
4December2011WellSuitedforRainorShineGetNakedSuitsFASHIONTiredofwearingaboxysuitseeminglydesignedwithanagedfootballlinemaninmindWishingyoucouldevenwearasuitinhotandhumidweatherwithoutfeelingasifyouaregoingtopassoutYourdreamsareansweredbyNakedSuitsbyAlbertMingalineoffashionablyinnovativeclothingbychildhoodfriendsMingChangandAlbertShyy.WhatareyourbackgroundsHowdidthetwoofyoumeetAlbertWex19vebeenclosefriendsforover15yearshavinggrownuptogetherinFloridaandattendingthesamehighschool.ImovedtoSanFranciscoaftercollegeandspent5yearsworkingasamanagementconsultantlivingandworkingintheU.S.andinAsiabeforemovingbacktotheSanFranciscoBayAreatopursueanMBAatHaasUCBerkeleyandacareerasanentrepreneur.MingIwasonafairlytypicalengineercareerpathx14computerscienceatUCBerkeleytechpositionsinSiliconValley.Ifeltthecallingofthestartupworldanddecidedtotakeadifferentcareerpathaswell.Wasthereanx1cahax1dmomentwhenyoudecidedthiswasagoodideaMIwasvisitingAlbertinSingaporewherehewasworkingandwewerehavingdinneranddrinksinClarkeQuayapopularpartofthecitywithalotofrestaurantsandnightclubs.Itwassomethinglike90degreesand90humidityandwestartedtalkingabouthowunfairitwasthatgirlscouldwearlessbutstilllookdressedupwhileguysneededtoweardressshirtsandjacketsandbeuncomfortabletheentiretime.Theconversationevolvedintosomethingalongthelinesofx1cwouldnx19titbegreatifwehadsuitsthatweremorebreathableandmorecomfortabletowearx1dWeknewcompaniesweremakingreallyinterestinginnovationsinotherclothingsegmentsespeciallywithoutdoorapparelandsoitfeltliketheremightbeanopportunitythere.AAfewmonthslaterafterImovedbacktotheStateswewerebothinthemarketforanewsuitandwenttoabunchofdifferentdepartmentstoresandretailchainsbutwecouldnx19tfindanythingwelikedthatdidnx19thaveabiggerboxycuttoit.LikemanyotherAsianguysIhaveaslimmerbuildandhavingbeenworkinginAsiawasnowmoreusedtoseeingguyswearingwell-fittingslim-cutsuits.WethoughtbacktoourconversationinSingaporeaboutaddingperformancetodressierclothingandcoupledwiththefocusonmoremodernslimmerdesignsfeltthatwemighthavesomethingtheremakingsuitsforthemodernguy.WhatwasthemostdifficultaspecttogetstartedWhathassurprisedyouthemostMWewerebasicallycominginwithablankslatesoitwasdefinitelyachallengetomaketherightconnectionsandgetuptospeedasquicklyaswecouldinthetailoringandsuit-makingprocess.Myauntactuallyusedtoworkformanyyearswithimportexportinthegarmentindustryandherbiggestadviceforuswhenwewerestartingoutwastonotentertheindustryatall.AThiswasnx19tanuncommonpieceofadvicethatweheardfrompeopleintheindustryalthoughwetalkedwithmanyotherswhowerealsoverypassionateaboutit.Ithinkitx19sdefinitelytruethatitx19satoughindustrybecausethebarrierstoentryareironicallybothverylowandrelativelyhighx14almostanyonecanstartalineofclothingandbecauseofthisthereisdefinitelyasaturationofyoungbrandsinthemarketwhichmakeitdifficulttostandout.Atthesametimethelargermillsandfactoriesthatmakemuchofthebrandedclothingweknowandloveusuallyhavehighminimumorderrequirementsmeaningyouneedtensifnothundredsofthousandsofdollarsinup-frontworkingcapitaltoactuallygainaccesstothebiggermoreexperiencedmanufacturers.MWex19vebeenbootstrappingthecompanysincethebeginninganddefinitelydidnx19thavehundredsofthousandsofdollarslyingaroundFortunatelywex19vebeenabletobuildcloserelationshipswithseveralofoursuppliersandhavebeenabletogetaroundsomeoftheminimumorderamountswhichhasbeenahugehelpforusinstartingoutanddoingsomeprototypingetc.LookingbackisthereanythingyouwouldhavedonedifferentlyASomeofthebestcontactswex19vemadehavebeenattradeshowslikeMagic.BeingabletospeakChinesetomanyofthesuppliersandmanufacturerswasdefinitelyhelpfulinbuildingrapportmorequicklyandbeingabletoeffectivelycommunicatewhowewereandwhatwewereseeking.MWex19vebeenluckytohavesomanypeoplewhohavebeensupportiveofus.LookingbackonethingIwishwewouldhavedonesoonerwastouseournetworksmoreeffectivelytohelpspreadthewordaboutthecompany.Thereareotherwater-resistantsuitsonthemarket.WhatmakesyourssouniqueWhyshouldsomeonebuyanAlbertMingNakedSuitMWex19vedesignedourNakedSuitstohaveoptimalcomfortandperformancewhilehelpingguyslooksharpandfitted.Ourwoolshaveaspecialnanotechnologyapplicationthatgivesthemgreaterwaterresistantqualitieswhilenotsacrificinganyofitssoftandsmoothfeel.Wex19vealsolinedoursuitswithanaturallybreathablesleekfabriccalledBembergthatx19ssupercomfortableandfeelsalotlessstuffythanmostnormalsuits.AWebelieveoursuitsmatchupwiththosecostingatleast2000to3000.Theyx19rehandtailoredandincludeafloatingcanvaswhichadaptstoyourbodyx19snaturalshapeandallowsthesuittoholdupbetterovertime.Wealsoincludedlittletouchessuchasauthenticcowhornbuttonstoaddtothepremiumexperience.Basicallywewantedourgenerationofguystoexperiencealuxurysuitbutwithouthavingtopayluxuryprices.WhoisyourtypicalcustomerWhatx19stheorderingprocesslikeAWex19retargeting20-and30-somethingworkingprofessionalswhoareseekingamoremodernlookintheirtailoredclothing.Oursuitsaregreatforpeoplewhotravelorareoftenon-the-goaswellasguyswhowantsomethingthatwillgivethemasleekerfittedlookattheofficeandatsocialevents.Wex19vealsohadpeopletellustheyx19regoodinvestmentpiecesaroundwhichtheycanbuildtheirwardrobesandmovebeyondtheirfirstsuit.MWeselloursuitsinoff-the-racksizesandcustomerscanselectjacketsandpantsintheirsizeswehaveasizingchartfortheirconvenienceaswell.Weshipthesuitsforfreeandofferasimple60-dayreturnpolicytomakesurethattheyaresatisfiedwiththefitoncetheyx19vetriedthemon.AWex19vealsodonefittingsinBerkeleyandaroundtheBayAreabutforlogisticalreasonshavenx19tyetbeenabletoofferthisinotherareas.Itx19ssomethingwex19relookingintoasIx19dlovetoexpandthisservicetootherareasasdemandincreases.WhatarethefuturegoalsforAlbertMingAWex19reactuallyworkingonablazerlinethatwex19rehopingtolaunchinthenextfewweeks.Weknowguysdonx19talwaysneedtowearsuitsandwantedtointroduceanotherproducttowearwhentheywanttodressupjustabit.Nextyearwex19replanningtoaddtooursuitandshirtlinesandwilllikelyannounceafewsurprisesaswell.Wex19realsointhemidstofraisingfundstohelpusaugmentourteamandgiveussomecapitalflexibilitytopursueanationalrollout.Wewanttobuildthisintothenextgreatmenswearbrandthatspeakstothemodernman.MAnothergoalthatdrivesmeistorepresentAsianAmericansasasuccessfulentrepreneurwithasuccessfulbusinessespeciallyonethatisoutsidethetraditionaltechrealm.XXXXXXXOursuitsaregreatforpeoplewhotravelorareoftenon-the-goaswellasguyswhowantsomethingthatwillgivethemasleekerfittedlookattheofficeandatsocialevents.MingChangandAlbertShyyNakedSuitsrepelmoistureyettheluxurious-feelingfabricissoftandtouchable.Formoreinformationvisitalbertming.comThePrinceisthemostformalsuitofferedatwo-buttonjacketwithsideventsandauthentichornbuttons.