Richmond has the honor of being home to one of the top fabric makers in the world. 707 Fine Clothing is known for turning suit styling and wearing into a true art form. A favorite at RVA Fashion Week, 707’s collections make their mark on the runway and off.
707 began as a dream by an immigrant and a passion for the art of tailoring passed down over generations. Born into a family of tailors, 707 founder and master tailor Chandru “Ben” Baxani got his start in the trade in Mumbai, India learning from his mother who was a seamstress. He always aspired to move to the US.
When the Vietnam War broke out, Chandru saw it as his opportunity and began tailoring uniforms for the American GIs in South Vietnam. Four years later, he opened his first suit store in Rochester, the tailoring capital of the country at the time.
Chandru was denied permanent residency, so he moved to Richmond to be closer to the capital where he could argue his case with a federal judge. Shortly thereafter, 707 was born!
Its name is from the store’s original location on Broad Street. Now located a few blocks west, 707 is proud to be one of the remaining businesses still thriving since its days on Broad Street.
Chandru’s son, Dayal, joined the family business at nineteen with a mission to continue his father’s legacy. Dayal’s mother also came from a family of suit makers, so one could say it’s in his blood. He used his mother’s connections in China, meeting with producers, tailors, and factories, to grow his knowledge of tailoring and suit making.
707’s commitment to excellence has enabled the brand to reach the apex of luxury fabric and construction, bringing the art of high-end, custom suits to Richmond. Though they started with men’s suits, 707 has since expanded into women’s suits and apparel thanks to Dayal’s wife, Thao, who spearheaded the women’s line.
Every item created at 707 is crafted using the finest fabric and the industry’s best practices. Their attention to detail and unwavering standards is evident in each piece they design.
“If you’re going to do something, you have to be the best,” asserts Dayal on their website.
707 has elevated the art of tailoring to be a transformation not just to the world of fashion, but to the wearer’s identity. Great fashion helps you embrace your inner beauty and allows your authenticity to shine.
When you start your day with beautiful clothes that fit you well and make you feel good, it changes everything. Your mood lifts and your confidence grows. You are dressed in a mindset for success.
Whether you consider yourself a fashion connoisseur or a style rookie, the team at 707 ensures that every customer walks out with carefully crafted, elevated looks to upgrade their wardrobe and their life experience.
In addition to the lifelong relationships the team at 707 fosters with their clients through fashion, they also take pride in their philanthropic work within the Richmond community and abroad. Dayal Baxani, 707 President, states on their website, “We started Red Button Club because we want to be more than just a clothing store. Red Button Club members empower us to combine our shared resources to make deeper impacts in society.”
707’s Red Button Club supports the work of FCSP (Fight Cancer Stay Positive) Foundation, raising funds to find the cure for pancreatic cancer and connecting cancer patients with the support they need; Global Surgical Expedition (GSE), a medical charity that sends medical teams to underserved countries to provide life-changing surgeries; Greater Richmond SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now), a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect; American Heart Association Heart Ball, an event raising awareness and funds needed to change heart disease and stroke health outcomes; Boots to Suits, a clothing program for Virginia veterans transitioning from military life to civilian careers; Forward Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting working, single parents and their children in financial crisis; and CIS (Communities In Schools) of Chesterfield, a dropout prevention program.
Start shopping: www.707rva.com
