Tailor Profile Series: Michael Glassmacher
Style /
June 2021
Levi’s® has done the hard work and risked business to stand in solidarity with us and has done so since the beginning.
What is your role and how long have you been with Levi’s®?
Michael: My current role is the Tailor at Times Square, however, I have worked in almost every role at the retail level over my 8 years with Levi’s®.
How are you involved with making an impact for the LGBTQ+ community in partnership with Levi’s®?
Michael: When I worked at the Castro store, I was in charge of community outreach and we did events for a few years with Harvey Milk and their organization. It was fulfilling to merge the histories together in the city where it all happened.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, what makes you proud to work for Levi’s®?
Michael: Levi’s® has always supported the LGBTQIA+ and HIV-Positive movements especially at times when it wasn’t popular to do so. Levi’s® has done the hard work and risked business to stand in solidarity with us and has done so since the beginning. They are one of the only major companies that I feel are genuine with their pride and it makes me proud to support a company that supports me and people like me.
What got you started on the path to becoming a Tailor?
Michael: I always love customizing my jeans and jackets by hand, whether it be distressing to hand sewing embroidery and patches. However, when I was given the access to an embroidery machine, my world opened up as I became aware of what was possible with customization and how I could create art and then wear it and bring it with me wherever I went. After that, I knew this is where I wanted my career with Levi’s® to go, and thankfully I worked with Dyuna, the Master Tailor, and was given a chance and the support I needed to become the best tailor I could be.
What is your first memory of Levi’s® or the moment you fell in love with the brand?
Michael: There was a commercial for Levi’s® in 2009 that was a part of the Go Forth campaign. It showed wild youth running through the forest and on beaches over someone reciting a Walt Whitman poem. Something about that ad stuck with me and instilled a spirit of adventure and discovery that I yearned for. I applied for a seasonal stylist position a few months later and the rest is history.
What is your favorite experience creating something for a consumer?
Michael: My best experiences have been creating custom embroidery for a consumer that they are very passionate about. Whether that be a stitched logo of their own small business, a portrait of their favorite pet, or a recreation of their own artwork, when I am able to create something that they feel close to and put that on to something they will have for years to come, it makes me feel as good to do it as it does for them to have it done.
What is your one Levi’s® garment you can’t live without?
Michael: I have my one vintage orange tab trucker that is falling apart, but I will never get rid of it. The functionality of the pockets paired with the everlasting fashion of a well-worn trucker, makes it my go-to.
What is your specialty as a Tailor?
Michael: My gateway into tailoring was chain stitch embroidery and it is still my favorite thing to do. I can do a rush monogram like no one’s business and love working with a consumer to create a beautiful piece of wearable art.
