Where Modern Style Meets Old-World Mastery
The late afternoon sun filters through the windows of The Sartorial Shop, catching the quiet sheen of carefully organized swatch books lined neatly along the wall. Fabrics from Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry, Loro Piana, and Zegna rest within their pages — a curated library that speaks to a commitment to longevity, refinement, and craft. It is calm inside the downtown atelier, the kind of calm that feels intentional. Zahir Rajani sits across from me in one of the low-slung chairs, relaxed, thoughtful, surrounded by the world he has built with such precision. His wife and partner, Anastasia Besiou, joins us, her laptop still open from a design meeting earlier in the day.
“This place always feels like a conversation waiting to happen,” she says, settling in with a small smile. Zahir nods. “That is exactly what I wanted. Tailoring should feel personal. It should feel like sitting down and deciding how you want to show up in the world.”
For those who know The Sartorial Shop, that philosophy comes through in every detail. The atelier works by appointment only, offering a quiet alternative to the bustle of traditional men’s and ladies wear retail. Over thirty-five body measurements, posture analysis, sleeve pitch, and shoulder slope are all studied before a suit even begins to take shape. The result is not a garment adjusted to you, but one built around you — a distinctly modern take on traditional European craft.
And now, the experience has expanded.
Zahir leans forward, the energy shifting as he begins to talk about shoes. “It started as a thought,” he says. “Adi from Cappelleria Bertacchi and I were planning our first Negroni Night. We had the hats, we had the tailoring, but we were missing the shoes.” He pauses. “And when you know Mario’s story, when you have seen his work, you do not forget it.”
The partnership was born almost instantly. “I reached out, and soon we were talking,” Zahir says. “Next thing I know, Mario and Sandra are on a plane to Vancouver. What began as an idea became Canada’s first Italian shoemaker trunk show.”
Anastasia laughs softly. “I remember that night. Everyone was completely captivated.”
It is no wonder. Mario Bemer is widely considered one of the world’s greatest shoemakers. A founding member of Stefano Bemer, he went on to open his own namesake label, crafting only around two hundred shoes a year in Florence. Every pair is made entirely by hand. Every piece of leather is personally selected at the tannery. His made-to-order line delivers bespoke-level customisation within 90 to 120 days, while his true bespoke work can take six to nine months and requires multiple fittings. Even Daniel Day-Lewis famously apprenticed under him prior to filming for Gangs of New York.
Since that first Negroni Night, The Sartorial Shop has hosted its second annual event with Mario as chief guest, alongside a second trunk show. And there is much more ahead. The Sartorial Shop recently welcomed Canadian actor Angelo Agalou as its brand ambassador, styled the cast of Sugarcane for the Oscars red carpet, expanded manufacturing services for boutiques worldwide, and is preparing to launch remote bespoke offerings before year-end.
As Anastasia flips through her designs for the forthcoming women’s wear collection — set to debut in early 2026 — she looks up thoughtfully. “This next chapter feels right,” she says. “We are building something intentional. Something elevated.”
Zahir nods. “Craft, connection, and care. That is the core. Mario understood that immediately.”
Inside the atelier, it is clear; The Sartorial Shop is not merely expanding. It is redefining the very art of showing up.