The Sofio's Story

Sofio’s Custom Clothiers and Tailors is pleased to welcome you to our growing family business, a company with a legacy of three generations of master tailors. Today, Sofio Barone, the original founder, and son Michael Barone run the company together.  Over the years, the Sofio’s name has become synonymous with superior quality, sophistication and customer service.

With a distinctive style and old world charm, Sofio's delivers its trademark brands with a full service approach.Sofio’s continues to evolve to better meet the needs of our diverse clientele. With a distinctive style and old world charm, Sofio’s delivers its trademark brands with a full service approach.  It’s far more than just clothes to the Barones; it is a way of life that began many decades ago.

Sofio’s roots are in the small town of Villasmudo (meaning “City of the World”), Sicily, where Sofio's mother Giuseppa and sisters Peppina and Zina were master tailors.  After World War II, the entire family moved to the U.S. When Sofio was an adult, he branched out on his own to work in a locally owned, high-end men’s retail clothing store called The Toggery Shop in San Diego, California, where he soon worked his way into management.

This was the beginning of a long and fruitful career in the clothing industry for Sofio.  He has since worked for both large and small retail clothing stores as a buyer and a manager, in some cases responsible for million-dollar retail budgets.  He later went on to start his own business in women’s wear, including bridal and evening gowns.   He eventually began to incorporate business attire on a custom basis for men and women.  Over time, he established a nation-wide client base that included many influential individuals, some of whom were frequently in the public eye.

Today, Sofio acts as the head clothing designer for Sofio’s Custom Clothiers and Tailors in McLean, Virginia, creating original styles for men’s and women’s high-end clothing.  He builds a lifetime of expertise into every garment and infuses the client experience with personal charisma and professional courtesy.  His training in image consulting provides additional insight and know-how in completing a client’s personalized look.

In 2007, Michael joined Sofio’s, bringing a business background to the company to enhance aspects of organization and customer service.  Michael also spearheads all of Sofio’s growth initiatives while staying true to the Barone family’s values and vision of artistry and technical exactitude.  From innovative client discounting programs to the bold addition of new talent, Sofio’s is constantly looking for new ways to delight its customers.

To better serve our growing clientele, Sofio's now occupies a two thousand square foot custom-built studio in the heart of McLean, Virginia.