In a stylish showroom in downtown Richmond, Andre’ McLaughlin ’09 watched as his client stepped out of a dressing room wearing the shirt he had altered for him.

“Oh yeah, that’s better. That is your shirt,” McLaughlin said as the man admired his new look.

The building blocks for Andre’ Julius Custom Suits, a by-appointment-only custom suit brand with showrooms in both Richmond and Williamsburg, were there from childhood. A musician throughout his life, McLaughlin was playing drums in his church at five years old in a suit.

His sense of style remained as he grew older, winning a “Best Dressed” superlative in high school. “I was always the guy that dressed a little different than the others in school,” McLaughlin explained. As his physique changed while playing football, he realized that he wasn’t going to fit in anything off the rack, so he learned what custom elements looked best and worked well for his body.

Beyond fashion sense, McLaughlin possesses a strong entrepreneurial spirit and juggles multiple priorities. He was previously a partner in a personal fitness company and a restaurant, and in addition to Andre’ Julius Custom Suits, he currently owns Elevate Marketing Group. He also helped coach Lafayette High School Football to a state championship, and serves as music director at Providential Rain Church.

Nearly all of his ventures and activities tie back to his time at Randolph-Macon. A music major, he played two seasons of football, was an RA, an orientation leader, and the director of the Ujima Gospel Choir. He also studied abroad on a choir tour through the United Kingdom and was part of the student organization Brothers for Change.

“That’s how life should be; I love touching everything,” McLaughlin said. “I don’t like being bored.”

While he’s always involved in a wide range of activities, the custom suits are an art that he takes great pride in. He taught himself how to measure and alter garments and immersed himself in learning the details of different fabrics. Getting a suit fitted at Andre’ Julius is truly a bespoke experience, with McLaughlin drawing out his own original designs before custom fittings.

“I like to say that my designs are peculiar in nature,” McLaughlin said. “I draw them from scratch and bring them to life.”

McLaughlin’s clientele speaks to the quality of his work. Ryan Clark, a Super Bowl winner with the Pittsburgh Steelers and now an Emmy-winning broadcaster, is a brand ambassador for Andre’ Julius. Since Clark has worn his custom suits on ESPN, McLaughlin has made suits for ESPN First Take host Molly Qerim, pastor and author Michael Todd, and a host of current and former NFL players, among others.

The showroom, awash with natural light from the big storefront windows facing Main Street, is a vibe befitting a design professional. When you wear as many hats as McLaughlin does, things need to be organized. But look closely, and you can see how the details—fabric swatches organized in drawers, sketchbooks stacked on a table, his signature on the cuff of a shirt hanging on a rack—show how his career is just like his suits: done his own way, in his own style.

Wearing a custom green suit himself, McLaughlin summarizes his drive: “I’m the type of guy that once I get motivated with something, I lock in on it.”