By SARAH KLEINBERG – NY Times
Mendy Sacho is a young Lubavitcher tailor determined to give a contemporary twist to the kapote, the black knee-length coat worn by married Hasidic men.
Sacho, who owns Sartoria Sacho in Toronto, trims the kapote in bright hues and lines it in everything from wild paisleys to dark purples.
“‘The younger guys come to me for color on the buttonholes,” says Sacho, who plans to open an outpost of Sartoria Sacho in Brooklyn this fall.
“‘Or they want the inside purple to match the purple in their tie.
“The older guys come to me because I will make them something that fits perfectly.’’
Amazingly, Sacho says his clientele is just 70 percent Jewish — and he’d like the ratio to be 50-50.
If Jean Paul Gaultier could parade Hasidic-looking raiments on the runway, why can’t Sacho?
“We are not all black hat, white shirt,” he says. “You can be religious and still be with the times.’”
Go to kapotas.com.
This is exactly what we need! Looking fashionable is totally a Lubavitch thing.The Rebbe would always wear fashionable hats and suits and as his shluchim, we should also present ourselves in an attractive and respectable manner. Keep up the great work Sacho!
I just bought a kapota from sacho ..(WITH A BLACK LINING) looks great.. before judging sacho lets get the facts correct. there are a dozen Kapota sellers / makers who all have slight differences…. Why all of a sudden is Sacho such a terrible person.. he is a designer who likes to keep his customers happy – thats it.!!!
Think about this: We are told, “hevay dan es kol odom l’chaf z’chus” (“judge each person favourably”) and, “mah d’soni aloch, l’chavroch lo saavid” (“what you would hate having done to you, do not do to others”). Now, if we work with the first saying, then we must assume that Reb Saccho is attempting to find the least invasive way to “liven up” the Kapote, and that he does so for those ppl who would otherwise 1)STOP wearing a Kapote, or 2)NEVER START wearing one in THE FIRST PLACE. and, if this is the premise we are working on, then… Read more »
a kapote is a yidishe chesidishe garment, by adding /changing all these things its not a chesidishe garment anymore, its bringing in meshugaasen in somthing holy,chesidish. ye ye we are still in a big golus
Oy gefilte fish!
Reading all these comments, i would say most of you are pathetic and bored with your lives that you have to try every way to see the bad in something , when all this is , is just making a little fun fashion to the kapotah, I think who ever wants to have one made its between them and their wives so leave it at that and not run down people for bringing something new in. And you call yourselves frum…. sorry but I dont think the Rebbe would appreciate most of your comments. I personally think this is great,… Read more »
I personally buy clothing from sacho.. his policy is the customer designs the suit , shirt or the Kapota themselves If you like a blue orange or yechi inside he will do it for you.. he is not judgmental one bit (unlike the comments above).. If you are a guy who is hesitant about wearing a Kapoota he talks you through it and lets you know that a kapota is not an ugly garment….his kapotas are normal kapotas just maybe colored inside or colored buttonholes (BIG DEAL).. next thing is a lot of comments above are 100% LOSHON HORA in… Read more »
I personally buy clothing from sacho.. his policy is the customer designs the suit , shirt or the Kapota themselves If you like a blue orange or yechi inside he will do it for you.. he is not judgmental one bit (unlike the comments above).. If you are a guy who is hesitant about wearing a Kapoota he talks you through it and lets you know that a kapota is not an ugly garment….his kapotas are normal kapotas just maybe colored inside or colored buttonholes (BIG DEAL).. next thing is a lot of comments above are 100% LOSHON HORA in… Read more »
We Jews are given free choice, but that is not to say that we can do whatever we want. That is the obvious. There is no isser in the Torah that says you can’t have a colorful Kapate, and it is not written in any sefarim of Chabad that you cant be a chossid if your Kapate has orange in the lining. But we must not forget way we wear the Kapate. One of the reasons why the Jews were redeemed from Egypt was because they kept to their dress, I am sure we are all familiar with this. Another… Read more »
I think that during the month of Elul we should be careful not to insult and put another Yid down. This is an amazing kidush Hashem, and it will encourage the “cooler” guys that you can be chasidish AND cool. Great Job Mr Sacho!!!!!!
all you guys seriously need to get a life.
this kapotes thing is going way 2 far, next thing we know…..I dont even want 2 think about it!
i think that this is just for wannabees and idiots. its insane.
Like these Italian Pointies make Pinnochio or Peter Pan look like Twinkle-Toes. Some of these suckers hang out a “tefach” in front… Golly, the guy in front stepping back from Shmoneh Esrei could trip over himself. Scary. Better to have a balbatish silky kapota with a flashy flower pattern ala sacho.
If kapotes are worn as TRADITIONAL bigdei shannos then keep it traditional -the way it was -if traditional bigdei shabbos is not good enough for you just as traditional tzelem elokim is perhaps not for todays advanced enlightened &highly educated young men then why bother at alljust wear whatever they do in more enlightened communities etc.etc.
Why on earth did it take so long to get someone to
invent the KreativeKapota? Man, it’s like tasting good Sushi for the first time in your life. Try it – you’ll like it!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just like our Yeshivos need to start more innovative methods to keep our kids excited about learning, davening and being a frum yid, Thank G-D that someone is making it stylish to look like a chossid!
my grandparents were riminove chassidim before the war, i think the rebbe of riminov also had such a kapota although i think it was called a bekeshe……..im staying Habad
only spiritually. never at the clothes. there used to be guys walking in with holes in their jeans off the street; motorcycle jacket guys; simple clark kent business people; shtreimels bobovers etc etc etc…… just add sacho clothing to this generation list. lol.
some people just have to accept that fashion and yiddishkeit and even chassidishkeit are not opposites if done with restraint
it’s not for everyone but for the lucky few it will be colorful…
can’t wait to see some colors on the streets of CH on shabbos
go sacho!
Does your Blackberry have the latest features and fancy shmancy designs on it so you guys can communicate in the best articulate stylish method to your family, friends and Chabad associates? Would you like to trade in your blackberry pearl to your old little NOKIA?? Cmon hand them over……Ya, I thought so, you like it now…….. So then, welcome to the new age of “the Upgraded Kapota Design”. Kol Kavod to you Reb’ Sacho. (I love Paisley, reminds me of my college years, yea man!!!! Keep on truckin’ and prayin’)………………….
dont see any issue if a guy wants a purple pink or yellow lining. (THESE ARE ALL INSIDE THE KAPOTA) same thing as wearing a yellow pin (as long as you not breaking shabbos by carrying) .. as long as hes davening doing Torah and Mizvos and keeping a life based on yidishkiet…Good luck Sacho
i , like most of us, actuallt live for G-D. why does before or after Gimmel Tammuz make a difference?
I just wonder if it was before Gimmel Tammuz would he have done the same change in the Kapote?? Many of the problems in our community is we forget that the Rebbe is with us now more than before. He can see us now in our own house and in our own business and yes he sees who lines his Kapote. Doesn’t sound too terrible but would you do it if the Rebbe was here in 770??
To see the lame comments that people will leave for this article…!
I wonder what the brave men of avrechim hadogim letovas a shchune will say!
I can’t wait…!