Amid dapperly dressed mannequins, fabric books and contemporary art, one striking feature dominates Jason Sarai’s Gastown showroom in Vancouver: a wall. Framed photos of clients in his custom creations climb from floor to ceiling, showcasing weddings, milestone birthdays, awards nights. One stands out: Grammy award-winning crooner Michael Bublé, a longtime client who Sarai has outfitted in more than 50 bespoke suits, including looks for international tours and television specials with Jimmy Fallon.
The 4,000-square-foot Sarai Bespoke space feels like someone’s well-appointed home. There’s plush seating, a bar where he can mix you up a killer negroni and an unhurried atmosphere designed to signal that what’s being sold here isn’t just clothing, it’s a bespoke experience. “Luxury is doing something the right way—taking time,” Sarai says. “Most clients aren’t chasing trends. They want timeless pieces.”
That philosophy wasn’t born in fashion. Sarai’s first ambition was professional sport. A standout NCAA Division I soccer player, he was picked up by Wolverhampton in England before a string of knee injuries, including two torn ACLs, sidelined that dream. Long hours in physiotherapy nudged him toward kinesiology at SFU. After graduating, Sarai joined Innovative Fitness in South Surrey and White Rock. There, he discovered something that would quietly shape every future career move: successful professionals are willing to outsource their health, and they value trust as much as results. “I was always more about the relationship,” he says. “Really building a rapport and a friendship.”
That insight carried him into an unlikely next chapter. Right before global markets collapsed in 2008, Sarai entered the wealth management sector as an advisor with RBC Dominion Securities. While the commission-only pay structure and high failure rate could have fazed him, Sarai leaned into his connections with his clients. In the downturned market, instead of cold calling folks for new business, he started throwing lavish yet unorthodox events he knew would appeal to his well-heeled prospects.
“We’d bring in high net worth people: sell some art, parties at the horse races before Deighton Cup, dressing up, not knowing I was ever gonna do a lifestyle business,” he says, emphasizing that he prioritized culture over the transactional nature of banking and wealth management. “I was finding unique ways to get in front of people.”
But while the investment business was growing, his heart was no longer in it. Five years in, he faced a familiar question: was success about staying the course or choosing work he actually loved? The aha moment arrived, unexpectedly, from the film Crazy, Stupid, Love. Clips of Ryan Gosling’s impeccably dressed style-mentor character kept landing in his inbox. “I saw the opportunity,” Sarai recalls.
The rise of Instagram proved a low-risk outlet to showcase his creative vision. After testing his consulting service on his brother, in 2014 Sarai went all in by launching an entire clothing collection of 13 pieces, ranging from suiting to sport coats, selling it under the label Sarai Bespoke at the boutique Baracos and Brand in West Vancouver. “It allowed me to step into the world of design,” he says. Style by Sarai Consulting launched full time in 2016.
Operations that started in a 150-square-foot, one-room fitting space now occupy nearly an entire floor, with Sarai knocking down walls between units at the Dominion Building as operations grew—while laying out plans to expand even further in the future. Clothing offerings range from one-of-a-kind wedding outfits to full wardrobes (with 20,000 fabric choices) for CEOs, execs, founders and public speakers—high net worth clients who value discretion and efficiency as much as aesthetics.
“I took what I learned from fitness and finance,” Sarai says. “You learn someone’s story, where they want to go; you build a plan and everything is built on trust.”
His clients share two things: limited time and appreciation for quality. Initial appointments can last 90 minutes or more but the emphasis is more on conversation than cloth as they get to know each other. The goal is building repeat, long-term clientele. Most already are. Now, 12 years into bespoke garments and 14 years into style consulting, Sarai has created thousands of pieces, works with renowned Italian and English mills and travels around the world for client appointments and men’s fashion weeks, including Pitti Uomo and Milan. “You have to be there,” he says.
For anyone considering a career pivot, Sarai’s advice is direct: be honest about what you need and design your environment accordingly. “You can do anything if you’re all in,” he says. “It would take a lot for me to leave this. I love it.”
