There was a time not long ago when artisans would begin their apprentice training at six or seven years old. Mike Vonella was such a person. At the age of seven he began by doing odd jobs in the tailor shop, sweeping floors, running errands, doing whatever needed doing. Slowly he was introduced to needle and thread. He learned about the subtleties of fabric, the geometry of the physical body and, at the age of sixteen, made his first complete suit.

As an adolescent, Mike refined his craft in Switzerland. In 1966, he brought his talents to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, a ten minute ride from Detroit.

After 36 years in Windsor, Mike Vonella is the last Master Tailor in the region. His suits, sport coats, pants and jackets are worn by executives and movie stars, by locals and people as far away as California and Las Vegas. "I'm very happy to be a tailor. It is a difficult art to learn, to be a true tailor, fitting people according to their body. It's an art you never stop learning. The real art of tailoring lies in making all my clients, young, old, physically fit, physically challenged, look their best. All our suits have my name on them."