Mansawear

Mansawear is a custom clothing boutique at 367 Park Avenue in Rochester, NY, founded by designer Nita Brown around 2014. Brown, who grew up in Ghana as the daughter of a diplomat, studied history at Columbia University and earned an MBA in International Management from Georgetown University before working in corporate finance at Eastman Kodak Co. The boutique is named after Brown's grandmother, Nana Mansa — a birth-order name in Akan (Ashanti Twi) given to the third consecutive girl born to the same mother.

Mansawear specializes in custom-made garments that blend Ghanaian textile traditions with American silhouettes. The process starts with customers selecting a style from Brown's collection of classic designs, then choosing from hundreds of colorful cotton fabrics. After providing measurements, customers receive a tailored, fully lined garment in approximately four weeks. Specific offerings include:

• Custom dresses, tunics, jackets, and coats
• Ready-to-wear pieces
• Jewelry, headwear, and socks
• Menswear
• Collaborative items such as Gateways Music Festival signature scarves

The garments use tightly woven cotton, feature side pockets on select pieces, and are machine-washable. Brown emphasizes construction techniques — full lining and precise tailoring — that are uncommon in mass-produced clothing.

Mansawear has maintained a presence on Rochester's Park Avenue for over a decade, building a following around made-to-measure garments with Ghanaian-sourced fabrics and clean, simple silhouettes. Custom jackets are a particularly popular category. The boutique also serves customers nationally through its online Shopify store. Beyond retail, Brown has used the business for community initiatives, including a 10th-anniversary benefit that raised $7,000 for a maternal health facility in Yabi, Ghana, and a donation of 200 handmade beanies to the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.

The shop sits on Park Avenue between Goodman Street and Culver Road, in the heart of Rochester's Park Avenue neighborhood — a walkable commercial strip lined with independent boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. Street parking is available along Park Avenue and on adjacent side streets. Store hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Sunday visits available by appointment.