Carmen Odom

The Fabric of Success: The Inspiring Story of Carmen Odom, Charleston's Premier Personal Clothier

Carmen Odom. Portrait by Paolo Ciccone, Charleston SC. Copyright Paolo Ciccone 2023

Five years ago, if anyone had suggested that Carmen would become a full-time, commission-only professional clothier, she might have met the prediction with disbelief. Historically, she had never been one to place her bets on herself, leaning more towards being a cautious planner than a risk-taker. It wasn't until her time at Clemson University that the allure of sales began to draw her in. Upon graduating in December of 2020, she made a significant leap, moving to Charleston in January 2021 to embark on a new career with The Tom James Company.

At 22, Carmen made the daring move to the Lowcountry, bet on herself, and plunged headfirst into the world of custom clothing. She flourished in her role as a professional clothier, private tailor, and personal wardrobe consultant. Her workdays were filled with fabrics, measurements, tailoring chalk, considerable travel, but most importantly, a diverse array of fascinating individuals.

Carmen's primary mission as a professional clothier is to save people time.

She caters to busy professionals in the greater Charleston area, taking on the task of shopping for them and freeing them from the hassle. Her clients usually include those too busy to shop, those who dislike the process, or individuals struggling to find off-the-rack fits. She manages their wardrobes, allowing them more time for their families and businesses.

Her services extend to the convenience of her clients' homes or offices, where she helps them curate custom wardrobes tailored to their personal and professional lives. She takes between 30 and 40 measurements from her clients and creates custom clothing, ranging from suits, blazers, and dresses to shirts, jeans, and shorts. Once the clothes are created at one of the four custom tailoring shops owned and operated by Tom James, Carmen hand delivers each item to her client, continuing the cycle.

Although working with luxury custom clothing is fascinating, Carmen finds the most incredible aspect of her career to be the opportunity to engage with the movers and shakers of the Lowcountry. She serves a wide array of clients from business owners, attorneys, physicians, investors, to developers, each bringing different backgrounds, experiences, and wisdom. At the young age of 24, she values the opportunity to listen to and learn from men and women who are both impressively wise and remarkably successful.

It is this everyday learning and experiences that make Carmen love being a professional tailor. She is profoundly grateful for the risk she took on The Tom James Company and the risk they took in return by hiring her. Always and forever, she remains deeply appreciative.

Because of all this, Carmen is a Lowcountry influential. 

Carmen can be reached at c.odom@tomjames.com.