Decatur Tailor By Ronnie Thomas Decatur, Alaabama, July 2003: At 17, as a high school student in Queens, N.Y., Carl Winston Smith charged $25 to make a pair of pants and thought he was rich. Years later, while living in Harvest and working at Sid's Tailoring Shop in Huntsville, the Trinidad native realized how expensive his stitches could be when Little Richard came to town to perform at Big Spring Jam. The self-proclaimed "Architect of Rock 'n' Roll" had left two of his favorite shirts in California and needed replacements for his next concert stop in Memphis. An associate called Sid's, looking for a quick turnaround. The owner, Sidney Hutchinson, passed the challenge to his energetic employee. Smith sent the fellow to Hancock Fabrics for the gold and silver material and arrived at the singer's room that evening to take measurements. He found Richard Wayne "Little Richard" Penniman of Macon, Ga., with his hair down, relaxing in sweats. "He described to me the kind of shirts he wanted, and I sketched them out," Smith said. "I went home and told my wife, Yanique, what I was doing and she became quite excited." He stayed up all night, cutting the patterns and making the shirts, and delivered them the next morning by 10. "These are beautiful!" Little Richard said. "How much?" "Since this is my first time doing stuff for you, you tell me what they're worth," Smith replied. The singer handed him $300 per shirt and told him how much he appreciated the effort. "And I'm going to make you one of my designers," he said. That's how Smith, 47, who opened C. Winston Smith Bespoke Tailoring in Decatur on Second Avenue Southeast in January, earned a start in becoming a tailor to the stars. His next boost came in 1995 when Eufaula native Martha Reeves of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas came to Huntsville to be inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in ceremonies at the Von Braun Center. Smith told co-workers at Sid's that he was going to make her his client. "They laughed. I told them to give me an hour." Speaking authoritatively, he phoned her hotel and asked for Reeves. "We haven't met, but let me tell you what I can do for you," he said. The singer, regarded as one of the greatest talents of the Motown era, replied, "Come and see me." Smith took his laptop computer, on which he does all his designs, and showed her sketches. "How did you know I needed a designer?" she asked. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," he said. He made her a dress in one day and became not only her and the group's designer, but also the man in charge of wardrobe, often traveling with them to concerts and making alterations in his motel suite. Smith's client list grew. He made a vest and bow tie for Reginald VelJohnson, who starred on the long-running television series, "Family Matters," to wear at an awards ceremony. Sonny Hatchett of The Ink Spots called and is interested in having Smith do work for them, along with The Spinners. Smith, who previously operated shops in Raleigh, N.C., and Scottsboro, said former mayor Julian Price drew him to Decatur. "He came to Sid's for some alterations and wanted to know if I'd make him some custom suits," he said. "I met him in his office to take measurements, and looking out his window, I discovered how beautiful Decatur is." Smith also makes shirts and suits for several lawyers in town. "A dress shirt, like the one I'm wearing, is $145," he said. "But I've worn it for seven years." His suits normally start at $1,500, but "if you want it tomorrow, it's going to cost you close to $10,000." Reeves thinks he's worth every cent. Speaking from her Detroit home, she said Smith not only "is a very close friend, but a splendid designer and an exceptional tailor. You're lucky to have him in Decatur. I wish I had him here, to make it a little more convenient." She said that even when her dress sizes change drastically around Thanksgiving and Christmas, it doesn't make any difference to him. "He still makes me look good." Reeves, 61, and her group maintain a busy concert schedule. "We'll next appear April 25 in Euless, Texas," she said. "And you can bet I'll be wearing one of Carl's creations."