Tailoring the Ideal Customer: A Methodological Framework for Buyer Persona Design in the Tailoring Industry

Amid rapid digital transformation and shifting consumption models, the tailoring industry faces a dual challenge: preserving its artisanal essence while adapting to the expectations of an increasingly digital-oriented clientele. This study introduces a methodological framework for designing buyer personas suited to the contemporary artisanal tailoring ecosystem, offering a structured approach to understanding modern consumer behavior within hybrid physical–digital environments. Using a mixed-methods design and Sastrería Jorge Ospina (Caicedonia, Colombia) as a case study, 378 online surveys—117 from current clients and 261 from potential clients—were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques (Pearson’s χ2, p < 0.05). Managerial priorities were concurrently assessed using a multi-criteria decision-making model (TOPSIS) with entropy-based weighting. The analysis identified two consumer archetypes: (1) the Classic Segment—mature clients motivated by tradition, loyalty, and reliability, who value tangible elegance and experiential craftsmanship; and (2) the Digital Segment—young consumers driven by aesthetic trends, convenience, and immediacy, who prioritize online interaction and personalized digital consumption. TOPSIS results highlighted older men (Cᵢ = 1.000) and young women (Cᵢ = 0.870) as the most strategically valuable customer groups. These findings redefine the post-digital tailoring consumer as a hybrid entity guided by artisanal value, hyper-personalization, and digital engagement.