Born in Portsmouth, Virginia to a middle-class family, Perry Edwin Ellis is one of the most successful fashion designers in today’s modern age. His family supported their fuel company and raised him comfortably. In Williamsburg, Virginia, he studied Business Administration. He later applied that knowledge to manage his fashion company.
Perry Ellis discovered his passion for fashion while running his department store in Virginia. The company was established by Perry Ellis to get experience as a buyer or merchandiser in fashion.
He joined John Meyer’s sportswear business in New York as a way to get the best experience. He was approached by the Vera Companies in 1970s to create designs for their company. Perry Ellis created his first line of women’s sportswear in 1976, a brand he named the Portfolio.
The Portfolio has been praised by both fashion consumers and critics as being one of the best sportswear designers. He is loved by women because he creates his own designs with a casual, clean-cut style. Perry Ellis International was his first fashion house, which he founded with The Vera Companies. New York City’s Seventh Avenue was the first location of his showroom.
He created a menswear line that was successful in the international market months after Ellis released his casually styled sportswear. The product was considered a classic design and appearance by the critics. The collection featured shoes, furs and perfumes.
Perry Ellis International continued its expansion throughout the 1980s. Perry Ellis International continued to expand throughout the 1980s. The company formed a partnership with Levi Strauss in 1984. After the portfolio line was amended one year later, 1986 saw an increase of approximately $250 million in product revenue.
After Perry’s sudden death, the House of Perry Ellis was handed over to Robert L. McDonald (a close friend of Ellis) in 1986. Marc Jacobs, a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, assumed the role as Perry Ellis’ fashion designer. Jacobs, who started his own label in 1993 was also the one who went on to become the Paris head of House Louis Vuitton.
Perry Ellis International underwent several changes in its management. Manhattan Industries was sold to Perry Ellis International, the Salant. They were the ones who purchased Ellis House, a Miami-based textile company in 1999. Other companies were also purchased by the company, including Original Penguin and Ping, which was acquired in 2003.
All the famous Perry Ellis fashion products are still being produced today by the House of Perry Ellis. Expect huge expansions as more people become interested in Perry Ellis’ fantastic collections.