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Celebrity tailor Fresh talks style, Draymond Green, Joel Embiid, Iman and more
‘I want to make sure that they understand that this is not the mall’
On any given game night, pregame struts into large arenas showcase athletes in the latest fashion. From Draymond Green to Joel Embiid, many athletes include pieces from custom tailor Patrick Henry, known to the fashion world as Fresh.
“Richfresh — my business — is all one word,” he said. “I try to view this as art and I just create art under that name, ‘Richfresh’ and that’s it. Everything is custom. Everything is very one of a kind, very unique, very specific. It fits a certain way. It makes people feel rich and fresh when they’re wearing it.
Celebrity Tailor RichFresh has a brand that keeps growing.
Courtesy of RichFresh
“I’ve got a unique perspective and my clothes fit great, so [athletes and celebrities] are like, ‘Man, I ain’t going to go to the mall when this dude can make them clothes perfect.’ ”
The self-taught designer first picked up a needle and thread when he was 13. He attended the University of Memphis for a year before opening an alterations shop in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. At 20, he moved to Los Angeles.
The Undefeated caught up with Fresh to talk about his start in fashion, celebrity clients and what’s next.
How did you get started?
I got started in the clothing business as a kid. When I was 13, I was living in Little Rock and I got the sense in those things. I taught myself how to sew over time, until I was 18. By the time high school was up, I made it up in my mind that I liked fashion, I liked the idea of fashion and what it could be, and that I wanted to do that.
Which athletes do you fit now?
Right now, I’ve got a nice relationship with Draymond Green and Joel Embiid. I’ve got a really good relationship with Aroldis Chapman, he’s a pitcher for the Yankees. I’ve got Deshaun Watson, quarterback for the Houston Texans. I’ve got so many guys. I’ve got Kenny Stills of Miami. I’ve got Malik Jackson with Jacksonville. I’ve got a cat who plays for the Rams. I’ve got so many players.
What clients do you have in the entertainment industry?
Terrence J [actor and TV talk show correspondent] is a new client, I’ve got Anthony Anderson [black-ish], G-Eazy [rapper]. I’ve got Belly [rapper], Maxwell [rhythm and blues]. Oh, my God, I’m going to forget somebody. They’re going to get upset. PJ Morton [musician] with Maroon 5. I’ve got the people I can’t name yet because I just have to wait until music videos and releases.
How did you start working with celebrities?
I just knew that that was a market that I want to tap into. I didn’t want to be the economical guy that you shop with because he was priced cheaper than the other people. I started just branding myself as a celebrity tailor before I even had any celebrities.
Then stylists started paying attention. … Once you get one stylist, and you do a great job, that stylist has more clients and that stylist has other friends who are stylists and your name just circulates in that community, and people know that, A. They know you operate with integrity. B. You’ve got a good product. Next thing you know, you become kind of the go-to.
What are the price ranges?
Suits start at $3,000. The handbags I do start at around $2,500. The trousers I do, those cool track pants are like $900 to $1,000. I want to make sure that they understand that this is not the mall.
Do you tailor for women?
I do, but not much. My market is 90 percent men, 10 percent women, but I do have some women clients who are really dope. I don’t do dresses, so I do suiting. But I’ll do a suit and I’ll build it off a woman. Like Iman, supermodel, entrepreneur, she’s the widow of David Bowie, she’s a good client of mine. She gets a lot of pieces from me. Rima Fakih, she’s Miss Lebanon. She’s a really strong client.
How many people are on your team?
I got about a dozen people on my team. From production to assistant management to dope assistants. All of my production happens in Los Angeles. I oversee everything that I produce, from the shirts to the bags to the suits. I have my eyes and my hands on everything. I’m a control freak. It’s my product.
What are some of your goals?
We’re launching the e-commerce … in the next couple weeks. I’ve got a number of pop-ups that I’m planning throughout Los Angeles … Just developing the brand more. Having more products, doing cooler pieces, getting real specific, doing a lot of painting on pieces, beading precious stones on pieces. I’m really getting it intricate and ultraluxurious as possible.