{{Short description|American clothing company}} {{Infobox company | name = Sharpe Suiting | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | type = Private | industry = Manufacturing, Fashion | genre = Genderqueer fashion | fate = Active | founded = {{Start date and age|2013}} in Los Angeles, California | founder = Leon Elias Wu | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Los Angeles, CA | hq_location_country = United States | num_locations = 5 | num_locations_year = 2020 | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Leon Wu <small>(Founder and CEO)</small><br>Antonio Soto <small>(Creative Director)</small><br>Marcia Alvarado <small>(Director of Marketing)</small> | products = Tailored suits, Formal wear | num_employees = 10-50 | num_employees_year = 2020 | website = {{URL|sharpesuiting.com}} | footnotes = }}
'''Sharpe Suiting''' is an American designer, producer and manufacturer of garments based in Los Angeles, California.<ref name =":2">{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/maternity-wear-lingerie-suiting-emerge-lgbtq-trans-community/story?id=30557509 |title=Maternity Wear, Lingerie and Suiting Emerge for LGBTQ, Trans Community |last=Prisco |first=Joanna |date= 2015-04-27|work=ABC News |access-date= 2020-07-30|quote=}}</ref> The company was founded in 2013, in Los Angeles, by Leon Elias Wu, who is the current CEO of the company.{{cn|date=November 2023}} Sharpe suiting is a public-benefit corporation recognized for gender neutral clothing and genderqueer fashion.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sharpe-suiting-kickstarter_n_6171912?ri18n=true |title=Sharpe Suiting To Design Clothing For Butch, Androgynous And Masculine-Of-Center Individuals |last=Nichols |first=James |date=2014-11-17 |website= huffingtonpost.com|publisher=HuffPost |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref>
==History==
=== 2009–2014 === In 2009, while traveling abroad to China during business school, Leon Wu, a transgender man from Los Angeles, conceptualized a company that focused on formal wear designs for butch lesbians and trans men.{{cn|date=November 2023}} He founded Sharpe Suiting in 2013. Initially, Sharpe Suiting was incorporated as a custom tailor for bespoke and made-to-measure suits which were designed for feminine bodies. In his 2015 interview with HuffPost, Wu said that he felt that "[bridging] the gap between male and female clothing is going to have a large social impact in that it defines the acceptance of queer identities, as well as advancing gender equality in the larger straight community".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sharpe-suiting-fabrications_n_7046742?ri18n=true |title=FABRICATIONS: Meet Queer Fashion Designer Leon Wu Of Sharpe Suiting |last=Nichols |first=James Michael |date=2015-04-12 |website=huffingtonpost.com |publisher=HuffPost US |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref>
Wu launched a Kickstarter campaign for a ready-to-wear line of genderqueer clothing in October 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.out.com/fashion/truman-says/2014/10/29/fund-ready-wear-suits-butch-women |title=Fund This: Ready-to-Wear Suits For Butch Women |last=McDonald |first=James |date=2014-10-29 |website= out.com|publisher=Out Magazine |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref> The clothing line was based on a trademarked system called ''Andropometrics''. The ''Andropometrics'' is a term coined by Wu. The concept of ''Andropometrics'' is based on the body measurements and metrics taken from over 250 of his clients, both male and female. The resulting measurements were used to create suits which fit people of all sizes and genders. The Kickstarter campaign raised over $69,387 in funding by the start of 2015.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fernandez |first=Chantal|date=2015-01-16 |title=How One Custom Suit Brand Is Elevating Queer Fashion |url=https://fashionista.com/2015/01/sharpe-suiting-queer-fashion |access-date=2020-07-30 |website=fashionista.com |publisher=Fashionista |quote=}}</ref>
=== 2015–2019 === In 2015, Sharpe Suiting designed a custom suit for Claudetteia Love, then-seventeen, after she successfully contested her school's policy against allowing women to wear suits to prom.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/news/education/2015/04/24/designer-makes-prom-special-for-love/26333713/ |title=Designer makes prom special for Love |last=Croft |first=Margaret |date=2015-04-25 |website= tennessean.com|publisher=The Tennessean|access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref> Sharpe Suiting partnered with fashion designer Nik Kacy to launch "Love Fellowship", which offered free bespoke prom attire and footwear to help students express their gender identities at prom.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pride.com/need-know/2015/04/15/louisiana-lesbian-told-wear-dress-now-gets-custom-tux-prom |title=Louisiana Lesbian Told to Wear a Dress Now Gets a Custom Tux for Prom |last=Baume |first=Matt |date=2015-04-15 |website=pride.com |publisher=Pride Publishing |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref>
From 2015 to 2017, Sharpe Suiting experienced significant growth in its revenue. Between 2018 and 2019, the company increased their revenue by 240%. By the end of 2019, the Sharpe Suiting experienced 175% of growth in company's revenue.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollysprayregen/2019/08/31/the-team-at-sharpe-suiting--believes-people-of-all-genders-have-the-right-to-a-great-suit/#317ce3692ab8|title=The Team At Sharpe Suiting Believes People Of All Genders Have The Right To A Great Suit |last=Sprayregen |first=Molly |date= 2019-08-31|work=Forbes |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref>
The company's customer base includes members of the LGBT community as well as allies. As of June 2020, Sharpe Suiting had locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa, Florida, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Houston.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/qmmunity/2019-11-26/gender-neutral-suiting-comes-to-texas/ |title= Gender Neutral Suiting Comes to Texas, Queer-owned Sharpe Suiting wants to ungender fashion|last= Meier|first= Kayla|date=2019-11-26 |website=austinchronicle.com |publisher= The Austin Chronicle |access-date= 2020-07-30|quote=}}</ref> The company has been modeled at queer fashion shows such as Queer Fashion Week in Oakland, California and Dapper Q's 1st, 3rd and 6th Annual runway at the Brooklyn Museum during the 2014, 2016 and 2019 New York Fashion Weeks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/fashion-and-trends/queer-style-kicks-off-ny-fashion-week-with-inclusive-show/story-TaaXUGEDNj7q6iMngbvhXK.html |title=New York Fashion Week 2020: Queer style kicks off NYFW with inclusive show |agency=Associated Press |date=2019-09-07 |website=hindustantimes.com |publisher=Hindustan Times |access-date= 2020-07-30|quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://gomag.com/article/dapperq_is_queering_nyfw1/|title=DapperQ is Queering NYFW|last=Werder |first=Corinne |date=2016-09-09 |website=gomag.com |publisher=Go Magazine |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref> Sharpe Suiting has been a part of Los Angeles Fashion Week catwalks since 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-equality-fashion-week-20181009-story.html|title=At Equality Fashion Week, six LGBTQ+ designers put style in all its many forms on display |last=Jackson |first= Leigh-Ann |date=2018-10-19 |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date= 2020-07-30|quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2019-10-16/unity-equality-fashion-week-show-brings-together-fashion-and-celebrates-lgbtq-designers-and-brands|title=Unity: Equality Fashion Week celebrates inclusive brands and LGBTQ designers |last=Hornik |first=Susan |date=2019-10-16 |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date= 2020-07-30|quote=}}</ref>
==Operations== Leon Wu is the current CEO of Sharpe Suiting and Maria Alvarado is the company's Director of Marketing. Antonio Soto is the Lead Designer and Creative Director at the company. Sharpe Suiting is a public-benefit corporation with specific focus on the benefits to support LGBTQ community, women and people of color through charitable channels.{{cn|date=November 2023}} The corporate culture at the company has been featured in media worldwide including Huffington Post, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, etc.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fashion-blurs-gender-lines-1447881799 |title=Fashion Blurs Gender Lines |last=Binkley |first=Christina |date=2015-11-18 |website=wsj.com |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2020-07-30 |quote=}}</ref> The designs by Sharpe Suiting have made appearances at public events including The Oscars, Emmys and Cannes Film Festivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://studybreaks.com/culture/sharpe-suiting/ |title= Sharpe Suiting Is a Step Forward for the LGBTQ+ Community|last=John |first= Grace|date=2018-04-29 |website=studybreaks.com |publisher=Study Breaks |access-date= 2020-07-30|quote=}}</ref> In late 2016, the company moved from Los Angeles Fashion District to their current location in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard.{{cn|date=November 2023}}
== See also == * LGBT-owned business
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://sharpesuiting.com/ Official website]
Category:Clothing companies established in 2013 Category:LGBTQ culture in Los Angeles Category:Clothing companies based in Los Angeles Category:LGBTQ-owned businesses in the United States Category:2013 establishments in California