Perry Ellis: The Cool Cat Who Redefined American Style

From khakis and Topsiders to runway-ready sportswear, Perry Ellis proved that American style fashion could be comfortable, timeless, and effortlessly cool.

Designer Perry Ellis with models in Portfolio by Perry Ellis Fall 1978 Ready to Wear Advance  Fairchild Archive

Y’all know I love diving into fashion history, and today we’re talking about a man who completely changed the game: Perry Ellis. If you’ve ever thrown on a crisp shirt that feels like it’s been in your closet forever—in the best way possible—you have Ellis to thank. He was the visionary behind making American style sportswear not just wearable, but iconic.

Back in the late ‘70s, Perry Ellis was running his fashion house like the calmest storm you’ve ever seen. Imagine his office filled with sketches, fabric bolts, and assistants running around in chaos—and there’s Perry, casually spooning vanilla yogurt, smiling like nothing could rattle him. People who worked with him swore they never saw him lose his cool. That effortless calm? It showed up in his clothes too.

Perry Ellis with models wearing dresses with knee-high socks from his spring 1980 rtw collection.

His designs were all about making everyday clothes feel special—the shirt that fits just right, the jacket with perfect pocket length, the cotton that feels soft but strong. He didn’t believe in fuss or flash. Instead, he brought a little humor and playfulness into fashion, like pairing galoshes and rolled socks with leggings on the runway. He wanted clothes to feel like “old friends” in your closet.

Other designers admired him too. Oscar de la Renta called his clothes “wonderfully American,” and Ralph Lauren praised him for developing a style that was all his own. Even French fashion insiders thought his work had global potential because it looked different from anything else out there.

Perry Ellis Spring 1983 ready to wear runway show and ambience.

But Perry Ellis wasn’t just about the clothes—he was about the vibe. He was shy, private, and valued his downtime. When he wasn’t designing, he was jogging through Central Park, tending plants in his Upper West Side brownstone, or sneaking away to Fire Island. He liked entertaining close friends, never craved Studio 54-level attention, and even dabbled in seeing a psychic who predicted his success (and let’s be real, the psychic was spot on).

What made Ellis so special was that he wasn’t trying to chase trends or shock people. He designed for reality—comfortable, timeless, refined pieces that still had personality. As he once said, “Clothes can never make a woman; they only support something inside her.” That right there? Pure Perry wisdom.

Portrait of Perry Ellis in his NYC showroom and studio, 1986.

Looking back, Perry Ellis wasn’t just designing clothes—he was building a whole new language for American style. A little sporty, a little classic, always approachable, and forever cool. Honestly, the man was a vibe before “vibe” was even a thing.