Le Mans Haberdashers: The First Black Men’s Luxury Retailer in NYC

Who: Carl Davis, Kermith Morgan and Ernest Floore, owners

What: Le Mans Haberdashers

Where: West 95th and Amsterdam

Le Mans Haberdashers, owned and operated by Kermith Morgan, Carl Davis and Ernest Floore, opened its doors on Oct. 10, 1968. The store was the first-of-its-kind Black-owned menswear business supported by Americans Progressing Together and the MRA (Men’s Retail Association). Larry Philips, then-president of Phillips-Van Heusen and also a supporter, insisted that the industry do more than just talk about creating opportunities for Black designers and retailers to enter the menswear market.

Located on New York’s Upper West Side, Le Mans was a full-service men’s retailer with customers that included Black politicians and celebrities. Le Mans offered a combination of American labels like Van Heusen and Oleg Cassini, along with merchandise directly imported from Europe, to a clientele willing to indulge. As noted in WWD’s then-sister publication the Daily News Record (DNR), the average consumer spent upward of $1,000 in a single shopping spree during the store’s heyday.

In 1977, the owners introduced Le Mans Designs Inc., a contemporary men’s tailored suit and sports coat collection designed by Davis. The line would eventually be distributed to other retailers including J.L. Hudson of Chicago and was awarded the Harvey’s Bristol Creme Black Designers Award for menswear. That same year, Le Mans fell victim to the New York City blackout, losing most of its inventory to looters. The incident led the owners to reconsider reopening the store.

While Le Mans’ historic timeline was aptly covered in the press, it may not be known to fashion enthusiasts today. But from 1968 to 1977 it was, as Carl Davis told DNR, “the best store on the West
Side.”

“Le Mans was elegant and made you feel like it was ‘for us by us.’ When I first went into the store it was then the coolest most unique menswear store I had ever been to. It was what Barneys and Charivari were in later years. They even had a buzzer to let you in.” — Brian Lane, menswear designer and illustrator.