Amory man's traditional clothing line makes Christmas shopping easier
There's always one Christmas gift for men that's never a bad choice.
With that in mind, there is a native Mississippian giving the world options.
Stephen Powell of Amory has created Classic Fella, a clothing line that features traditional old-style underwear, socks, tank tops, and Oxford shirts and walking shorts.
Being a maker of fine men's clothes is not a dream Powell always had.
Powell, an Ole Miss and UMMC School of Medicine graduate, has begun this new venture that's a side hustle to his job as a hospitalist at Baptist Memorial in Oxford and several hospitals in Atlanta.
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However, becoming a designer of fine men's clothes became a dream after graduating and realizing that dressing for success begins with the very first things a man puts on in the morning.
He began developing the concept of Classic Fella in spring of 2021. From there, he said he found a consultant, Rebecca Blair, from New York City with a Mississippi connection to help him refine his plan and his vision. That also helped him connect with others in the industry including experts in Italy where Classic Fella would eventually be made.
"When I was looking for the clothes that fit the type of man I was trying to become, there weren't a lot of things out there," said Powell, 34. "Most of the traditional underwear that you might find in a department store had not been updated in a long, long time. Some of the updated brands of underwear, I found, were more specific and didn't fit what I was looking for. So that left me with this opportunity."
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Powell is now combining his two dreams to work two careers, neither of them remotely like the other. He has been very meticulous with the clothing design, fabrics, colors. He has a reason for everything. He saw a gap in the men's underwear market for guys who desire more classic brands than what's commercially available.
He worked with many contacts in the clothing industry and designed a product that he is proud of. His clothing line, which debuted online in June, is now doing well.
Classic Fella intends to propose a fresh perspective, offering beautifully made garments with exceptional value and timeless, modern style.
"Stateside, there are a couple of European brands that would be competitors, but we have everything we need right now," Powell said.
While the entire line is online at the moment, he said that he will re-evaluate after the first of the year and may have some opportunities to get his product into brick and mortar stores around the country.
"We will see," Powell said. "I don't want to jump the gun. I want to be smart. There are options out there for us, but we will see how all of that goes."
Powell's brand fits into what he calls "the entry designer sector of the marketplace." Classic Fella offers tees, button-downs and trousers ranging from $65-$180. The foundation of the brand, iconic undergarments, range from $22-$50.
He says he expects the brand to most appeal to a portion of the marketplace that prefers classic, timeless design that range from 30-45 years of age, but says will appeal to "men of style across all generations."
"I see Classic Fella as the coolest guy in the room, classic, sophisticated, educated, approachable, charismatic, tells a clean joke, rows crew, loves his mom and admires his dad," Powell said. "Being a kid from small-town Mississippi, I have had great people to work with and great people to help lead in the right direction."
Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or at 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Amory doctor has growing clothing line of classic, timeless menswear
