Gender Neutral Suiting Comes to Texas
Queer-owned Sharpe Suiting wants to ungender fashion
By Kayla Meier, 6:35PM, Tue. Nov. 26, 2019
Houston, we have gender-neutral suiting! A month ago, the city three hours to our south was granted the gift of Sharpe Suiting. The Los Angeles-based gender-neutral suit company has opened its first central region location, and we’re excited.
Sharpe Suiting, launched in 2013, creates all-inclusive bespoke suiting to fit each and every customer’s unique shape and style – gender identity, gender presentation, and sexual orientation be damned! Aside from Houston, Sharpe can be found in L.A., Chicago, Tampa, and Charlotte. Marcia Alvarado, Sharpe’s marketing director, tells Qmmunity the company is confident that opening in Houston will prove gender-neutral fashion has a place in the Lone Star State.
Though making killer suits is one half of Sharpe's mission, the other half is about making sure their shoppers feel like the best versions of themselves every day. Simply stated: Clothing designed to fit bodies often ignored by mainstream fashion brands “gives you confidence,” says Alvarado. This is why the company prides itself on being run by an entirely LGBTQ team – because the people behind the fashion brand can identify with the complications associated with buying suits off-rack, which can prove difficult for queer bodies. As Alvarado explains: “Suiting in the men’s department follows a standard pattern” that often conflicts with the shapes of women, trans folks, and nonbinary bodies outside the cishet norm. Instead, Sharpe Suiting provides a way for any body not typically built for off-rack menswear to properly present how they hope to look in a suit, be it for a graduation, a wine and cheese night, or a wedding.
“It takes away the worried feeling of deciding if you should try the men’s or women’s section for a suit that can fit,” says Spencer Cantu, a trans Austinite. Cantu tells Qmmunity he’s excited about the suit company launching in our conservative state, calling it a huge move for Texas’ LGBTQmmunity. “We’re getting one step closer to being open to all types of bodies,” says Cantu. “It’s showing that not all bodies are the same or belong in only two categories.” This just so happens to be a goal of Sharpe Suiting. As Alvarado explains, the company is working to ungender fashion and move into a world where people can be treated with respect for wearing clothes that fit their identity.
In the coming months, Alvarado says Sharpe plans to release new products, including an engraved pocket watch to wear as a dapper accessory with their suits as well as luxury tees and additional accessories. Currently, Sharpe Suiting says they can fit any body type for two-piece suits, three-piece suits, overcoats, and shirts.
Although Houston is still a three-hour drive from Austin, Sharpe’s Texas launch means queers across the state will no longer need to consider hopping on a plane in order to search for the perfect suit – and can have a comfortable shopping experience while doing it.
Sharpe is currently accepting bookings for custom suit design sessions at Modern Affinity Bridal (828 FM 646, Ste E League City, TX. 77573). Visit Sharpe Suiting's bespoke website for more info and bookings.
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Sharpe Suiting, Marcia Alvarado, Spencer Cantu