07/31/2025
Whenever someone finds out I made the suit Derek Jeter wore the night they retired his number at Yankee Stadium, they all remember exactly what it looked like. They all want that suit. The “Jeter Blue” suit.
A few years after I moved to New York City, I started my custom clothing business. All of my clients were and still are referrals. One day I got an email from a stylist who said she had a “ball player” looking for a custom suit. I reached out to a guy named Derek, and we set up an appointment at his place in the West Village. I told my wife I was meeting a professional basketball player. She asked his name. “Derek Jeter,” I said. She gave me the look. “First of all, Derek Jeter is a baseball player. One of the greatest of all time. America’s sweetheart. A true legend.” At the time, I knew next to nothing about American sports.
When I met Derek, he was everything you hope a legend would be…modest, kind, personable, and cool. The first custom suit I made him was a light grey wool flannel with a white shirt. Over the years, he explored his personal style and we added both casual and formal pieces to his wardrobe. He’s incredibly elegant and wears clothing beautifully, a designer’s dream. A few years into our relationship he asked me to make his wedding tuxedo and tuxedos for all his groomsmen. He and his future wife Hannah chose a timeless black tuxedo with black satin peak lapels. The fact that his groomsmen were lifelong friends, some since childhood, says everything about the kind of person Derek is…grounded, loyal, and real.
In May 2017, when the Yankees retired his #2 jersey at Yankee Stadium, Derek once again asked me to make his suit. We talked through the options, and I showed him a vibrant blue wool-silk fabric with a subtle sheen. It was bold, confident, and perfect for the moment. Derek walked onto the field beside his beautiful wife Hannah, both of them looking radiant. He gave a moving, unscripted speech, three minutes of grace, humility, and heartfelt thanks to his family, the fans, and the Yankee organization. It was quintessential Derek.
I’m proud to have dressed Derek for such meaningful milestones in his life. That bold blue suit, chosen for a moment of legacy, has had a lasting impact. It’s inspired many of my clients to embrace color with confidence and rethink what it means to stand out with style.
