Features
Mitch Purgason (Appalachian State) grew up in the 1990s idolizing basketball legend Michael Jordan—not just for his on-court theatrics and ballet of ball handling, but for his entrances.
“I remember the first time I saw Jordan show up to a Chicago Bulls game with his signature gold earring and in a 2-piece suit,” said Purgason, who resides in Charlotte, N.C. “I realized you can be amazing at sports and dress cool.”
Two decades later, Purgason has built a portfolio brimming with unique designs that blur the lines between fashion and art. His creations are worn by numerous professional athletes, whose gameday walk-ups and signature styles often draw as much attention as the events themselves.
His company’s client list includes football stars Dak Prescott, Cooper Dejean, TJ Hockenson, George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, Christian McCaffrey, and Luke Kuechly; pro baseball players Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, and Jacob Wilson; pro basketball player Gordon Hayward; and NASCAR drivers Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Bubba Wallace.
His influence also extends into the C-suites of the corporate world, where he works with multiple Fortune 500 CEOs and executives across the country.
In 2024, Purgason was selected to design the blazer for Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and all past and future winners.
“To be chosen to design a blazer for an award given to so many people who have achieved such greatness in the sports world is an honor,” said Purgason of the Heisman commission’s selection.
Purgason built his brand through hard work and determination, but he also credits Sigma Nu mentors with helping launch his career. A single meeting with Past Regent John Hearn over a decade ago proved to be a turning point.
“One of the most important meetings I ever had was with John, who met with me when I was 21,” said Purgason. “He gave me tough love and professional advice I would not have considered if it weren’t for him.”
Kappa Epsilon alumnus Phil Graham, his first client in Charlotte, also provided valuable input on launching a start-up.
“Phil taught me to dream big and not let others put my ideas down,” Purgason said. “Phil was the perfect mentor—challenging me to get better while lighting a fire under me to keep going.”
Inspirations and Role Models
While sports icons like Michael Jordan showed Purgason how to make an impression through personal style, classic Hollywood shaped his fashion inspiration.
“During the holidays, my family watched vintage movies with actors like Cary Grant and Bing Crosby,” he said. “I liked how they carried themselves…always in a suit and tie…looking so clean, sophisticated, and cool.”
These icons from decades past inspired today’s “James Bond aesthetic,” Purgason added.
With an interest in fashion and an obsession with sports, he found a connection between the two passions in high school.
“The NBA changed their dress code to suits around the time I was being recruited to play basketball in college,” said Purgason. “I saw guys like Kobe, Lebron, Dwayne Wade dress up for games, and it piqued my interest to mix sports and fashion.”
His childhood dream was to play in the NBA. “Until my junior year of college, I never thought about another career,” said Purgason, who played two seasons of basketball at Appalachian State before injuries ended his dream of going pro.
The NBA’s loss became fashion’s gain. Within a decade, he was at the helm of his own company—now valued at $20 million—with a growing roster of clients. “We make everything by hand, the old school way, so if a client has a unique idea, we’re one of the few who can do it,” Purgason said of his company’s niche.
Suits and red-carpet attire are his staples, but Purgason can craft nearly anything a client imagines. “Everything I learned that was clothing/tailoring/manufacturing specific was self-taught…trial and error…and the school of hard knocks,” said Purgason, who first learned to sew and build patterns by watching YouTube videos.
He developed business contacts who helped him navigate the industry, including Jon Olin, founder of Ettain Group in Charlotte, and Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports, who continues to be a major influence in his life.
“Jon taught me that the pursuit of things you enjoy are the best businesses to be in,” said Purgason, “and Marcus and his wife Cassi have been pivotal to my development, and [serve as] ethical role models for me.”
A chance connection with Mark Cuban also taught him a valuable lesson about seizing opportunities. “My first boss in college was Mark Cuban from a cold email. I told him he was my business hero, he responded, I kept emailing him, and after proving myself by promoting and giving his app ‘Cyber Dust’ ideas, he flew me up to New York for the summer to run operations.”
Launching a Chapter and a Heisman connection
While Purgason’s career path may sound unconventional to some, it wasn’t for someone raised by “unconventional” parents.
“At 27, my dad picked up his life and moved to Africa, doing real estate development and mission work in Uganda and Kenya,” said Purgason, whose mother was an accomplished Off-Broadway set designer and a successful interior designer. “My parents set the standard for having faith in your convictions and being fearless and creative in what you pursue in life.”
His unconventional path led him to Sigma Nu in college, where he initially had no desire to “go Greek.”
“I had a good group of friends my freshman year at Appalachian State,” Purgason said. “We all played sports, hiked, fished, golfed, and a couple of us rushed fraternities.”
This small group realized their extended circle of 15 to 20 friends was more athletic and academically focused than the fraternity members they met during Rush—and just the right size to form their own pledge class.
“Tyler Andrews, whose dad was a Sigma Nu at North Georgia College, suggested we bring back Sigma Nu (Kappa Epsilon) as a chapter with our core group of friends,” Purgason said.
Going “against the grain” turned out to be the best decision.
“We were creating something of our own instead of joining a group,” said Purgason, who served a term as Commander.
This mindset helped as he shifted his career goals to business, taking classes in entrepreneurship and product design. His first business idea was launching a company that sold custom-made suits to college students.
“I [soon] realized it wasn’t the market I wanted, and decided to aim bigger,” said Purgason of his pivot to the sports world.
He clearly remembers the first custom item he sold: a $400 purple suit for Appalachian State football legend and future NFL wide receiver Armanti Edwards.
“It was in 2014 while I was still in college,” Purgason said. “He still has the suit, and we still keep in touch.”
Within four years of graduation, he would count Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle among his growing list of clients—both pivotal to the company’s early growth.
“George and his wife Claire have been among the biggest supporters of my company’s journey,“ Purgason said. “They are amazingly talented, gracious with their help, and I will forever be indebted to them.”
It was through Kittle’s marketing agent, Peter Raskin, that he was introduced to the directors of the Heisman Trust. A phone call to discuss the idea of custom blazers for the winners led to the commission, and six months later, the design was finalized.
The highlight reel and the reality
From the start, Purgason knew his idea for custom clothing was solid. But success takes more than a good idea. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one in five start-ups fail in the first year, and two-thirds close within 10 years.
“There was nothing crazy about my idea,” Purgason said. “What was hard was figuring out how to execute high-end luxury clothes consistently, and with last-minute requests.”
Most companies take six weeks or more to make a non-customized item. Purgason’s clients expect custom pieces delivered within five to seven days.
“I had to figure out how I could ‘hand make’ a top-quality product with little lead time, while not messing up the flow of other orders,” said Purgason, noting that a single item can take up to 50 hours to complete.
He figured it out, and by 2018, business was booming. But with boom, bust often lurks close behind. For Purgason, it came the following year in the form of a global pandemic.
“During Covid, I didn’t make a single sale for nine months,” said Purgason. “It was a dark time, and reminded me of when I started my company, couldn’t afford rent, and slept on friends’ couches.”
Covid humbled and reminded him that success can be gained and lost without warning. But it also reinforced his drive to seize opportunities.
“I craved to work during Covid, and that period reminded me how much I loved what I do,” Purgason said. “And how I would pursue my dream on an even greater scale once I got the opportunity.”
Heisman winners, inspiration, and the Olympic dream
The appeal of Purgason’s designs lies in their uniqueness. For athletes and celebrities, standing out is part of the game. Purgason never makes the same outfit twice, drawing inspiration from architecture, nature, and other designers and artists.
“I love using art to line suits and add hidden messages to the items that are significant to the person who ordered it,” Purgason said.
He points to the “Peaky Blinders” suit he made for McCaffrey; the jacket for Kittle lined with a graphic of the “Joker”; and the “lightning bolt-striped suit” for Josh Gordon, which was Purgason’s first viral item, garnering more than a million views on Instagram.
Each of Purgason’s garments is hand-stitched, allowing for customizations no other company can match. Being selected as the designer for the Heisman winner validated his techniques.
“It’s the most iconic award in American sports, and to have my name be a part of that history was extremely rewarding and humbling,” said Purgason, who was named to the 2022 class of Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30 North America.”
Still in his early 30s, Purgason is focused on the long game. He is developing a ready-wear collection of upscale casual clothes, exploring showrooms for a members-only browsing experience, and continuing collaborations with sports teams and iconic brands, adding his personal flair.
“My dream is to design outfits for the Olympics, Ryder Cup, the Masters jacket, and anything that has a tie to America and sports,” said Purgason, a proud American who notes that most of his items are cut and sewn in the USA.
He may be a solo entrepreneur, but he quickly credits those who paved the way.
“Christian McCaffrey, George and Claire Kittle, Bubba and Amanda Wallace have stuck with me through highs and lows from day one,” Purgason said. “They are great friends, clients, and remarkable people.”
Regardless of where his journey takes him, he knows his Sigma Nu brothers will remain close. His pledge brothers have stayed in touch since college, marking the 15th year of their fantasy football league.
“We were competitive in sports and life, but the guys I started Kappa Epsilon with are the best people I have ever met,” Purgason said. “I’ve never laughed harder than when I’m with them…their friendships are among the most rewarding part of my life.”
