Harry Rosen, who founded Canadian menswear brand, dead at 92

The founder of Canadian men’s clothing retailer Harry Rosen Inc. has died at 92.

Harry Rosen opened his first made-to-measure menswear store on Parliament Street in Toronto in 1954 and ran the company for 51 years until his son, Larry Rosen, became chairman and CEO.

“It’s with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our founder and visionary Harry Rosen. Starting with a $500 loan and a dream, Harry willed his business into existence one client at a time. His passion for menswear and fashion was contagious; his ability to teach and inspire were unparalleled,” Larry Rosen said in a statement on Monday.

He added, “The team he built and the values he instilled have helped the business span across the country, three generations, and nearly 70 years. Words simply can’t summarize the impact he had on us all.”

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An Order of Canada recipient in 2004, Rosen was involved philanthropically in the Canadian Paraplegic Association, Corporate Fund for Breast Cancer, Cancer Care Fund, Mt. Sinai Friends for Life campaign, United Way, CAMH and UHN.

While the company bearing his name was known for dressing Canada’s most prominent elite in tailored suits, with 19 stores across Canada, it had expanded in recent years to include a casual wear collection.

A posting on Benjamin’s Park Memorial Chapel says Rosen is survived by his wife of 68 years, Evelyn, along with four children, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.