Las Vegas clothier suits Bryce Harper perfectly

Courtesy Photo

Las Vegas native Bryce Harper shows off his Stitched suit while walking the red carpet at the MLB All-Star game on July 17, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

Las Vegas native Bryce Harper stole the show during the MLB All-Star festivities this week in Washington, D.C.

Monday night, he launched nine of his final 10 balls over the outfield wall at Nationals Park to conquer the home run derby in front of the hometown faithful. Then Tuesday, the Nationals slugger dominated the red carpet event as he strutted down the aisle in a custom navy blue and red windowpane suit.

Bryce Harper at MLB All-Star Game

Las Vegas native Bryce Harper, sporting a Stitched suit,  and his wife, Kayla, walk the red carpet at the MLB All-Star game on July 17, 2018, in Washington, D.C. Launch slideshow »

The custom threads were courtesy of Las Vegas clothing store Stitched and paid homage to Washington, D.C., with images of the White House, Washington Monument, Declaration of Independence and Constitution stitched into the lining.

“They do such a good job,” Harper told MLB.com.

With his flashy and unique suits, Harper has become somewhat of a fashion plate in professional baseball, thanks largely to the hometown haberdashery that has suited him up since his wedding day in 2016.

“Back in 2016, I got a text from a number I didn’t recognize,” said Eamon Springall, founder and president of Stitched LifeStyle LLC. “He said, ‘Hey, it’s Bryce Harper and I’d be honored if you made my wedding suit.’ First I had to confirm it was actually him, because I could hardly believe it. But then I got in touch and we made his suit and all his groomsmen’s suits.”

Since then, Harper and Springall have become friends. They both grew up on the east side of Las Vegas. Springall went to Eldorado High School, and Harper attended Las Vegas High a few blocks down the road.

Harper went on to play at the College of Southern Nevada and was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft. In 2012, Harper was named National League Rookie of the Year at age 20.

Springall admired Harper’s ascension to baseball fame from afar, and Harper noticed the dapper suits Springall was making at his store at the Cosmopolitan.

Springall is also the chief operating officer of Orgill/Singer & Associate Inc., which is one of the largest privately owned insurance brokerage firms in Nevada. He had no experience in retail, but pitched the idea of an old-school custom suit shop to Cosmopolitan management.

Springall said he pictured a vintage-style suit shop “built inside of this flashy, nightclubby hotel with giant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling ... Somewhere that James Bond and Thomas Crown would shop, with a weathered look and a scotch whiskey lounge in the back.”

The store, which opened in 2010, quickly became Springall’s passion and led to a meeting with Harper.

“We were sitting there talking in a back private room in the store with a view overlooking the Las Vegas Strip,” Springall said. “Bryce said, ‘You guys make some wild looks. You think I could pull that off?’ I told him, ‘Look at the NBA and the flashy clothes players are wearing to pregame and postgame interviews. No one in baseball is doing that. If you do it, you will own that space. So he said, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’”

It started with his wedding tuxedo, which was navy blue with black piping and images of Harper’s wife, Kayla, decorating the lining of the jacket.

“Did a bundle of outfits for the following season and started dressing him like a dapper dandy,” Springall said.

That season, Harper racked up 42 home runs and 99 runs batted in to take home the National League Most Valuable Player trophy. Stitched made the custom suit Harper wore to accept the award, complete with his name and “MVP” on the lining.

“Like a lot of athletes, baseball players are very superstitious,” Springall said. “After having the best season of his career the first time we were suiting him up, he didn’t want to change anything, so he’s always stuck with me.”

Springall said Harper and his agent have been approached my multiple fashion companies with sponsorship opportunities, but Harper declines them if he can’t continue wearing suits from Stitched.

“That friendship and partnership and loyalty is unmatched. It’s a testament to who that guy is,” Springall said.

Springall now has three Stitched shops, including his newest store in Washington, D.C.

The suit Harper wore for the All-Star festivities was a great introduction to the brand’s style for those in the nation’s capital.

“We wanted to honor his new hometown with the theme of the inner lining, so he’s literally putting the city on his back,” Springall said. “Then we stitched more personal things, like quotes that only he and his family would know the significance of inside the collar and pockets.”

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