The holy trinity of LSU style: seersucker, purple and gold. Now imagine all three of these design elements in one suit. Thanks to a new partnership between Haspel and the LSU Alumni Association, the suit that Tiger fans have dreamed of is here.
“Haspel’s owner, Laurie Aronson, has been a longtime supporter of LSU,” explains Mignon Kastanos, LSU Alumni Association director of marketing and communications. Kastanos says the idea for the LSU-themed suit was born during a meeting between Aronson and LSU Alumni Association Chief Operating Officer Steve Helmke. Once Aronson and Will Swillie, Haspel’s executive vice president and managing director, presented the potential fabric swatch, the Alumni Association knew this was the idea to pursue.
The limited-edition suit’s seersucker cotton fabric has its origins in Italy and is exclusive to Haspel, says Swillie. After a year of trial and error with the fabric, the team was able to achieve a unique purple and gold combination that was perfect for passionate Tiger fans.
“Will was the driving force behind the suit’s design,” Kastanos says. “Interestingly, the first concept presented by the mill was gingham and was in a different color. Haspel worked closely with the mill to get the color, texture and weight to what is now the final product.”
The inspiration behind the suit, which is made in the U.S., was Haspel’s interest in creating a piece that embodied its Louisiana heritage and resembled their strong ties to Louisiana’s flagship university, Kastanos says.
