Elvis was different in everything. His originality and innovation in all aspects of life was his hallmark and, of course, he was also in his way of dressing. The King questioned all the canons of fashion during the 1950s. And for the rest of his life.
He adored original, novel, daring, flashy, extravagant clothes…
Before fame came to him, Elvis had no money, only the little he barely earned from his jobs. Whenever he passed through the door of the Lansky Brothers clothing store, he would look forward to the window, dreaming of one day being able to wear those clothes.
Lansky Brothers window displays have always been a sight to see. And Elvis never walked past the window without dreaming of one day being able to wear those bold designs and colors that he loved so much.
The men’s clothing store, Lansky Brothers, was created in 1946, when Samuel Lewis Lansky, a Russian immigrant, bought the store at 126 Beale Street for $125 for his sons, Bernard and Guy.
In Memphis, no one had seen such bold colors and patterns. As Bernard said, the store sold clothes in vibrant colors, like red, orange, yellow, green, purple… which were the kind of bright and different colors that Elvis liked. The windows of the Lansky brothers were a spectacle, full of striking and innovative designs.
Many musicians and artists dressed in it
The store had become a hit with local artists, religious groups and gangs.
One day, in the spring of 1952, Bernard Lansky noticed that this young man was always looking at the shop windows and invited him to go in to buy, but the young man told him that he could not, because he had no money.
As the story goes, Elvis told him, “When I get rich, I’ll buy you, Mr. Lansky.”
Bernard and the young Elvis began a good relationship and something special arose between them.
The day Elvis collected his first paycheck from him, as he was working as an usher at Loew’s theater at the time, he immediately ran out to buy his first item of clothing, a $3.95 shirt. Later, since he was still attending L.C. Humes, he asked Bernard to create him a set of black pants, pink coat and pink and black sash for the prom… From then on he would remain faithful to his store until the end of his life. days.
The anecdote of the day is very beautiful. Elvis came in excited and told Bernard: ”I’m going to go on television with Ed Sullivan, Mr. Lansky !!!’. Then Bernard excitedly dressed him and told him how much the clothes cost. Elvis said, ”I have a problem. I do not have enough money…”. Lansky replied: “Yes, that’s a problem… But I’ll tell you one thing, it doesn’t matter, you’ll pay me back…”
When Elvis’s career took off, Lansky provided his clothes for appearances at the Louisiana Hayride, the Dorsey Brothers shows, the Ed Sullivan shows…
There is a famous photo of Elvis and Muhammad Ali, where Elvis is wearing a luxurious navy blue jacket, which he bought from Lansky. The plaid jacket that he wore on the Ed Sullivan Show, and that Elvis would wear regularly, purchased from Lansky, became legendary, as did
the red jacket that he wore in the promo photos for ”Jailhouse Rock” or the ones worn in “Spedway”.
Another curious anecdote, very typical of Elvis’s way of being, is that Elvis owned an exclusive and beautiful three-wheeled Messerschmitt car. A very original and exclusive vehicle. One day in mid-August 1957, Elvis went to show Bernard Lansky his new car, and Bernard loved it and told him that if he ever didn’t want it anymore, he would very much like to have it. And Elvis’s idea was none other than telling him that if he let him choose all the clothes he wanted from the store, he would change them for the car! Bernard gladly accepted the deal. It appears that Elvis stayed there for two and a half hours and took everything he liked from the store!
And Bernard was delighted with his new car.
Bernard always kept a fond memory of Elvis:
“He always called me Mr. Lansky” said Bernard in interviews, ”I told him: Call me Bernard! ‘” But Elvis always said, “Thank you, Mr. Lansky”… Elvis was always a gentleman, highly educated. Someone very special in every way.
