History

From his early childhood, Powell showed no reluctance to dress for the occasion. He sported tiny bow ties each year at the annual Harrison Thanksgiving reunion at Burr Ridge, the home of Mr. and Mrs. B. Powell Harrison, Jr. and his father’s childhood home outside of Leesburg, Virginia. After graduating from the Virginia Military Institute in the line of a long family legacy, Powell then found himself in Richmond, mired in a business casual environment whose casual Friday dress code even permitted jeans and shorts. Adopting the spirit of the casual day measure, he found he was most comfortable coming in on Fridays wearing his best suit. Soon thereafter, Powell took what he thought would be a short-term job selling suits at a men’s tailored clothing shop, and instead he discovered his niche and never looked back.

As early as six months into a seven-year career with the company, the promising wardrobe consultant was concocting ideas for new clothing business concepts. Then, the name Harrison’s of Leesburg suggested itself as Powell’s personal style took its inspiration from his late grandfather, the quintessential Virginia gentleman. In 2004, testing of the in-home wardrobe consultation model began with several of Powell’s existing clients who gladly accepted the pro bono offer. Finally, feeling that the timing was right, the would-be entrepreneur offered his resignation and set out on his own, though his former employer graciously allows him to continue to meet clients at the shop by appointment. Now, Harrison’s of Leesburg, through means including in-home wardrobe analysis and consultation, custom clothing, in-store sales, and outside sales representation for select clothing manufacturers, meets the wardrobe needs of both new and old Virginia and beyond.