Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1960

Date Range To

1980

Materials

SYNTHETIC FABRIC, VELVET

No. Pieces

2

Length

86.5

Width

51.0

Description

1. JACKET. ABOVE DIMENSIONS. JACKET IS MADE OF WHITE DAMASK. JACKET HAS WIDE, NOTCHED LAPELS MADE FROM BLACK VELVET. LAPELS ARE TRIMMED WITH A BLACK BRAID. CUFFS ARE ALSO MADE FROM BLACK VELVET. HAS A WELT BREAST POCKET ON LEFT HAND SIDE. AS WELL AS TWO FLAPPED, DOUBLE-BESOM POCKETS ON WAIST. THE WELTS ON THESE POCKETS ARE FORMED FROM BLACK VELVET. FRONT OF COAT CLOSES WITH THREE BUTTONS, COVERED IN BLACK VELVET; THERE IS ONE BUTTON ON EACH CUFF, ALSO COVERED IN VELVET. THERE ARE TWO POCKETS INSIDE JACKET. A TAG INSIDE JACKET READS "LEO SINGER MEN'S AND BOY'S WEAR LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA". THERE IS A CARDBOARD TAG STAPLED TO ARM OF JACKET THAT READS "TUXEDO HEXEX 395.00 42". 2. PANTS. 107.0 X 49.0. BLACK SYNTHETIC FABRIC (POLYESTER, WOOL, MOHAIR BLEND). THERE IS A STRIP OF BLACK SATIN RUNNING DOWN SIDE OF EACH LEG. THERE ARE TWO DOUBLE BESOM POCKETS IN BACK OF PANTS; ONE POCKET HAS A PLASTIC BUTTON CLOSURE. THERE IS ALSO A CONTINENTAL POCKET ON EACH SIDE OF PANTS. FRONT OF PANTS CLOSE WITH A BLACK, PLASTIC ZIPPER AND A WIDE HOOK AND EYE. ETCHED ONTO HOOK AND EYE IS "TALON". A LABEL SEWN TO PANTS READS "EXPRESSO".

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

PERSONAL CARE

PROFESSIONS

History

LEO SINGER WAS BORN IN ROMANIA AND IMMIGRATED TO RUMSEY, ALBERTA WITH HIS MOTHER. HIS FATHER WAS KILLED IN WWI. LEO AND HIS MOTHER MOVED TO CALGARY, WHERE HE ATTENDED SCHOOL AND LATER GARBER COLLEGE. IN 1930 HE OPENED A RETAIL CLOTHING STORE IN LETHBRIDGE AND FINALLY MOVED HERE IN 1932. ONE OF THE REASONS HE DECIDED TO MOVE, WAS TO PLAY FOR THE LETHBRIDGE JEWISH ASSOCIATION BASEBALL TEAM. LEO MET HIS WIFE PHYLLIS IN MONTREAL, WHERE SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED, AND THEY MARRIED IN 1942. LEO WAS ACTIVE IN THE LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY AND WAS INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE U OF L. LEO WAS A MEMBER OF THE JEWISH ASSOCIATION, OF WHICH HE WAS PRESIDENT FOR 17 YEARS; THE KIWANIS CLUB, WHICH WAS THE FIRST CLUB IN LETHBRIDGE THAT ALLOWED HIM TO JOIN; RESERVE ARMY, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UNITED WAY, LEGION, LABOR CLUB, ARMY AND NAVY, ETCETERA. HE VOLUNTEERED MUCH OF HIS TIME WITH DIFFERENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE HE FELT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD TREATED HIM WELL AND HE WANTED TO SHOW HIS GRATITUDE. IN 1930 HE OPENED A STORE ON THE HIGINBOTHAM BLOCK, MOVING THE STORE IN 1940 TO 214 5 ST. S. SINGER'S WAS THE FIRST IN THE CITY TO SPORT A FLASHING NEON SIGN. NAMED LEO SINGER MEN'S AND BOY'S WEAR IN 1955, THE BOY'S CLOTHING ASPECT WAS PHASED OUT IN THE LATE 1980S OR EARLY 90S. SINGER HANDLED BOYS' WEAR PRIMARILY BECAUSE HE WAS THE SOLE DISTRIBUTOR FOR SCOUTS CANADA IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA. MORE THAN 50,000 SCOUTS WERE OUTFITTED BY UNIFORMS SUPPLIED THROUGH SINGER. HE ALSO SUPPLIED THE CITY'S POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WITH UNIFORMS FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. SINGER'S MOTTO AND TRADEMARK WERE "IT'S NOT THE SALE THAT COUNTS -- IT'S THE CUSTOMER". BEING RAISED IN CALGARY HE WAS INSPIRED TO ENTER THE RETAIL CLOTHING BUSINESS AS A TEENAGER, WHO SPENT AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS WORKING FOR A CLOTHIER AND LATER ENROLLED IN BUSINESS SCHOOL. SINGER SAID HE FELL IN LOVE WITH LETHBRIDGE DURING A WEEKEND BASEBALL TOURNAMENT AND DECIDED TO STAY. LEO SINGER PASSED AWAY IN JANUARY OF 1997.

Catalogue Number

P20010103006

Acquisition Date

2002-03

Collection

Museum

Less detail