Never Rent An Ugly Tux Again: These Startups Want To Disrupt Men’s Wearhouse

To hear men describe it, renting a tuxedo the old-fashioned way is hell. When Patrick Coyne went to Men’s Wearhouse to get a tuxedo for his friend Andrew Blackmon’s Santa Barbara wedding, he was astounded by the process. “Some guy measured me and was like, ‘You’re good to go,'” he explained. “Do I try anything on?” the 25-year-old business school grad asked. Apparently not. The first time he donned his groomsman attire was the day of the wedding, and frankly, the $250 outfit looked terrible. “I looked like an idiot,” he said. “We look back at the photos and it was 10 guys swimming in tuxedos,” added Blackmon, who was working in startups at the time. Not that he was surprised. “It’s common knowledge when you rent for prom or a wedding that you’re just gonna look funny.” At this point, Blackmon was realizing he had the germ of an idea for startup of his own. After Blackmon’s wedding fiasco, he and Coyne started The Black Tux, which last week secured $10 million in funding. The Black Tux works like Rent the Runway for menswear, and is one of a growing cadre of direct-to-consumer, online native retailers that aim to elevate the experience of shopping for or renting an affordable suit, tux, or related accessory. Read more at Fast Company.