By The Canadian Press on December 25, 2023.
TORONTO – The founder of Canadian men’s clothing retailer Harry Rosen Inc. has died at 92. Harry Rosen opened his first made-to-measure menswear store on Parliament Street in Toronto in 1954 and ran the company for 51 years until his son, Larry Rosen, became chairman and CEO. In a statement, Larry confirmed his father’s passing on Sunday, saying he “willed his business into existence one client at a time” and that “his passion for menswear and fashion was contagious.” An Order of Canada recipient in 2004, Rosen was involved philanthropically in the Canadian Paraplegic Association, Corporate Fund for Breast Cancer, Cancer Care Fund, Mt. Sinai Friends for Life campaign, United Way, CAMH and UHN. While the company bearing his name was known for dressing Canada’s most prominent elite in tailored suits, with 19 stores across Canada, it had expanded in recent years to include a casual wear collection. A posting on Benjamin’s Park Memorial Chapel says Rosen is survived by his wife of 68 years, Evelyn, along with four children, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 25, 2023. 8