by Susan B. Anna

Created on: June 13, 2008

The History of Tuxedo's
Tuxedo Park was the brainchild of Pierre Lorillard IV, whose family had acquired a large tract of land along the Ramapo River and surrounding Tuxedo Lake in southern Orange County in 1814. In 1885 he acquired his six siblings' interests in the 4552 acres, and later expanded it to 7000 acres.

Construction of Tuxedo Park began in October 1885. Lorillard brought in some 1,800 Italian and Slovak workmen to carry out his plans. Eventually two separate villages were created on the east side of the Ramapo, as well as a train station, stores and other houses in what is now the Hamlet. By June 1, 1886 when the Tuxedo Club opened with 200 members, a massive gate and keep; a large shingle-style clubhouse resembling a seaside hotel, 13 cottages, 18 miles of carriage roads, an ice house, a fish hatchery, stables, an eight foot high barbed wire fence surrounding some 3000 acres and the first water, sewage treatment and telephone systems outside a major city had been constructed.

In the summer of 1886, James Brown Potter, a resident of Tuxedo Park was vacationing in England with his wife Cora, and they were introduced to the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII) at a court ball in London. Potter then took the opportunity to talk to the Prince about formal wear. The Prince referred Potter to his tailor at Saville Row, Henry Poole & Co. Potter was instantly fitted with a short black jacket and black tie, unlike the formal tails with white worn in the United States for formal occasions.

The tuxedo was said to have been invented by Pierre Lorillard IV as well according to the tales, yet some historians believe and may argue that it was actually invented by King Edward VII. Pierre Lorillard's family, were wealthy tobacco magnates. During a formal ball held at the Tuxedo Club in October 1886, Pierre wore a new style of formal wear that he designed himself; and named his tailless black jacket the tuxedo after Tuxedo Park. The tuxedo then caught on and soon became a fashionable formal wear for men.

The Prince and his tailor drew inspiration from the British military uniforms at the time, which used short jackets with black ties and so it is said that the new tailless formal wear had been designed by the Prince of Wales. James Potter then took the design back to the states and straight to the Tuxedo Club, where Pierre Lorillard modified it, named it and made it popular during the autumn ball.

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