The newest NFL players slowly make their way into the room with racks of blazers, fabric samples, and a team ready to help them create the perfect blazer adorned with their soon-to-be team’s logo and colors in the lining. Carlton Dixon, CEO of Reveal Suits is right there as well, guiding the players through the process. This self funded brand has come a long way since its ideation in 2015.
Back in 2015, Carlton Dixon was watching the NBA and NFL drafts, and the draftees were paying tribute and homage to their colleges as they were drafted, having hidden paraphernalia that they’d pull out on stage. This caused Carlton to realize that he had lots of paraphernalia from school but no suit, nothing for more formal or professional occasions.
“People were buying suits and blazers anyway. So my wife and I decided to go for it. I was the athletic director at a school and believed enough in this that I decided to resign in 2016,” Dixon stated. There’s sports apparel and high end fashion. Reveal Suits has combined both.
Dixon has been in the sports and athletics world basically his entire life, even being on the basketball team at the University of Texas at Austin. He mentioned that his experience at the school was phenomenal, having an amazing educational experience along with the opportunity to play basketball. Dixon also highlighted his enjoyment of the travel and competition while being on the team. “I was the student athlete with good balance, never got too full of myself. I was part of the African American Culture Committee and tried to enjoy every experience and aspect that I could.”
Carlton remembered that the first two years of starting Reveal Suits were not fun. The brand was self funded, and his spending expectations were much lower than the actual amount needed. He said he thought they’d just spend money here and there, but at just one year in, they had maxed out their credit cards and savings. “We needed help. Schools were interested, but the funds were gone. So we reached out for investors, and a few friends were interested. They got involved and are still part of the business to this day,” he said.
“We’re truly blessed to walk through these doors and receive these opportunities.”
Now, moving forward, Reveal Suits signed with Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 as the exclusive enshrinement jacket provider and is approaching their 4th class of inductees since the partnership began. “We’re fortunate to be the first to do that with anyone, especially with the NBA.” Reveal Suits is also the official business apparel partner for the Big 12 Conference, the official suit partner for the HBCU All-Star Game, the business apparel provider for the NFL Alumni Association, and much more. The company also partnered with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) for the 2024 NFLPA Debut. Carlton stated that being the first brand that the new NFL players were able to connect with was a great opportunity. “We’re truly blessed to walk through these doors and receive these opportunities.”
Dixon says that his current goal is to be the biggest and most recognized custom suit brand in sports fashion. “If we execute it right and keep executing like we have, we’ve set a new trend and category in sports fashion. Our suits, the cut, the feel, the look, sets us apart from anyone else who’d try to do it,” Carlton proclaimed.
As far as what’s next for Reveal Suits, be on the look out for the newly designed Reveal Suits women’s line. While the brand has always had women’s suits, the new spin on them will be a game changer. The new designs are set to debut around September 1, 2024.
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