Eric Huang: Fitting

By Sally Anne Flecker | Fall 2015

Printer Friendly

 

Eric Huang (MGTE ’13) knew he was not alone. But he didn’t know just how much company he had.

Huang stands 5’8” in his stocking feet. He and fellow aspiring entrepreneur Steven Mazur, who is 5’6”, were brainstorming for entrepreneurial ventures when they landed on a problem they both experience as shorter guys. Their clothes never fit just right because the sleeves or inseams are too long. How common a problem is that? they wondered. The answer astounded them. One in three men in the country — that’s 40 million — are 5’8” or below. “That’s a lot of guys,” Huang says, who knew an unmet market niche when he saw one.

Earlier this year, Huang and Mazur launched Ash & Anvil, a clothing company to meet the needs of men 5’8” or under. Their Everyday Shirt, a casual button-down, is designed for a comfortable fit throughout with a better taper at the waist and the right body and sleeve lengths. The first shirts began shipping to online customers in October. Customers are already clamoring to know when Ash & Anvil will roll out a full clothing line — jeans, khakis, tees and athletic wear. “We’re not making custom clothing,” Huang says. “Our goal is to make clothing that fits a lot better off the rack for the majority of shorter guys. That’s the sort of the experience that’s missing right now.”

Huang and Mazur first met as Venture for America (VFA) fellows in Detroit. VFA builds and supports entrepreneurial communities in challenged cities, with the ultimate goal of job creation. “At the end of the program, they encourage you to stay in the city and start companies,” says Huang, who has grown strong feelings for Detroit. In fact, the company name is inspired by Detroit’s slogan, “We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes.” And it might be dressed in a gingham-button down. Just sayin’. ashandanvil.com

Editor's Note: Effective August 1, 2017, Huang has changed the name of the company to Ash & ErieThe new URL is: ashanderie.com

 

 

Related Items

Categories

  • Salt and Light12
    Salt & Light 4900
    The Amato Family: Fancy Pants 4910
    Holly Powers: The Power of One 4901
    Mike Anello: The Buzz 4908
    Karen Kenny: They Can’t Take That Away from Me 4902
    John Greenwald: Garage Band on a Mission 4904
    Kevin Kreutner: Adopting a Country 4906
    Matt Knott: The Circle of Faith 4909
    Stephen Keppel: What a Difference a Year Makes 4907
    Thomas Jindra: The Mustard Seed 4903
    Marissa Gebhard: The Buddy System 4905
    More Salt & Light 4911
  • Class Notes1
    Alumni Community: Class Notes 4935
  • Ask More of Business1
    Mendoza Student Leadership Association (MSLA) 4958
  • Mendoza News10
    AIMING FOR A Legacy 4836
    A Global Vision 4837
    Happy Feat 4891
    "I Raised My Hand" 4888
    Training Intuition 4887
    A Closer Look at the Numbers 4890
    Pie for Everyone 4898
    Chopstick Negotiations 4899
    That Gummy Bear is Calling Your Name 4892
    Mendoza Welcomes New Faculty 5087
    An Unplanned Return: Bill Schmuhl Jr. 4838
  • Mendoza Profiles3
    The Right Time 4929
    A Tanzania Adventure: Mt. Kilimanjaro 4930
    IT Girl 4933
  • Alumni Community5
    Alumni Community: Class Notes 4935
    Three Brothers/One Mission 4936
    Andria Seneviratne: A Leap of Faith 4937
    Perry Dellelce: A Canadian Ambassador For Notre Dame 4938
    Eric Huang: Fitting 4939
    In Memoriam 4940
  • First Person2
    Gulf Coast Motels and the Second Coming 4941
    Thoughts of Ted 4956