George Zimmer

George Zimmer is the founder of Men’s Wearhouse and the founder, chairman, and CEO of Generation Tux, an online suit and tuxedo rental company. He grew up in Scarsdale, New York, attended Washington University in St. Louis, and graduated in 1970 with a degree in economics. Washington University’s Skandalaris Center reported that Zimmer founded Men’s Wearhouse in Houston in 1973 at age 24 with $7,000.

Zimmer built Men’s Wearhouse into one of the best-known U.S. menswear retailers, serving as founder, CEO, chairman, and television spokesperson. His “I guarantee it” advertising line made him personally associated with the brand. Public profiles and company histories report that he stepped down as CEO in 2011 and was removed from the executive chairman role in 2013 after a governance dispute with the board.

After leaving Men’s Wearhouse, Zimmer launched two apparel-related startups: zTailors, an on-demand tailoring platform, and Generation Tux, an online formalwear rental company. Generation Tux launched in 2014/2015 with a large Louisville distribution operation and a technology platform designed to move tuxedo and suit rental online. He remains listed as chairman, CEO, and founder of Generation Tux.

Zimmer’s public business philosophy emphasizes “conscious” or stakeholder capitalism, servant leadership, customer service, and employee empowerment. Washington University reported his view that investors are the least important stakeholders behind employees and customers, and quoted his personal philosophy as “to reduce income inequality.”

• Zimmer’s investable pattern is concentrated in areas he knows deeply: menswear, apparel logistics, formalwear rental, tailoring, retail service, and e-commerce.
• His public thesis around Generation Tux is a “high-tech/high-touch” model: use technology to simplify fit, ordering, group management, and logistics while keeping a strong service layer.
• He appears to favor markets with recurring life-event demand. In a Washington University discussion, he explained Generation Tux with: “Because weddings will never go away!”
• Zimmer focuses heavily on customer trust and service as competitive advantages. Retail Dive quoted him saying Generation Tux distinguishes itself by creating a “high-tech/high-touch experience” and that “We have built our business around customer service.”
• Publicly verified deal activity is mostly founder/operator capital rather than a broad disclosed angel portfolio. AngelMatch lists him as an angel/individual investor focused on seed-stage opportunities in wearables, e-commerce, retail, and fashion.