Dressing for success

WEAR IT WELL: Frank Ankoma opened Copa Menswear in Providence to provide one-stop shopping for men seeking business or special-occasion wear. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
WEAR IT WELL: Frank Ankoma opened Copa Menswear in Providence to provide one-stop shopping for men seeking business or special-occasion wear. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

The well-dressed man makes an impression. A man who is comfortable and confident in his dress not only looks good, but is more productive, according to the menswear-industry sales pitch

And men shop efficiently. They want one stop. These were a few of the commonly held beliefs that inspired Frank Ankoma to open Copa Menswear, a Providence store that dresses men for special occasions and business.

The look here is modern, with a customized fit.

Larger men, middle-aged men, younger men, all are clients, said Ankoma, who emigrated from Ghana when he was in his early 20s. Men care about how they look and they understand it’s important, he said.

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“A well-dressed man is very comfortable. A confident man is more productive. A productive man is more successful,” he said.

For 14 years, Ankoma worked as a research and development manager at Microfibres Inc., before leaving to open his retail clothing business. Eventually, he would like to open a store for women.

His interest in fashion dates to his teens, he said. He always had an interest in putting together outfits. In Ghana, and in Rhode Island, he said, it was difficult to find one store where a man could do that. He envisioned Copa Menswear as the place where men could get everything.

“Once you come in, anything you need, you can get it in one stop. And also, we will tailor everything to fit your body, how you want to look.”

The selection in the store includes shirts, pants, suit coats and accessories such as cuff links.

Copa Menswear selections include many examples of what Ankoma describes as a European look. It is more tailored than traditional American clothing. “That’s the fashion. Your shape shows in your clothes. You look more presentable,” he said.

Within those lines, Ankoma has several options, including slim fit and regular fit.

Men look better when they have a more defined shape in their clothing, he said. That includes men who carry extra weight. Ankoma called them men “with evidence of good living on their body,” and he reassures them that yes, they can carry off these styles.

Color makes a difference too, as well as patterns. The Facebook site for Copa Menswear includes a photograph of a man wearing a dark suit coat. A shirt in a multicolored, checkerboard pattern peeks out.

Ankoma said many men are willing to experiment. Clients who are hesitant sometimes need to be shown what color and pattern will do for them. “What I intend to do, as much as possible, is to have individuals leave their comfort zone.”

Some clients are insistent; they won’t wear certain colors, such as pink. Ankoma will assemble three to four combinations, and include one with some pink, to see if they don’t change their mind.

“Real men wear real colors,” he said. “God does not make any color and say, this color belongs to this one.” •

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