Gudbranson muscles into fashion
‘Finding something that fits properly’ a challenge for 6-5 Erik Gudbranson
It’s not easy being a professional hockey player.
The workouts, the travelling, the fans, the endorsements ... wait a minute!
OK, while it may seem like these professional athletes have it easy, there is one place a few players admit they have a struggle: shopping.
“Hockey players are known to have big butts,” Erik Gudbranson, a defenceman with the Vancouver Canucks, says with a laugh when asked about the common issues he faces in the fitting room. “And I happen to be 6-5, with extremely long legs, so finding that right fit is quite difficult.”
Sitting casually on a plush sofa inside the personal shopping suite of Topman at the Hudson’s Bay in Vancouver, one ankle balanced easily on the opposite knee, Gudbranson looks anything but uncomfortable. That’s because he finally found a suit that fits straight off the rack — so, naturally, he’s wearing it.
“Finding something that fits properly and looks sharp is tough to do, but when you do, it makes all the difference,” he says.
Gudbranson says he’s “lucky” that most sport coats and suiting jackets fit his athletic frame, but it’s on the bottom where he runs into trouble.
“Most coats actually fit me,” he says. “The issue has always been with pants because I have such big legs.
“I’ve gone through so many pants just sitting down in my car and ripping them in half.”
Gudbranson was gamely answering questions, trying on suits and posing for photos in support of the launch of the aptly named Muscle Fit Suits, a collection of suiting separates at Topman specifically tailored to fit athletic frames.
With special consideration given to the fit in common problem areas such as the shoulders, chest, biceps and thighs, the line is crafted using “technology-advanced fabric” that stretches as the wearer flexes his … uh … impressively large muscles.
The fit considerations are something the 25-year-old Gudbranson believes will make the collection a welcome addition to the retail scene for many men, beyond professional hockey players.
“I’m not the only one who has these struggles,” he says. “There are a number of people out there who run into this. Not only athletes, but just people who keep themselves in shape.”
While Gudbranson admits having a good tailor is the “key” to looking sharp in most situations, he can appreciate the idea that big-and-tall customers want to walk into a retail store and find what they need — no pins and needles required. Why? Mainly because he shares most men’s sentiments about spending prolonged amounts of time at the mall.
“For the most part, I think guys typically go shopping as a necessity and not for pleasure,” he says with a smile.
“When you need something, and you show up, and it fits, it’s great.”
His speedy and simplistic approach to shopping — “I will grab something, throw it on and leave” — is also mirrored in his personal style, which he succinctly describes as “simple.”
“I’ve always been keen on simplicity. I like a nice pair of running shoes, a nice fitting pair of jeans, simple T-shirts and maybe a button-down,” he explains. “I’m from Ottawa, so I have a couple lumberjack shirts at home, of course. But I keep it very simple.
“I think the biggest thing is fit for me — just finding something that fits properly.”
So, how many suits does a guy who literally suits up every game day have in his closet? It’s a conservative number.
“I think now I have a rotation of five suits, and they’re pretty simple,” he says. “And I have a number of suitand-tie combinations that I can mix in there.”
If you count the suit he’s lounging in during the interview, that brings the total to six.