The City's Character

Presidents and sports stars give H-Town legend Harold Wiesenthal a fittinggoodbye as lapels flash

Harold Wiesenthal
Harolds in the Heights/Facebook
George H.W. Bush and Jim Nantz were both big fans — and friends — of HaroldWiesenthal. Letters from both Bush and Nantz were read at the funeral.
Photo by Richard J. Carson
Earl Campbell talked about Harold Wiesenthal expanded his horizons as he dressedthe Oilers great.

On Sunday, beloved Houston businessman and clothier Harold Wiesenthal passed away in his sleep at 84. A crowd of mournful faces and crisp suits — many of them purchased from Harolds in the Heights — filled Congregation Beth Yeshurun's Barg Sanctuary for funeral services on Wednesday afternoon.

A genuine personality with a knack for kindness, Wiesenthal greeted customers and sold suits for more than 50 years in his menswear shop on West 19th Street, only retiring several years before the store closed in 2011. A diverse crowd in the full sanctuary evidenced Wiesenthal's far reach within the Heights community and the temple's congregation.

As the procession passed, audience members opened their jackets to flash their Harolds lapel in honor and remembrance of an influential, inspirational man.

All rose to their feet and fell into a deep silence as yarmulked pallbearers pushed the casket down the center aisle of the sanctuary. As the procession passed, audience members opened their jackets to flash their Harolds lapel in honor and remembrance of an influential, inspirational man.

Over the years, Wiesenthal dressed notable sports and political figures and neighbors. He became a fixture at birthday parties and backyard barbecues, won over cameras with his ebullient personality and was a friend to many. Several of those friends came forward to speak of Wiesenthal's life during the service.

Rabbi Jack Segal recounted how Wiesenthal set him up to play a round of ping pong against a Chinese national champion (who, armed with a toothbrush rather than a paddle, still won).

Houston Oilers great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell remembered how Wiesenthal introduced him to bagels and lox. A letter from CBS sports announcer Jim Nantz was read aloud in which Nantz noted how Wiesenthal inadvertently taught him to give away his on-air tie after each broadcast.

Wiesenthal sold colorful golf pants to Dwight D. Eisenhower, set up a tee time at Memorial Park for President George H.W. Bush and hand-delivered suits for President George W. Bush's inauguration to his ranch in Crawford. (The 87-year-old George H.W. Bush also sent in a letter that was read at the service).

Also a philanthropist, Wiesenthal has a history of involvement with the Boys & Girls Club, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, St. Joseph Foundation, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Memorial Park, his good friend Marvin Zindler's Guardian Angels and more.

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FALL FÊTE

Texas luxury boutique collabs with Houston designer for new fashion brand

Photo courtesy of Saint Bernard

Saint Bernard teams up with Houston designer Lyndsey Zorich for Love Note.

River Oaks District boutique Saint Bernard is getting ready for fall with a new collection created with Houston style veteran Lyndsey Zorich. The fashion-forward retailer and the founder and designer of Mason's Daughter teamed up to launch Love Note by Lyndsey Zorich, a new Saint Bernard-owned brand.

Saint Bernard doesn't usually collaborate with local designers on its own brands, making this partnership with Zorich special. She was involved in everything from creative direction and textile development to fabrication and production. Shoppers can expect a feminine collection with a playful take on everyday dressing for women who want to look put together, but not too serious.

Love Note officially launches on Thursday, September 10 at Saint Bernard stores in Houston, Dallas, Southlake, San Antonio, and Austin, as well as online. Customers will have to be patient, because another unique aspect of this collaboration is that the entire collection won’t debut at once. Instead, the brand will roll out in a series of monthly drops, each having its own seasonal point of view.

Saint Bernard x Lyndsey Zorich Love Note by Lyndsey Zorich is available at Saint Bernard stores in Houston, Dallas, Southlake, San Antonio, and Austin, plus online.Photo courtesy of Saint Bernard

The Kick Off is the first drop in September. It is a game day-inspired collection with pieces designed for fall sports and weekend road trips. In October, The Lean In will debut with more feminine silhouettes, followed by Getting Comfortable, which focuses on the perfect layering pieces for Texas’s warm fall weather.

A longtime Saint Bernard shopper herself, Zorich's unique style and Texas perspective gave her a greater understanding of what Texas customers want.

“Getting dressed has always been one of my favorite forms of self-expression, and Love Note allowed me to take that idea from concept all the way through the finished product,” said Zorich. "Saint Bernard felt like the right partner, because I genuinely understand and love their customers. Love Note is meant to bring a little more playfulness to getting dressed, pieces that feel personal, special, and bring joy to everyday life.”

That individual connection is what Saint Bernard wanted in this project. According to Ashleigh Goyer, director of owned brands for Saint Bernard, the store wanted a new way for Saint Bernard to give customers something both recognizable and unexpected.

"She shares her perspective, her lifestyle, and her love of fashion, and she has an incredible ability to make getting dressed feel effortless and personal," said Goyer.

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