Peter millar founder chris knott '87 is creating “a ... - PirateAlumni.com

It all started with a cashmere sweater. Founded in 2001 by
ECU alumnus Chris Knott ’87, Peter Millar provides luxury
clothing and accessories in timeless styles. “When I was 14, I
started working at a men’s clothing store called Ashworth’s in
Fuquay-Varina, NC. These clothing reps would come into the
store and they always wore really nice clothes and drove really nice
cars, most of them played golf and made pretty good money.
I was lucky to see that at such a young age because it made
me realize what I wanted to do with my life. I had spent many
summers working in tobacco, like so many other kids that grew
up in North Carolina, so working at Ashworth’s was a valuable
experience for me. I was able to make a little money and I learned
a lot about men’s clothing, which of course has really helped me
along the way,” remembered Knott.
When Knott entered East Carolina in 1983, it was easy for
him to choose fashion merchandising as a major. “Not your
typical major for a guy, but I knew this stuff and I had been
around the business, so I was comfortable taking those classes. It
didn’t hurt that there were pretty girls to look at either! I worked
at Brody’s during college and continued gaining experience in the
industry. It was actually John Coffman of Coffman’s Menswear
that got me my first job out of college in New York City. I didn’t
work at Coffman’s, but I knew John and he helped me get on
with Hart Schaffner Marx, a big tailored clothing company that’s
still in business today. I worked for them in New York for three
years and during that time was exposed to many other designers
and fashion houses. I also learned a little about design and how
that side of the industry works,” said Knott. He stayed in sales
for the next seventeen years and worked for a number of highend
designers, including Burberry and Hugo Boss, and developed
relationships with store owners and other sales reps—contacts
that would come in handy as the tides began to change in the
men’s clothing world.
“I could see the writing on the wall,” recalled Knott.
“Designers like Burberry were selling on the Internet and
opening their own stores rather than selling in specialty shops,
so I decided I’d better do something before I found myself
out of a job. And that’s when I started Peter Millar. It was a
“Going to ECU was probably the greatest experience of my life and
what it gave me was a fine education...I didn’t get lost as a number,
even though it’s a big school, and I was able to find an identity there.”
18 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2010