PPB November 2017

Pe r r y E l l i s I n t e rna t i ona l W hen George Feldenkreis arrived on American soil after fleeing Cuba in the 1960s, he had only $700 in his pocket and a dream. Amonth later, his pregnant wife and young son Oscar joined him inMiami. The fledgling family had escaped communismand now eyed the everyman opportunity in capitalism. Now that he lived in a free country where everyone had a shot at success if they worked hard, Feldenkreis set out to achieve the American dream. Although he had many challenges to conquer, perseverance and pluck kept him going. He would never give up. “Determination and tenacity have always been part of my leadership style,” he says. “Early on, as an immigrant to this country, I was confronted bymany challenges, including having to learn a new language, making sure I was able to support my young family, and learning how to do business in a new culture.” In the early days, Feldenkreis, who was later joined by his son Oscar (the pair now serve as Perry After immigrating to America from Cuba, the Feldenkreis family grew a small specialty apparel business into a multinational fashion empire. by Brittany Glenn Perry Ellis International: A Family Fashion Dynasty Oscar, left, and his father, George Feldenkreis 68 | NOVEMBER 2017 | THINK