NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Jeff Lindor, the founder and CEO of The Gentlemen’s Factory, is transforming the landscape for men of color in Brooklyn and plans to expand his fashion empire beyond the borough.
Born in Haiti, Lindor talked about his journey and mission on a special episode of Black History Month with 1010 WINS anchor Larry Mullins.
"Our whole premise is that men of color grow in isolation and where are the spaces, physical spaces that they want to go," Lindor said. He looked back on his own experiences in postgraduate school and in his career, highlighting the need for spaces designed for men like him.
Lindor explained that he was tired of trying to figure out spaces he fit in so he decided to create his own. “What are the spaces that fit me and are designed for me?” Lindor said. “And that's essentially exactly what the Gentleman's Factory is.”
Lindor's motivation to create such a space stemmed from his own challenges. “There are a number of amazing organizations that are doing amazing things,” Lindor said. “But when you look at what is being designed and what is being done specifically for black men, there's not that many.”
In the early stages of The Gentlemen’s Factory, Lindor focused on understanding the black male experience. "It was a massive research project because I didn't want to build something based upon what I thought black men need,” Lindor said. “So for the first year and a half to two years, we kept it at 30 members and we then said, how can 30 strangers come together and exactly what exactly are we offering? What is needed? How do we build community authentically? So what we did was we just listened.”
Lindor explained how the project then evolved into hundreds of members. "We then opened it up based upon our findings,” Lindor said. “Today we're hundreds of members all across the city and growing beyond," Lindor said.
When asked about the upcoming expansion in February, Lindor shared, “Our goal for this year is to have a large New York City, massive takeover,” Lindor said.
He detailed plans for opening more locations in New York City, particularly in Brooklyn and Harlem.
One unique experience he is excited about is a barbershop speakeasy, a concept designed to combat the isolation often felt by Black men.
"It's just a really nice elevated experience basing it upon the isolation factor,” Lindor said.
When talking about what to expect from a session at The Gentlemen's Factory, Lindor emphasized authenticity, community, and upskilling.
Lindor proudly spoke of the success stories emerging from The Gentlemen's Factory. "The members are growing their businesses, forming companies with each other, investing in companies with each other, forming authentic relationships," Lindor said.
Addressing inclusivity, Lindor clarified, "The Gentlemen’s Factory isn't excluding not anyone,” he said. “We're specifically empowering a community that's been disenfranchised historically."
He acknowledged the support from various cultures and industries, emphasizing the focus on empowering a community in need.
"I want Black men specifically to see this world as theirs too," Lindor said. He aspires for Black men to be recognized as productive and powerful citizens, contributing to the elevation of society. "If you think about it, why do we even need spaces like gentleman's factory?” Lindor asked. “That's a problem in itself, but it's needed."
“We're looking for an opportunity,” Lindor said. “We're looking to build our families. We're looking to be productive and powerful citizens in our country so that we can continue to elevate. Just like how everyone else is. We want to see gentleman's factory serve as that institution to facilitate the empowerment and the building of the capacity of Black men.”