A Calvary representative confirmed on the weekend that Mr Hanna died peacefully at Clare Holland House last Thursday night. It is believed Mr Hanna had been fighting cancer for a number of years.

In an interview with Fairfax Media on his store closure in July, Mr Hanna alluded to his illness and farewelled Canberra while fighting back tears.

"[Closing the store] was a difficult decision for me to make but I think there comes a time in life - I'm not a boy anymore and I'd like to enjoy some down time before my day's done," he said in July.

"So after 41 years I've decided to give it away, close down the business ... my time has come."

The news of Mr Hanna's death has saddened hundreds of former John Hanna Fine Clothes for Men clients, including owner of creative agency CRE8IVE, James Willson.

Mr Willson, who owns more than 20 John Hanna suits, described Mr Hanna as "a truly wonderful man".

"He was a father to so many boys - he didn't have sons but he had this amazing association with men from all walks of life," Mr Willson said.

"Words are often said too late, but I wrote him a letter before he passed away. I was a kid when I first walked in to John Hanna and he showed me style ... he sold confidence. You'd walk out of the store feeling a million bucks."

Mr Hanna moved to Canberra temporarily in 1969 but was forced to stay when he "met the woman of my dreams", Diana.

He worked for a number of retailers in the city until his brother-in-law - who happened to be building a brand new shopping centre in north Canberra - encouraged him to open his own store at the new development. The first John Hanna Menswear opened at Kippax Fair in 1976.

Mr Hanna's iconic Civic store opened on Bunda Street "opposite a paddock where Canberra Centre now stands" in 1993, and remained there until the end of July this year.

Across four decades in business, he dressed literally thousands of Canberra grooms for their weddings and measured many a prominent politician for new threads. Barnaby Joyce was among Mr Hanna's last clients in July.

Mr Hanna was proud of pushing the boundaries of men's fashion in Canberra, including keeping the capital's public servants "fashion-forward".

"We've tried to bring forward-fashion but not avant garde fashion to Canberra over the years and, Canberra being a fairly conservative market, has tested our patience and our skills," Mr Hanna said during an interview in July.

"It was with a little bit of trepidation and a little bit of guts that we took the plunge and introduced what we did.

"But it's great to see that the standard of dress in this town - with our influence - has probably risen and I'm happy to have been part of that."