WHAT DO YOU get when a down-to-earth Midwesterner with an architectural bent cultivates an obsession with Italian fabrics, a love of English shop culture and a very Ralph retail savvy? Todd Snyder—plus the US$100 million brand that bears his name.
Following his standout Autumn/Winter 2024 runway show at the Pitti Uomo menswear exhibition in January, the designer discusses the label’s move upmarket, the state of American luxury, getting collaborations right and the ‘superpower’ of decoding fashion for men. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s start with your first European runway show in Florence, which seemed to herald a more luxurious and fashion-forward moment for you. What prompted that shift?
It was almost like a rebirth of the brand in a way. I wanted to be able to show who I am and what the Todd Snyder brand means for our next phase. I think it’s important to reposition ourselves at that level, plus it helps bring so much energy into the brand. Italy is special to me because all our fabrics are Italian, and when I fell in love with fashion back in the 1980s, 1990s, it was Armani, it was mostly Italians that I looked at. (Doing the show) brought me back to what got me into this business.
Do you see yourself targeting the same customer as the big luxury houses with more couture backgrounds, just from a different angle? Or are you leading your existing customer into that next price point?
Our customer spans both. I’ve always tried to position my brand as an approachable one. When I worked in retail, I worked in an amazing men’s store in Des Moines called Badowers. That’s where I learnt how to sew, how to tailor, and got into the whole craft of making clothes. And we knew every customer that came in. So when I was opening stores, that was a huge component, to be an approachable brand.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Gordon Ramsay Makes it Rain
The famed British chef and TV host hasn’t held on to three Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant for 23 years simply by screaming. Alex French unearths the secret to his worldwide domination.
The Weight Of Tradition
Maximilian Riedel reflects on balancing the weight of a 260-year family legacy with modern innovation, steering a historic brand into the future while honouring its rich heritage.
Balancing Thrills
Lotus’s first electric Hyper-GT, the Emeya S, delivers thrilling performance, luxury and practicality in a striking package.
Burn Calories, Not Carbon
Luxury fitness equipment purveyor, Cycling Bears, proves that sustainability is more than a buzzword-it’s a lifestyle that we need to espouse for the sake of posterity and ourselves.
Cool As Ice
Mercedes-Benz’s brainy, down-to-earth CEO Ola Källenius is an expert at racing a nearly 4-ton truck across a frozen lake. Can he steer the marque’s electric vehicle-focused future as adeptly?
VINCENZO CASTALDO
The creative director of Pomellato delves into the artistic and personal philosophies shaping his life and work.
Electric Shock
Porsche finally adds hybridisation to the 911 with the all-new GTS, and enthusiasts are, predictably, up in arms. But how does it actually drive?
Swing Into Luxury
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you combine one of Singapore’s most prestigious golf courses with a luxurious five-star resort? You get a hole-in-one golfing escape like no other.
Don't Bid Adieu Yet
The Vicem 65 Classic, offered in both fibreglass and cold-moulded wood, is a sophisticated vessel imbued with anachronistic panache.
STRAIGHT OUT OF ORBIS
Roger Dubuis has never been one to play it safe, and the Orbis in Machina shows why
