Founded: 2003, Portland, Maine
Designer: Alex Carleton, 39
The real-life inspiration: “I used to work at L.L.Bean. Leon Gorman, the grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean, is a true modern-day country gentleman. He’d drive a pickup truck and wear perfectly pressed L.L.Bean chinos with a tattersall shirt and tortoiseshell glasses and the Norman Rockwell haircut. He has iconic New England style.”
The on-screen inspiration: “I want to design a tweed blazer and a flannel shirt like Jack Torrance wore in The Shining.”
Every man should have… “A pair of Carhartts.”
Shipley & Halmos Founded: 2007, New York
Designers: Sam Shipley, 29, and Jeff Halmos, 29
The philosophy: “We saw an opening for a fashionable guy who embraces his masculinity. A lot of people who buy our clothes are guy’s guys.” (Shipley)
The early days: Formerly one-half of the SoCal design collective Trovata, and before that, college buddies in Boulder, Shipley and Halmos started their own line in 2007.
Every man should have… “A clean white dress shirt. You can wear it with anything, at any time.” (Shipley)
Every man should also have… “An affordable suit. Ours are slim without being shrunken. And I think people really responded to the price point.” (Halmos)
The retirement plan: “Playing guitar in a metal band called War Bonnet. I’ve always wanted to go on a U.S. tour. Seeing the country from that perspective would be wild.” (Shipley)
Robert Geller Founded: 2006, New York
Designer: Robert Geller, 32, former partner of Alexandre Plokhov at the now defunct Cloak
The influence: “Last season I researched Prague in the ’20s and ’30s. Even today, the city has a culture where the men are masculine but still sensitive. I really wanted to show that mixture of romance and strength in my first collection.”
The hangouts: “In New York, that whole area in the depths of Chinatown. I really love Bacaro. I love Les Enfants Terribles and Broadway East.”
The soundtrack: “Hands down, the Cure: Boys Don’t Cry, especially the beginning, where you can hear the scratches. I don’t like anything that’s too produced or too polished.”
Every man should have… “A really nice winter boot. I’ve found the nicest one that exists…it’s an Austrian brand called Ludwig Reiter. The inside is lined with shearling so you can wear them through the deepest snow.”
Yigal Azrouël Founded: 2007, New York
Designer: Yigal Azrouël, 36
The philosophy: “I love old-school American menswear. I like things that are not perfect but distressed and worn—something that has been through an experience.”
The early days: “I used to live in a basement in Queens with, like, five roommates. I would buy vintage pieces and cut a sleeve off, sew a different sleeve on—just experimenting. I started selling things to friends. And then Barneys picked me up.”
The influence: “My mom is French, and she always made me look styled, in a way. When I look at pictures of me as a kid, I see my signatures: a cool striped tee or a plaid shirt.”
Every man should have… “A cool leather jacket that you can keep forever. I made mine myself, and I’ve worn it for the past twelve years.”
Save Khaki Founded: 2006, New York
Designer: David Mullen, 48
The philosophy: “With the jeans craze, everything was being overdesigned. I thought what was missing in the market was something really comfortable with a modern fit. I think clothes should have utility, and if they happen to be stylish, then that’s great.”
The muse: “Ben Hogan, believe it or not. His khakis and cashmere cardigans made him look better than golfers do today.”
Every man should have… “A great white broadcloth shirt that can be worn pressed or wrinkled.”
Every man should also have… “A khaki trench. You can dress it up or down; it goes with everything.”
One piece of advice: “I think people need to not try so hard. Particularly men. It doesn’t take much to put yourself together.”
Benjamin BixbyFounded: 2008, New York and Atlanta
Designer: André Benjamin (a.k.a. André 3000), 33
The philosophy: “During OutKast’s Stankonia period, I looked like I was from Mars. The music was otherworldly, and my character reflected that. I wanted to put that spirit into classic clothes, but ones that people could actually wear.”
The look: “I think the cut of Benjamin Bixby comes from comic-book characters, which I’ve been drawing since I was a kid. In comic books, the waist is always pinched, but the legs are full-cut, kind of like the Cracker Jack man.”
The influence: “In high school, in Atlanta, when Grand Puba told us to wear Girbaud jeans, I wore Girbaud jeans. Then you had this prep movement happening: Ralph Lauren, Eddie Bauer, Bass, Sebago, and Timberland. So imagine me walking through [local housing project] Bowen Homes in the morning to catch the bus, but I’m dressed like a prep. As you get older, you go back to those things.”
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