The Tamesis
After an aesthetic tour of Havana and Miami last season, Todd Snyder returns to familiar territory for the fall. Two towering mood boards in his studio are neatly lined with rows of photographs: moody abstract paintings, close-ups of candy-colored cologne bottles, rugged vintage cars, the flowing lines of classic clocks, and portraits of director David Lynch and jazz musician Miles Davis. “When I’m thinking about a series, this is where I go,” Snyder said in the preview. “I started thinking, ‘What’s a car? What’s a watch?’ What was he wearing, where was he going, what was he listening to — the complete character.” If there was one period that he focused on, it was the mid-century, the height of a certain heady art scene in New York. “The world of the Fifties inspired me because I felt design and creativity were at their peak,” he says. “You see amazing people doing amazing things.”
Snyder also looked back to the first series he showed 15 years ago. He pointed to a photo of a model wearing a naval officer’s coat, taken from that debut. “This is still one of our main classic styles,” he says with awe and pride. “The proportions have changed, but the concept remains the same.”
Snyder is an American designer through and through, a Midwesterner who rose to prominence at the Ralph Lauren and J.Crew brands that defined the country’s visual identity. Although not political in nature, he suggested that American style was actually an amalgamation of outside influences. “English tailoring, Italian ease and Japanese precision all inform how I interpret design,” he says.
How does this translate to clothes? The languid flows and sun-dappled tones of spring are replaced by a more restrained, traditional Snyder style. Still, there was a sense of ease to the whole process. Tropical wool double-breasted suits have slightly exaggerated shoulders and drape effortlessly, creating an “expressive silhouette,” while double-pleat trousers feature a Hollywood-style high rise, gentle tapering and slight tailoring, Snyder said. The knitwear is imbued with the feel of the British countryside, featuring argyles, tartans and classic checks in rich earth tones and made from light cashmere and boiled lambswool. Pairing pleated Japanese denim with peak-collar shirts and silk ties, Davis effortlessly embodies a mix of preppy and mid-century cool. Outerwear is still selling well, and Snyder pulled several favorite pieces from nearby racks, including a chunky brown floor-length cashmere coat, a plaid raincoat, an equestrian plaid safari jacket, and several sleek vintage-style leather jackets. “I like the rock influence because it makes things a little bit edgier,” he says.
This series reiterated that Snyder’s strength lies in his magpie tendencies, picking and grinding from here to there to suit his needs. He has an inquisitive eye (he’s told he’s a prolific Pinterest user). A little military here, a little British traditional there, throw in some prep, western or rock ‘n’ roll and you’ve got a collection that’s masculine without being sartorial; fun without trying too hard.
But more importantly, he’s a menswear nerd in the best possible way, happy to show you a faded pink sweater or declare that he’s back to matching shoes. This erratic idea and enthusiasm make his collection the ideal solution for men who want something somewhere between the silly runway shows and the dull, cookie-cutter brands that dominate the DTC space. Something real, something thoughtful. He offers a well-worn familiarity with just the right amount of novelty and detail. Or, as he puts it: “There’s always a game between classic and modern. There’s always a push and pull.”
On the way out, Snyder pointed to a photo on his mood board by Paul Strand, a stark black-and-white shot of Wall Street commuters in New York. “Even though it’s from 1915, it looks very modern,” he said. One’s eyes can’t help but wander to the images scattered throughout his first works, and a similar thought arises: 15 years later, it still looks so modern.
