When people have too many choices, they make bad choices.
Thom Browne
I feel like jeans and a T-shirt have become Establishment. Everyone's dressed down. So actually, putting on a jacket is the anti-Establishment stance.
I want to put concepts in front of people that make them laugh or smile or even hate what I do. I'm not interested in just putting clothes in stores.
I think good tailoring and something that's well-made never gets boring or tiring.
Nothing should be perfect. I think that's the most important thing. I do wear my jackets almost exaggeratedly short. So that's probably the most mussed up. Along with, you know, not ironing my shirt.
I think pattern makers are some of the most underrated, undervalued people in fashion. They're the people who are sometimes the geniuses in designing clothing.
I'm not Amish, but I grew up in that same area of Pennsylvania and became very attracted to the inherent strictness and uniformity of that community.
I think my collection is doing really well, but collaborating is actually just a nice exercise in doing something different. For example, I do things very differently for Moncler that I wouldn't specifically do for me. For me, I can do whatever I want. With other companies, you have to stay responsible to them.
When it comes to shoes, you don't really need more than a few pairs of wing tips or oxfords. They're classics. And I wear only black shoes in the city. Brown ones are for the country.
I always like playing with some sort of typical convention or idea and turning it over.
Designing is so easy - it's the business that is hard. That's why you really have to respect Ralph Lauren - look at what he's done. Anybody who can sustain themselves should be applauded.
I like to maintain my collection as a provocative collection that makes people think. While certainly my stamp will be visible on Black Fleece, it is meant for a wider audience.
My uniform: grey suit, white shirt, grey tie and tie bar, grey cardigan and black wingtips.
Men don't know enough about being courteous toward women. You should get into a cab before a woman so she doesn't have to slide across the seat. And you should always go first into a revolving door so she doesn't have to push - unless it's moving, then let her go first.
Every collaboration I do, I feel like I've benefitted in so many different ways; it all depends on the organization. With Moncler, there is such a heritage to the brand and to the way that they work. With Brooks Brothers, in the same way, having the heritage to draw from in that collaboration is invaluable.
I act every day of my life.
Doing womenswear is challenging, and it's exciting. I approach it the same way as I approach menswear, so it's in a tailored way, and I do my thing. I love doing it.
It is so important to be really true to yourself in design, and I am.
I've always been drawn to the American style in the late '50s and '60s.
It's sad that the cell phone is replacing the watch as a time-telling device. I wear a vintage watch that's really skinny.
I was asked to design the tuxedo for Mr. Peanut. They're rebranding him. That was probably the most interesting request. I didn't spend a long time considering it.
As a designer, I think you just have to make sure you know what you want and stay true to it. You need to have conviction and really just want to make people think in regards to doing interesting things.
Nothing is worse than a home that is too perfect and done. You have to live in it.
Some people think that my shows are just for shock value, but the provocation makes those classic pieces look different every six months. You don't need to see the same gray suit every season. But surrounding it with 40 really interesting ideas makes it feel new.
If you saw me every day, you would actually think I am wearing the exact same gray suit.
I've always dressed the same. I've never made a fashion mistake. I've always worn utilitarian. I started my collection because I wanted certain specific things, but before that it was vintage and classic Brooks Brothers.
Obama does look good, but he could look better. The most important thing for politicians is to keep their clothes really simple and make sure their clothing actually fits.
Since Brooks Brothers is a 189-year-old company, there are plenty of references and inspirations I can draw from their archives and catalogs. The wearer of Black Fleece may not be all that different from mine, in that I imagine that it would be someone who is a true individual, and independent thinker. This is for both men and women.
Seersucker and khaki suits are the key to looking put-together in the summer. I also wear shorts year-round. And I would never say never, but I don't wear sandals. With shorts, it's wing tips and tennis socks.
I do love the provocative side of my collection, but I also like the classics - the simpler skirts and the sweater sets and the shirtdresses. And I always love to see girls in jackets and trousers.
I come from a family of bankers and lawyers, and they joked that they can't believe I'm the one that gets to go to the White House.
I like the idea of men's tailoring on girls. It's very strong and sexy in a non-overt way.
My dad was an attorney. The last thing he ever thought about was clothes, and yet somehow he always looked good.
Some people, when they see my shows, leave saying, 'Who would wear that?'
I think guys don't always realize that clothing that fits is actually more comfortable than clothing that doesn't fit. I think guys do sometimes wear clothing that is too big.
While I think men in general should not fuss over how they look, I do feel as though they should make more an effort to find a way to look good in their own individual, but natural way. I think it's a shame that it's become acceptable to wear jeans and a T-shirt to any place and function.
I love the idea of things being strict and things being uniform. That's the reason why I surround each collection with humor or irony. I want to make sure that it's not too serious and that there is some element that throws it off because otherwise that would make it really boring. There's always a story that's somewhat fantastical.
