Todd Snyder (fashion designer)
American fashion designer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Todd Snyder is an American fashion designer and the founder of the menswear label that bears his name. Before launching the label in 2011, he worked for Polo Ralph Lauren and Gap and later served as senior vice president of menswear at J.Crew, where he worked on the development of the Ludlow suit.
Snyder's label draws on tailored menswear, military clothing and American workwear, and has developed collaborations with brands including Champion, New Balance, Vans and L.L.Bean. American Eagle Outfitters acquired the Todd Snyder label and his Tailgate brand in 2015. In 2023, Snyder was appointed creative director of Woolrich's Black Label collection, and in 2024 he returned to the runway at Pitti Uomo in Florence.
Early life and education
Todd Snyder grew up in Huxley, Iowa, before attending Iowa State University, where he studied apparel design.[1][2] While at Iowa State, he worked as a tailor's assistant at Badowers,[3] a menswear store in Des Moines, an experience that contributed to his interest in fashion design.[1]
Career
Early career
After moving to New York, Snyder designed outerwear for Polo Ralph Lauren before becoming director of menswear at Gap Inc.[4] He later joined J.Crew, where he became senior vice president of menswear and worked on the development of the Ludlow suit.[5][6]
Namesake label
Snyder launched his namesake menswear label in 2011, drawing on Savile Row tailoring, military clothing and American workwear.[2] The first collection debuted for Fall 2011 and was carried by Bergdorf Goodman, Ron Herman and Neiman Marcus; the label later expanded to retailers including Barneys New York and Nordstrom.[7]
In November 2015, American Eagle Outfitters acquired the Todd Snyder label and Snyder's Tailgate brand for $11 million.[8][9] In December 2016, Snyder opened his first U.S. boutique in New York City.[10] The brand subsequently expanded its brick-and-mortar retail presence.[11] In 2023, it opened seven stores in U.S. cities including Atlanta and Washington, D.C., as part of a broader retail expansion.[12]
Later career
In 2023, Snyder was appointed creative director of Woolrich's Black Label collection, which debuted in 2024.[13][14] In 2024, Snyder returned to the runway at Pitti Uomo in Florence, presenting his Fall/Winter 2024 collection, The Modernist.[15][16]
Collaborations
Snyder has said that his use of brand collaborations developed while he headed J.Crew Men's around 2008, and that he carried the approach into his own label after leaving the company.[17] One of his early partnerships was with Champion, which began in 2013 and developed into an ongoing sportswear collaboration.[18]
In 2019, Snyder collaborated with Hamptons restaurateur Lincoln Pilcher on a Moby's x Todd Snyder capsule collection.[19] His label has also worked repeatedly with New Balance, including several sneaker collaborations.[20] In 2023, Snyder marked the tenth anniversary of his label with a sneaker collaboration with Vans,[21] and worked with Michael Graham of Savant Studios on the Artifacts capsule collection.[22]
In a 2024 interview, Snyder said that his collaboration with L.L.Bean was the company's first designer partnership.[23]
Awards and honors
| Year | Award or honor | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | CFDA/Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in Menswear | Nominated | [24] |
| GQ Best New Menswear Designers in America | Won | [25] | |
| 2013 | CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund | Finalist | [26] |
| 2014 | CFDA/Swarovski Award for Menswear | Nominated | [27] |
| 2016 | CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year | Nominated | [28] |
| 2017 | Nominated | [29] | |
| 2020 | Nominated | [30] | |
| 2022 | LIM College Distinguished Achievement Award | Recipient | [31] |
| Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science, LIM College | Recipient | ||
| 2024 | Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies | Honored | [12] |
| CFDA American Menswear Designer of the Year | Nominated | [32] |