Todd Snyder Just Released a Pretty-Much-Perfect Lineup of New Jeans
I have longed, for some time, to have a good reason to start a story with the following words: Don't call it a comeback. Thanks to Todd Snyder, it's finally happened. (Sort of. Just ignore that bit at the front and focus on the LL Cool J lyric, man.) Snyder's been doing denim for years—he's an American designer working in menswear; it's not like he was going to not make jeans—but he just relaunched his entire selection of five-pocket standbys. Glory be.
One might be tempted to say this was a reactive thing, that Snyder is thumbing his nose at the ubiquity of sweatpants in the age of lockdown. But it's not. Snyder sells sweatpants, too! (Don't tell me you haven't seen his collab with Champion.) In fact, there's no grand design to the timing, other than the fact that Synder synced up with Eric Goldstein—a denim veteran who helped launch Ralph Lauren's RRL line and Gap's 1969 collection before co-founding Jean Shop—and decided to perfect his selection. Now there are three tiers, ranging from an everyday Stretch option to a special-occasion Small Batch offering. Lucky you. Lucky me. Lucky us.
I caught up with Snyder to talk about how it started, how it's going, and what jeans he's currently wearing. You probably won't be surprised to hear: It's not just one pair.
Why did you decide to relaunch your denim selection now?
Denim has always been a key part of our business, but I got to talking with Eric Goldstein, who I used to work with and we decided to take a look at what we were offering and make sure it fit all of our customer’s needs. I think we landed on the perfect blend so everyone can find what they need.
How did you decide on the three tiers in the mix?
We wanted to make sure there were plenty of options in both fit and fabric. Not every man is built the same or wants the same thing out of his jeans. I also wanted to make sure there was a range in price and color.
Can you tell me a bit more about Eric’s involvement? How did he help drive the final product offering?
Eric is amazing. He knows so much about denim from his decades working in this space, so I really leaned on his expertise to inform our designs and offerings. He also works with Vidalia Mills, so he was integral in the development of the Small Batch category and I’m excited to see how our denim evolves in the future.
Do you personally tend to mix it up between stretch, selvedge, and small-batch stuff, or do you have a go-to?
I tend to switch it up depending on my mood and what I’m dressing for. Lately, I have been reaching for the Stretch a bit more, but I think we’re all feeling that since we’re working remote. I am really proud of the Small-Batch and think they’re what I’ll grab if I’m looking for something that feels a bit more unique and special. The Selvedge are just that perfect, classic that’s based on historic design but modernized for today’s guy.
Are there any specific styles that you’re particularly excited about? I know it’s all exciting stuff, but I’m talking about pieces where you look at them and say, “Man, I hope the customer really gets these because I love ‘em.”
I am really excited about the Small Batch denim. I used to work with White Oak and when they shuttered in 2017, it left a big hole in the industry. Luckily, Vidalia Mills purchased White Oak’s looms, so the history can continue on. These styles are a bit more expensive, but they’re the highest quality and completely made in the USA, which I love.
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