On September 17, FIT’s Global Fashion Management (GFM) master’s program hosted menswear designer Todd Snyder for an engaging conversation and Q&A session with students. With extensive experience at Ralph Lauren, Old Navy, and most notably J.Crew, where he was head of menswear, Snyder launched his eponymous brand in 2011. In 2015, the company was acquired by American Eagle; and today, Snyder’s firm— offering apparel priced between masstige (mass-produced goods marketed as prestigious) and luxury—is valued at around $100 million. By the end of 2025, he plans to expand from 19 to 25 brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S.
Snyder, originally from Iowa, shared how he set his sights on New York after college. “It’s the mecca of fashion, globally,” he said. (He called the recent loss of jobs in the Garment District “concerning” but said his atelier on East 26th Street was still well-served by its New York City location.) He recalled taking art history and fashion illustration classes at FIT to hone his skills. Retail veteran Mickey Drexler was his greatest mentor. As his career got underway, Snyder distinguished himself by making—and then wearing—garments from scratch, which coworkers and later buyers coveted. His decades of industry experience prepared him to own a brand, he said: “There are no shortcuts.”
When asked by a student about recent retail strategies, Snyder highlighted the company’s use of new tools to streamline made-to-measure services and improve the online experience through AI. He also mentioned the development of a new loyalty program. While 80% of the company’s sales come from its website, he underscored the importance of physical stores in building the brand: “Music, candles—every sense is engaged. You walk in and feel at home.”
A true Midwesterner at heart, Snyder said the key to success in the industry is simple: “You need to work hard and innovate, but you also need to be nice.” He shared a recent story of meeting customers at one of his stores, directing them to a nearby chic restaurant, and even calling ahead to make sure they were well-received. “I know I’ve made customers for life,” he said, contrasting his approach to competing menswear outlets. “To them, [the customer] is just a transaction.”
This New York seminar marks the first of four intensive one-week international seminars in the Global Fashion Management program, with the others taking place in Paris, Hong Kong, and Mexico City across four semesters. The seminar’s focus spans major retail business models, entrepreneurial ventures, brand management, sustainability, industry analysis, and cross-cultural leadership.