Johnnie-O Expands with Elevated Menswear and Lifestyle Collections

More than two decades ago, John O’Donnell launched Johnnie-O with a surfboard logo on a golf shirt out of the back of his car. And now it’s become a multimillion-dollar full lifestyle brand, complete with retail stores and an expansion into women’s and kids’ wear.

What makes the Johnnie-O brand stand apart is that it dresses its customers from boardroom meetings to happy hours. The company expanded on its signature polos to become a “full closet brand” for weekends, dinners, golf, tennis and training and everything in between.

Moreover, as a lifestyle brand, the company blends East Coast polish with West Coast casual to create clothing for people to live their lives in. The brand said this philosophy allows for “an ease and confidence that quietly stands out in any room.”

In recent years, the brand has undergone major product development for its higher-end menswear collection of formalwear, called “Top Shelf.” Focusing on European mills, classic tailoring details and quality, the “Top Shelf” collection also makes comfort a priority.

Notably, Johnnie-O brought Chris Knott, founder of Peter Millar, out of retirement to help elevate the brand in his role as chief merchandising officer; Knott has been leading the charge for its “Top Shelf” collection expansion and elevating its core product mainstays. The brand said that Knott truly understands how the Johnnie-O customers live, work, travel and socialize — the design assortments of the collection follow the day-to-day moments rather than seasonally.

“What you are seeing from us this past year is a renewed focus on elevated product,” Marcus Cecconi, senior vice president of product and design, told Fairchild Studio. “What started as a few elevated sport coats and button-down shirts has grown into a full collection including knitwear, outerwear, five-pockets and garment-dyed trousers. We see an opportunity in the marketplace to not only design and deliver this level of product but do it in our way with our handwriting. Delivering elevated menswear utilizing some of the best materials in the world from our favorite European mills at very competitive prices.”

Johnnie-O has also seen major growth in its wholesale business. The brand is sold in most major high-end stores and sells in 700 specialty stores across the U.S. According to the company, its wholesale specialty channel increased by 30 percent as compared to 2024, alongside the increase in demand for men’s sportswear. The brand said its versatility has allowed it to become an introductory brand at higher-end menswear stores while simultaneously being a luxury brand at outdoor retailers or resort lifestyle boutiques.

Cecconi shared that the brands see opportunities for mid-tier price points as well. He said that the seasonal collections allow Johnnie-O to tell different stories. Its “Lodge” collection offers a fresh take on men’s weekend gear, casual sportswear with “shackets” and outerwear that easily go “from Saturday morning soccer games with the kids to the tailgate with the boys.” The spring will also see the brand’s new “Coastal” collection with sun-drenched and salt-washed T-shirts, hoodies and garment-dyed shorts for long weekends. The focus, Cecconi said, remains on delivering an elevated product at a great price.

“Tariffs have made a huge impact on our business this past year. We took a step back and looked at it as an opportunity; digging in and working very closely with all of our factory partners on tempering our costs. Through all of that work our customers have seen only very small retail increases, which has resonated,” concluded Cecconi.

To learn more about Johnnie-O, visit johnnie-o.com.