It is truly a labor of love for Steven Stolman.
After a break with his business partners forced him to walk away from his eponymous label 20 years ago, the veteran designer returned last year with a women’s collection.
The success of that line and myriad requests prompted him to expand his offering to include a small collection of menswear this summer.
“There was such an overwhelming request for men’s, and it really wasn’t even on my radar screen,” he said. “Menswear is not easy to get right. It requires so much more precision, and I wasn’t sure I was up to taking that on.”
But after dipping his toe back in with a few pieces he made for himself, “the reaction was so positive, I thought, what not give it the old college try.”
Stolman, who became known for the colorful prints — many made from decorative home fabrics — that once sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus, also worked for Pauline Trigere, Albert Nipon, Lilly Pulitzer, Scaladandre and others over the course of his career. At the height of his success, he had seven stores in resort communities around the U.S. including Southampton, N.Y.; Palm Beach, Fla., and Nantucket. He is also the author of seven books on entertaining, architecture and photography.
When he was designing the Steven Stolman collection, he actually created a full men’s line, offering sport coats, trousers, button-down shirts, boxer shorts, ties and other pieces. The line found a niche and the men that purchased them “would hold onto them, and if the fashion changed, they would just have them retailored,” he said. He was especially proud of the pants, which were made by the respected Brooklyn tailor, Julius Hertling. “They were exquisite but expensive,” he said.
He also created menswear for Lilly Pulitzer when he was consulting there. “People loved it and I loved doing it, but it was never a large percentage of the business,” he recalled. “I remember Lilly telling me, ‘Don’t expect it to make any money.’ That’s why she dropped it.”
Stolman said he has no expectations that his latest menswear line will turn into a cash cow either. “If this isn’t a capsule collection, I don’t know what is,” he said. “I’m starting with a handful of prints in a few colorways in two or three basic silhouettes.”
One of Steven Stolman’s colorful men’s shirts.
Courtesy of Steven Stolman
He said this go-round is different from his first Steven Stolman men’s collection. Not only are the number of pieces smaller, but the garments are “much easier,” he said, adding that all the pants have a little stretch. They’re twill in a blend of 95 percent cotton and 5 percent spandex. “They still look tailored, but they’re more comfortable wear,” he said.
The shirts are classic button-downs in 100 percent cotton but with signature Stolman bells and whistles.
The collection is now being made by a contractor in India who specializes in home decor but offers a few apparel options as well, he said.
The men’s collection is being launched on his website and will also debut at a trunk show at Coniglio Palm Beach in East Hampton, N.Y., on July 11. He will be showing both his men’s and women’s lines and a portion of the proceeds from the sales will benefit the East Hampton Historical Society.
“I cut my chops at trunk shows,” he said, adding that while his line is not overly expensive, it’s sometimes hard for customers to purchase online without touching and feeling the product. “Online shopping has its limits.”
The shirts retail for $145 and the pants for $225.
Steven Stolman
Courtesy of Steven Stolman
Stolman said he decided to reenter the business after the exhaustion he felt getting ripped off. “I know it’s a fact of life in fashion, but it broke my heart,” he said. “I really needed to do this for my peace of mind.”
Going forward, Stolman said he expects to continue designing menswear. “The marketplace will tell me, but I can confidently say I popularized the classification of rambunctiously printed trousers. I know it won’t make me rich, but it’s truly a labor of love.”
The son of a periodontist, Stolman was born in Boston and raised in West Hartford, Conn. He attended Parsons School of Design and is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
