Paul Stuart

For those of a similar name, see Paul Stewart (disambiguation).
Paul Stuart
Company typePrivate
IndustryClothing and shoes
FoundedNew York, New York, 1938
HeadquartersNew York, New York
Key people
Ralph Ostrove (founder)
Clifford Grodd
Michael Ostrove
ProductsMen's and women's clothing
Websitepaulstuart.com

Paul Stuart is a men's luxury clothing brand based in New York City and owned by Mitsui since 2012. The company has four standalone boutiques in the US and one in Japan.

Paul Stuart's style has been described as a blend of “Savile Row, Connecticut living and the concrete canyons of New York.”[1] The Paul Stuart logo is a drawing of fictional character Dink Stover sitting on the Yale fence.

History

Harry Ostrove started Broadstreet's men's clothing stores in New York City in 1915. Ralph worked for his father but left in 1938 to start Paul Stuart, so named for his son, Paul Stuart Ostrove.[2]

The company was helmed by the legendary merchant and CEO Clifford Grodd from 1958 until his death in 2010.[3]

In fall 2007, Paul Stuart launched its Phineas Cole range, which is luxury clothing designed to appeal to a younger, less conservative clientele.

The retailer remained a privately-held family business until December 2012, when it was sold to its long-time Japanese partners, Mitsui.[4]

Paulette Garafalo, formerly of Brooks Brothers and Hickey Freeman, became CEO of Paul Stuart on June 14, 2016, marking the first time someone unrelated to the Ostrove family led the company.[5][6]

In 2019, the company began offering a lower-priced made-to-measure service branded as customLAB,[7] and a luxury MTM jeans service branded as denimBAR.[8] In 2019, the company celebrated the redesign of its omnichannel e-commerce website with home delivery via vintage Packard automobile.[9]

On July 1, 2022, Paulette Garafalo accepted a new role as Executive Chairman of Paul Stuart. Trevor Shimpfky was announced as president and CEO.[10] The creative director is Ralph Auriemma,[11] who was originally hired away from Ralph Lauren Purple Label in 2007 to develop the youthful Phineas Cole sub-brand.[12]

Retail locations

Paul Stuart has standalone shops in New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, Southampton, New York, and Tokyo.

Since 1938, the original New York City flagship store has been located at the corner of Madison Avenue and 45th Street.

In the fall of 2008, Paul Stuart relocated its Chicago store from the John Hancock Center on Michigan Avenue to Oak Street.[13] In the spring of 2011, Paul Stuart opened a second Chicago location in The Loop, at the corner of LaSalle Street and Adams Street in the historic Continental and Commercial National Bank building designed by Daniel Burnham, currently anchored by JW Marriott Hotels. Both Chicago stores were broken into and looted during the George Floyd protests in Chicago, and the Loop store in the JW Marriott was permanently closed. In 2024 the Oak Street store was relocated to a 5,250 sq ft space spanning two floors at 822 North Michigan Avenue in front of Chicago Water Tower, and opposite its original Hancock Tower location from decades prior.[14][15][16][17]

The store in Washington, D.C. opened in spring 2015 in CityCenterDC.[18]

Paul Stuart shoes and boots are sold at Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue.[19][20]

On 1 September 2020, Paul Stuart opened a 846 ft2 popup store in New York City at 505 Broome Street which focused on the brand's CustomLab entry-level made-to-measure tailored clothing.[21]

On July 1, 2020 the brand opened a shop in the Hamptons in Southampton.[22]

The Tokyo boutique is located in Kita-Aoyama near Gaiemmae Station.[23] The brand is sold nationwide at Japanese department stores including Daimaru, Keiō, Keisei, Isetan, Matsuya, Matsuzakaya, Mitsukoshi, Seibu, Sōgo, Takashimaya, Tōbu, Tōkyū, and others.

Clientele

Michael Bloomberg, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Ron Carter, and Billy Taylor have been customers of the brand.[24][1]

Paul Stuart's style has been described as a blend of “Savile Row, Connecticut living and the concrete canyons of New York.”[1] In its early years, Paul Stuart was known as "the poor man's Brooks Brothers"; later its prices rose, and for many years it has been more expensive than Brooks Brothers.[25]

Paul Stuart dressed Cary Grant in Hitchcock's North by Northwest.[24] The brand has been worn in Succession.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Clifford Grodd, the Driving Force at Paul Stuart, Dies at 86 New York Times, WILLIAM GRIMES, MAY 26, 2010
  2. ^ Ralph Ostrove Is Dead; Clothing Store Founder New York Times, September 3, 1981, Section B, Page 16
  3. ^ Clifford Grodd, the Driving Force at Paul Stuart, Dies at 86 William Grimes, New York Times, May 26, 2010
  4. ^ "Apparel maker Paul Stuart (think Mayor Bloomberg) sold to licensee Mitsui". New York Business Journal. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  5. ^ Paulette Garafalo to Become CEO of Paul Stuart Women's Wear Daily, Jean E. Palmieri, June 7, 2016
  6. ^ Paul Stuart CEO Paulette Garafalo Talks Changing Times At The Storied Retailer KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN, mr magazine, January 11, 2018
  7. ^ Paul Stuart's Made-to-Measure Suit is a Must-Buy Philadelphia Style, Julie D’Alessandro, September 26, 2019
  8. ^ Palmieri, Jean (February 28, 2019). "Paul Stuart Unveils Opening Price Point Made-to-Measure called customLAB". Women's Wear Daily.
  9. ^ Paul Stuart to Use Vintage Packard for Home Deliveries Women's Wear Daily, Jean E. Palmieri, November 5, 2019
  10. ^ Palmieri, Jean E. (2022-06-23). "Paulette Garafalo to Become Executive Chairman of Paul Stuart". WWD. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  11. ^ Designer Ralph Auriemma: “I would use my platform to end hatred and bigotry in our world. I admire people who use their platform to try to eradicate racism” Thrive Global, September 26, 2019
  12. ^ ALBERG GROSSMAN, Karen (March 13, 2024). "Ralph Auriemma - Master of Inspiration". MR Magazine.
  13. ^ "Paul Stuart moving to Oak Street". Chicago Business. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  14. ^ Paul Stuart to Relocate Chicago Store to Michigan Avenue Women's Wear Daily, JEAN E. PALMIERI, 23 October 2023
  15. ^ Paul Stuart Returns to Michigan Avenue Business Wire, 21 February 2024
  16. ^ "High-end retailer ditching Oak Street for Mag Mile". The Real Deal. November 8, 2023.
  17. ^ "Paul Stuart returns to Chicago's famed Magnificant Mile". February 20, 2024.
  18. ^ "Paul Stuart Opening in DC, Spring 2015". OTC. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  19. ^ Bloomingdales
  20. ^ Saks Fifth Avenue
  21. ^ "Paul Stuart Opens First CustomLab". Yahoo! news. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  22. ^ Rashed, Kareem (July 1, 2020). "Paul Stuart Is Setting Up a New Permanent Shop in the Hamptons". Robb Report.
  23. ^ Store locator
  24. ^ a b PAUL STUART: NEW YORK'S NEW DANDY The Rake, CHRIS COTONOU, October 2019
  25. ^ Martin, Douglas (2004-11-24). "Paul Ostrove, 73, the Name Behind the Paul Stuart Clothing Store, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  26. ^ Let’s Talk About the Yacht Clothes on “Succession” The New Yorker, Rachel Syme, October 14, 2019

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