It ll be a long time, most likely, before Todd Snyder s name disentangles itself from J.Crew s. He steered that ship for years, and his first collections under his own name pick up where the retailer s weathered take on Americana left off. But he s been slowly distancing himself from his past. He s spent a few successful seasons amping up the luxury while remaining in the American grain. For Spring he made his most decisive break, to fine effect. He called the collection Côte d Azur, modeled on the evergreen Alain Delon classic Plein Soleil—The Talented Monsieur Ripley, so to speak. The European slant, with its bolder embrace of pattern, slimmer fit, and general derring-do—Snyder was particularly taken with a pair of single-pleat, cuffed shorts in a cashmere blend—loosened up the lot. Some of that, it must be said, was styling. But individual pieces, too, had a more sophisticated, mid-century air. Those decades are exciting menswear designers again, and European collections looked to the fifties and sixties for Spring, too. So more than ever, Snyder s collection felt in step. It is still dogged by a vintage feeling; it s just the time and place that s changed. But then, these are early days yet. Snyder s is a line that may get fresher as it ages.
