Unruly Heir

A new line inspired by Paul Stuart's "errant son"

October 3, 2007—Following the success of Hickey Freeman's puckish Hickey offshoot and Thom Browne's boundary-pushing Black Fleece collection for Brooks Brothers, Paul Stuart is unveiling its own younger-skewing second line. Dubbed Phineas Cole, the collection falls somewhere between the Bastian-on-a-budget of Hickey and the fashion-forward (and oddly pint-sized) shopper Browne is targeting with Black Fleece. Suit coats—there are also shirts, trousers, and accessories—are cut shorter and closer to the body, with smartly attenuated waists and shoulders, while trousers cut an equally lean profile: Belt loops are eliminated in favor of adjustable side tabs. ("We don't believe in belt loops for Phineas," says VP and design head Michael Ostrove.) So who exactly is this fictional Phineas? He's "the errant son of Paul Stuart," explains CEO Clifford Grodd, "a cosmopolitan and educated traveler who's a connoisseur of style." We'll have to trust him on the errant part, but given the line's rigorous tailoring and high-end materials (wool and cashmere in several weights are sourced from mills in England and Italy), young Phineas certainly seems to have good taste in clothes. And, apparently, he's also into exclusivity: Each combination of style and fabric will appear in a maximum of 20 numbered suits.

Phineas Cole Collection, suits from $1,384, shirts from $186, trousers from $344, sport coats from $1,284, neckwear from $107, outerwear from $697, and sportswear from $258; all available at Paul Stuart NYC, (212) 628-0320, and Chicago, (312) 640-2650, paulstuart.com