DOING IT RIGHT!| CELEBRATING 75 YEARS, A NEW ROBERT TALBOTT TEAM UPDATES A MUCH-ADMIRED BRAND
According to the talented Robert Talbott team, one of several new initiatives going into 2026 is a focus on made-in-America, reflecting the American heritage of the Robert Talbott brand, with its original facility in Monterey, California, and original fabrics cut and sewn by company co-founder Audrey Talbott.
“One of the many exciting things we’re doing for the brand’s 75th anniversary,” explains SVP Nick Picchione, “is a focus on made-in-America. For our iconic button-down shirts, we obtained the last remnants of authentic Oxford cloth and had it crafted in a U.S. factory in the Northeast. These shirts feature iconic button-down collars, pocket, box pleat, and locker loop—like the BD shirts I wore in college. The fabrics are authentic, so the shirts get even better with age. Also for this collection, we brought back the original script label and added a special hangtag with a photo of Audrey on her porch, stitching neckwear.”
Attention to detail permeates the entire made-in-America collection. An iconic doeskin blazer features a roll to the lapel and a perfect curvature of the collar. The luxury fabric is from American Woolens in Connecticut; the exclusive buttons are from Waterbury Buttons, also in Connecticut.
In addition to the American-made component (which should get a big push going into 2026; it’s a very marketable concept for menswear stores to promote), there’s an anniversary collection of heritage-inspired neckwear with a special label and a fabulous keepsake box. “We have archives going back to 1950 and even older archives from our favorite mill in the UK,” says Nick. “So our ties and pocket squares are truly special. We kept the shape modern, but the designs reflect our heritage; retails are at $245.”
Ironically, while the company is sometimes pigeon-holed as a furnishings brand, much of the excitement is their new sportswear collection. Beautiful shirt fabrics are exclusively woven for Talbott in Italy, with an easy-care finish that’s formaldehyde-free. One-piece collars have become signature, and linen is doing extremely well, as is seersucker and pique knits out of Portugal in a whole range of colors. “To do apparel, we’re experimenting with how to work with our mills in a new way,” explains Creative Director Sebastian Dollinger, showing me a cool trucker jacket, comfy drawstring pants, and an amazing brocade smoking jacket, modern suit separates that reflect the heritage of the brand while looking intrinsically modern.
“So what we really need now,” concludes Sebastian, “is for wholesale accounts to come in and shop our collection. There are many brands out there yet so many look the same. We can tell from our website data that ours is a brand guys want to buy but they can’t always find it. I’d like to suggest that independent menswear merchants try Robert Talbott. With all the love and passion and thought that goes into every item, the current collection is better in design and quality than anything out there. (If there is something better, it’s twice as expensive…) Retailers have only to sell it once, and the customer will surely come back and ask for it again!”
Mrs. Talbott is surely smiling from heaven!
