NILI  LOTAN  OPENS FIRST MEN’S STORE AT 183 DUANE IN TRIBECA

Designer Nili Lotan celebrated the opening of her first men’s store at 183 Duane Street in Tribeca by bringing together notables from fashion, art, music, design, and local communities on Thursday, September 5. We got a chance to catch up with her before the store’s opening.

MR: What are your influences as we head into the FW 2025 season?
Nili Lotan: I am designing from my personal and cultural references. The seventies are the backdrop of my life and serve as a constant source of inspiration. When I design, I stay close to my core inspirations—rock n’ roll, seventies Yves Saint Laurent, Western Americana, and uniform dressing—and find new interpretations. Men’s holds the same inspiration and sensibility as that of women’s, except I am very aware of a man’s needs versus a woman’s needs. I am designing two separate collections, using the same materials, the same mood, and the same inspiration. The collection holds the worlds of music, rock n’ roll, poetry, art and architecture. Above all, it’s about attitude, not fashion. A cool nonchalance that’s sophisticated, timeless, and modern.

MR: Who is your male style icon and why?
NL: Bob Dylan. What I like about Dylan’s identity is that that he’s the kind of guy that carries in him what’s cool. He expresses masculinity with poetic and creative soul. This is the man I am inspired to dress. On a personal level, I am designing to my husband’s persona. For David, clothes serve to communicate who he is, not to define him. He’s got a full life and is so involved in what he’s doing that it’s not about the clothes. Again, it’s about the attitude he brings to the clothes.

MR: What do you see that modern men need to have in their wardrobes?
NL: A full, evolving wardrobe of timeless uniform pieces in the highest quality and the most sophisticated design. Denim, leather, great outerwear, utilitarian pants. Men’s is a curated collection as compared to women because I find when a man finds something he likes, he returns. He doesn’t need as much newness in his life. The clothes are easy and relaxed but chic with presence for a sophisticated guy.

MR: Where do you see the Nili Lotan menswear collection moving in the next few years? 
NL: A year and half ago, I had dinner with Alison Loehnis, the president of Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter, who thought it would be a big miss if I did not launch a men’s collection that offered the same approach and sensibility as that of the women’s because this was missing in the market. I quickly designed and introduced a small collection with a few partners. This was a way for me to test out men’s. Now that I’ve taken it to the next level, launching in a more serious way with a dedicated men’s store, I am committed to think more about men. We are currently carried at Mr Porter, Saks and select specialty stores globally. I am excited to continue to grow in this category.

MR: Talk to me about the creative process of opening the store. Who did you work with? Are you planning any events or ways to enhance the experience beyond “shopping?”
NL: While conceiving the men’s store, with Bob Dylan and the era of the seventies as the source of inspiration for the men’s collection, it made all the sense in the world to dedicate the store to my husband, David Broza, who is a world-renowned signer-songwriter of the same genre. This was an opportunity for me to celebrate my husband, to celebrate our love, and to share a bit more of myself and my life with David through my store. Usually, my stores are very clean and minimal, but I felt that for the men’s I wanted to create intimacy with my client beyond a shopping experience. Along with the Marcel Breuer-inspired custom garment racks that have become signature in my stores, the men’s store holds quite a lot of music, art, and books—all the things David and I love. It holds a corner to have a coffee with a friend, myself, David or anyone who happens to be in the store. It holds a gallery of our favorite Allan Tannenbaum photographs. And it serves to support David’s non-profit, One Million Guitars. All of this is all part of wanting to meet my client in a more intimate environment. This is a space that I’m giving back to Tribeca after twenty years of calling this neighborhood home—to my apartment, my studio, and my first store. I’m very excited to open the store in Tribeca across the street from my women’s flagship and become even more a part of the Tribeca community.

The space, an homage to Lotan and her partner David Broza, reflects their shared passions of rock ‘n’ roll, ’70s Yves Saint Laurent, uniform dressing, and Americana. Guitars, symbolizing their commitment to the One Million Guitars non-profit initiative, were prominently displayed, with every purchase supporting music education for children worldwide. The evening marked a new chapter for the brand, blending fashion, music, art, and community in the heart of Tribeca.

Lotan opened her first atelier and store in Tribeca in 2006 because of its intimate neighborhood feel, where she has lived with her life partner, singer-songwriter David Broza, for many years. Lotan’s vision was that the store could be an interim community space between work and home for women to connect with themselves and the brand. As Nili Lotan continues to grow, now with the launch of Men’s, Lotan envisions the two stores, Women’s at 188 Duane and Men’s at 183 Duane, as a creative destination and experience for neighborhood residents and visitors.

The store at 183 Duane is an homage to the love between Lotan and Broza. Located across the street from the women’s store, down the block from the brand’s design studio, and walking distance from the couple’s loft on Leonard, the vision for the Lotan’s first Men’s store is dedicated to all things she and Broza share in their love and lives together. Lotan envisions activating the space with collaborations with Tribeca residents and businesses.

Upon entering, clients are greeted by Nili Lotan signature garment racks inspired by Marcel Breuer’s iconic tubular steel chair holding the men’s collection and an espresso bar. Moving through the space, hand-selected antiques and artwork, including photography by Allan Tannenbaum and Dudi Hasson, are thoughtfully arranged. Warm mid-century wood bookshelves house a revolving collection of the couple’s favorite art books, music books, design books, ceramics, and vinyls for sale. Custom mid-century furniture grounds the space and invites another opportunity for connection.