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Luxury has been redefined with Robert Talbott’s new creative director

Sebastian Dollinger takes over for an American icon

By Mark D McKee Published November 24, 2024

Robert Talbott bomber jacket with shirt and tie in the desert — Hannes Söderlund / Robert Talbott

All you need is a supportive family, or so you would think if you witnessed the rise of Robert Talbott, an American icon of menswear. In 1950, when Audrey started making one-of-a-kind bowties for her husband, Robert, in Carmel, California, the ties began to take off and sparked others to want the same stylish neckwear. What followed was a small sewing shop in their garage that grew to be a California-inspired staple in men’s shirts and ties. Now, the brand is being rebranded with a new creative director. The Robert Talbott relaunch tapped former Eton shirts Creative Director Sebastian Dollinger to take the company forward.

CEO of Newtimes Brands, Alex Angelchik, who purchased Robert Talbott with the purpose of relaunching the brand spoke on the appointment. “Sebastian Dollinger’s visionary leadership perfectly aligns with our mission to redefine sophistication and style, emphasizing the brand’s commitment to men’s specialty stores and proudly upholding our California heritage.”

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Redefining an icon

Robert Talbott bomber jacket with shirt and tie in the desert — Hannes Söderlund / Robert Talbott

Dollinger comes from two decades of experience at Eton, where he took the brand to the top of the dress shirt world. Although he loved the brand and the product, he felt it was no longer a family business and made the move to Robert Talbott because he felt that he and Audrey were kindred spirits, bringing passion and color to their work.

“Our spirit of innovation will be a driving force in crafting garments that embody comfort, sharpness, and distinctive details. Leading the design team, with the valuable expertise of Nick Picchione, senior vice president of merchandising, we will hyper-focus on shirts and ties, which is our heritage — will be central to our narrative — as well as on our sportswear collections,” said Dollinger.

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Mark cut his teeth in the men's style world when he sold suits first at box stores such as Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank…

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