Bogosse: The Return of the Handsome Man Lifestyle

Interviewed by Kenyatta D. Pious


How and why did Bogosse start and who started it?
Bogosse is the creation of two brothers, Patrick and Fabrice Tardieu. We are international travelers, but [we have] the spirit of the tropical islands in our souls. We could not find exact shirts that expressed our style - - a European sensibility and style yet still fun and trendy. So we created Bogosse

We were raised in Haiti, educated in Europe and have a passion for lives lived in style. Patrick, a
former world-clasas professional athlete (Captain of the National Soccer Team of Haiti for many years) is an international business entrepreneaur and CEO of Bogosse. Fabrice is a former top executive at Armani France, is the Creative Director at Bogosse, and a quintessential ‘bon vivan.’

What can you tell us about your fall 2007 collection?
For fall 2007, Bogosse recreates classic shirting details that have stood out in history, from Humprey Bogart’s trench coat collar to Jude Law’s scarf in Alfie to Chairman Mao’s tiny, rigid collar.
Bogosse is also known for creating new classics such as the watch shirt, where a man can display his watch or not with the special cuff and shirts with elegant metallic threaded fabrics and stud detailing.

Who is the ideal Bogosse customer?
If Aristote Onassis were alive this would be his brand. Bogosse also likes Christian Troy’s character in Nip Tuck, Will Smith in real life, Adrian Brody and Djimon Hounsou.

Is there anyone that you think of as a main competitor?
We don’t think so. Anything available out there in shirting with similar craftsmanship and detailing retails for double the price.
The Bogosse client is the guy who buys brands such as Etro, Hugo Boss, Robert Graham, Libertine, etc. When he gets to the store to buy one of these brands, he will indeed buy a Bogosse because it’s completely different and affordable, but if he went to buy a Bogosse, chances are he will not buy anything else!

What do you see as the pitfall for young brands/ designers?
The fact is that this business is becoming less product oriented and more and more money orientated. The main business in the US for clothing is the big department stores such as Saks, Bergdorf etc. and the issue facing young designers is that they only buy what is already known. So small designers suffer for that even if their product is selling like crazy everywhere.

What does "Bogosse" mean?
Handsome man in English or ‘Bello’ in Italian.


Where can Bogosse be purchased and what is the price point?
Bogosse sells well at specialty shops nationwide, such as Atrium in NYC and Lulu Couture in Miami. To find a store near your, visit: www.bogosse.com - - the shirts retail between $170-$225.

What do you rely on for advertising/ marketing the brand?
Our strategy is targeted marketing and building the brand online. Celebrities, who love the collection, naturally help to fuel the demand because people love to dress and look like their idols.
Our targeted distribution makes the brand more exclusive, but yet not impossible to find and that creates a buzz. As for online, we have a blog now, www.sobogosse.wordpress.com, for people to follow Bogosse and learn about what we are designing and doing around the world.

Can we expect to see the collection in fashion shows/ trade shows? Which ones?
We just were nominated for Gen Art Fresh Faces Miami and recently did the runway show. It was a great honor. We also have been selected to judge the Parson’s School of Design’s class projects.
For trade shows we do Project Vegas, Collective NY and Affair Belgium.

Is there a women’s counterpart for fall 2007?
Absolutely! [It is the] same as the men’s, but made for a woman. We no longer wanted to sell so many size ‘S’ and ‘XS’ shirts to women that tailored them afterwards to make them into a woman’s shirt.

What's next for the collection?
A ‘Prive’ line with painting, hand-crafted embroidered details and one-of-a-kind numbered pieces. The demand for custom pieces is high. These will retail between $350 and $700, depending on how much work is required by the client.

Any words of advice or wisdom for someone trying to break into the industry?
Three words: Never give up! And always be passionate about it. The day you start doing it for money, chances are things will go wrong! And get used to hearing without emotions: ‘we don’t have the budget for new lines now’ because at the end, all the ones who say ‘no’ are always the ones who beg later for your product. Just keep being good at what you do! These mottos have built Bogosse into the strong brand it is today.