Steven Dann’s Personal Styling Is Elevating Everyday Wear

For the fashion enthusiast, few things are as exciting as choosing what to wear for a major event. It’s no coincidence that when magazines zero in on celebrity fashion, the focus is on who wore what to the gala. But for Steven Dann — creator of the eponymous luxury fashion retailer — fashion isn’t all about dressing up. Sometimes, it’s about taking everyday wear and transforming it into something great.
Walk into any Steven Dann store, and you’ll see that philosophy in action. There are striking dresses, tops, and jackets for formal occasions. But there are also top-of-the-line staples: well-made jeans, button-down blouses, and casual boots perfect for wearing to work or on a night out.
For Dann, true style is in the details. In addition to curating the collections offered in Steven Dann stores, he is the co-founder and creative director of Monfrère, a menswear retailer that blends luxury and casual wear. One of Monfrère’s top-selling items is a plain white T-shirt. It’s ostensibly a basic piece of clothing, but every detail has been made to create an ideal fit.
“The arm holes are a little bit tighter,” says Dann. “So if you have great arms, it gives you better arms. If you don’t have great arms, it makes you look like you have great arms. It’s a little bit cinched right underneath the chest. You get that V cut, but it doesn’t look like it. It’s just really detailed.”
That meticulous attention is inspired in part by Steven Dann’s own style. “I’m the crazy person who used to buy black and white t-shirts and then have them tailored to fit the way I wanted them to fit,” he says.
If you walk into a Steven Dann store or browse the website, you’ll see that many of the offerings have a kind of timelessness to them. That’s by design. The curated pieces Steven Dann sells are the antithesis of fast fashion — they aren’t made to be worn once or twice and then relegated to the back of the closet. They’re meant to be enjoyed over time.
For Steven Dann’s fashion-forward clientele, these luxury pieces can be endlessly cycled through different ensembles. A bright pair of sneakers might be workout wear one day and a pop of color against a dark suit the next. A floral dress that’s perfect for a garden party could be paired with a blazer and worn to work.
Of course, this kind of style innovation doesn’t come naturally to everyone. And as Steven often says, there’s no schooling for taste. Customers who come into a Steven Dann retail store can benefit from the trained eye of a sales representative. But what about everyone else? When asked about timeless looks, Dann is ready with a suggestion.
“A pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and a blazer with a great pair of pumps — or a great loafer for a guy,” he says. “I mean, you can never go wrong with that.”
Presented by APG