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I recently sat down with Alex Drexler, the founder of Alex Mill. The beloved NYC brand is known for its elevated men’s and womenswear staples. His dad, Mickey Drexler (of GAP and J.Crew fame) now serves as CEO. Alex also runs Arlo Mott, a tight edit of women’s essentials with industry veterans Susan Woo and (his wife) Karen Drexler.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I was born in New York. I grew up in San Francisco. When I was growing up, I wanted to be in the FBI. I started in law school, but I lasted less than one semester. I realized that clothing was in my blood. So, after a number of different jobs, I ended up working for Steven Alan in production, which is how I got my foot in the door. We were making a lot of shirts in New York City. Then I worked for Andrew Rosen [co-founder of Theory]. I really wanted to start my own thing. Despite all the shirts out there, I couldn’t find the perfect shirt with the right fabric, the right fit, the right details. That’s why I started Alex Mill in 2012. We started it in this really cool space on Broadway off Canal Street with a lot of artists; Casey Neistat, the Safdie brothers.
How has Alex Mill grown since?
We continue to evolve it. We started with a store on Elizabeth Street. We did wholesale with Barneys and other stores. In 2018, Somsack Sikhounmuong and Mickey Drexler, my father, joined, and we relaunched the business as men’s and women’s. It’s interesting because we’d been selling our men’s shirts to Goop, and a number of women had been buying and wearing the men’s shirts. So, in spring of 2019, we relaunched it as a men’s and women’s line.
How old were you when you started Alex Mill?
32 or 33.
What are you working on?
I’m excited about our collaboration with Thomas Mason. I love fabrics. They’re really important to me. Thomas Mason has been making some of the best fabrics for more than 200 years, so we updated our Mill Shirt in five styles. We’ve been developing the accessories collection. Our hand-painted totes are having a big moment right now. Tailoring. Kids’ stuff.
Where do you see Alex Mill in five years?
I feel like we’re just getting started in many ways. So many people are still learning about the brand even though we’ve been around a number of years now. It’s really exciting to see the passion around it. We have three stores: Martha’s Vineyard, and then we have one uptown and one downtown [in Manhattan]. So, more stores, more customers.
As the line continues to expand and grow, what have you learned about your own style?
It’s a team effort but one thing Alex Mill does really well is color, and now I love to wear different colors. One thing I’ve learned is I love the small details.
What is your most recent pick-up?
I recently picked up a zip-up jacket for fall from A.PRESSE which I like a lot. The fabric is really special.
Is there one piece that you regret selling or giving away?
I gave away some Alex Mill shirts from the first season and wish I had kept them. I wasn’t thinking about it at the time but in hindsight I realize how special they were.
Can you give me one all-time favorite brand, and one new brand to watch?
One all-time favorite brand would be Comme Des Garçons. I think they’ve taken a unique point of view to product, campaigns and retailing. Their stores such as Dover Street Market feel like no other stores out there. For a new one to watch, I would say the Japanese label A.PRESSE. I love their point of view. The colors and fabrics they choose are really special and unique and stand out.
What’s one song or album you can’t stop listening to?
There’s a lot of different music I listen to regularly but I’ve been hearing a lot of The Descendants soundtrack lately as my seven year old daughter listens to it non-stop.
How do you wind down from work?
It’s hard for me to wind down, to be honest. I’m constantly on. It’s hard to in New York City. You’re constantly on the go. I love spending time with my daughter and relaxing with my family. I haven’t done it in a while, but I really like boxing. I like tennis. I used to run a lot. I want to get back into that.
If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it consist of?
Blue jeans and a white shirt. There’s nothing more timeless to me.
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