Frère has had a number of iterations over the years, but it’s now found a new partner and some investors.
For five years, the Haitian American designer and tailor Davidson Petit-Frère worked with Aleks Musika on a bespoke men’s suit brand called Musika Frère. When that brand closed in 2019, he ventured out on his own, launching Frère, a direct-to-consumer business whose roots were in custom tailored clothing.
And now, Petit-Frère is partnering with industry veteran and former LVMH executive François Kress to relaunch the collection and open a store in New York’s SoHo.
The 2,850-square-foot store, at 138 Wooster Street, offers off-the-rack suits, formalwear, knitwear, outerwear and other modern menswear essentials. Key pieces include tracksuits in wool and cashmere and varsity jackets in cashmere that sport the brand’s logo, a hibiscus motif. There are also evening shirts, ties and sunglasses.
Price points range from $490 for a wool and silk short-sleeve crewneck sweater, $1,090 for a hibiscus crewneck cashmere sweater and$3,090 for an evening jacket to $4,490 for the cashmere tracksuit, $4,990 for moto leather jackets, $5,990 for a double-breasted cashmere overcoat and $5,490 for a tuxedo.
Kress has more than 25 years experience at companies including LVMH, Bulgari, Prada, The Row, Stuart Weitzman and Carolina Herrera, and Petit-Frère has designed bespoke garments for everyone from John Legend to Tim Cook.
The store carries a wide range of luxury men’s essential pieces.
MICHAEL WESCHLER
The two came together earlier this year to revamp Frère, which they’re billing as a “new kind of luxury brand.” And to support them in their vision, they have managed to line up a number of investors including Robert Nelsen, managing director of Arch Venture Partners, they said.
“When Davidson and I decided to embark on this journey, we knew we wanted to do more than launch another fashion brand,” Kress said. “We set out to create a label that would resonate with the cultural pulse of today while remaining grounded in the craftsmanship and attention to detail that true luxury demands. With our shared vision, we are building a brand that reflects a new era in menswear.”
Davidson Petit-Frère and Francois Kress
MICHAEL WESCHLER
Petit-Frère, who serves as creative director, added: “François and I connected over our mutual passion for quality and innovation. We saw the chance to bring something fresh to the market. Together, we’re not just launching a company; we’re shaping a new chapter in menswear.”
The duo plan to launch a website in December to begin selling the collection online as well.
