Monica Allen, who joined Fisher + Baker as product developer, is creating new offerings for the Minneapolis-based premium menswear brand.
She's also building on the "timeless, purposeful and functional" standard that Fisher + Baker founder Greg Horvitz set in launching the functional fashion company in 2016. "They're conscious of making clothing that stands the test of time and thinking about the customer experience," Allen said. "Beyond taking so much pride in what they do they also value finding balance in life and being involved in the community."
New products will include shorts and button-down shirts, Allen said. Those join the brand's lineup of outerwear and sweaters.
"One goal is to broaden our line, to have a deeper offering of tops and bottoms to make it more of a lifestyle brand," she said. "We want it to be something that people can wear every day. To do that we have to have more options."
Allen's responsibilities include doing market research, collaborating with Horvitz on design and working with supply chain vendors and suppliers. Listening to customers is another critical step, Allen said, which includes getting feedback from consumers, sales team members and an advisory board of retailers locally and from around the country.
Allen, who has a degree in apparel design and development from the University of Wisconsin, Stout, previously worked as a designer for women's brands in New York. She most recently was a product manager for an apparel company.
Q: What is the Fisher + Baker brand?
A: It's a functional menswear line. It honors classic men's styles but it's made for modern men who need their clothing to be as versatile as their lives. I really like it aesthetically. It has a very clean design style with great attention to detail, which I think makes for great design.
Q: Who are Fisher + Baker's customers?
A: It's a luxury brand so it is a higher-end customer. It's the guy who wants to look good but also doesn't want to change between going to a meeting and being with his family or doing something more active like taking a walk or taking a hike. It's for the guy who wants his clothes to fit every situation.
Q: What are you most looking forward to at Fisher + Baker?
A: What I'm most excited about is to see where the brand goes. It's exciting to join such a young company, especially one that has so much potential. We were on the J. Crew site as one of the brands they love, which is great exposure. We've also been involved in a few successful charity events. I'm excited to see the brand grow and hopefully become more of a household name.
