Swaim Hutson has quietly assumed leadership of Rag & Bone’s menswear design, succeeding Robert Geller at a pivotal moment for the New York brand. With two decades of experience and a reputation for refined tailoring and denim expertise, Hutson signals a strategic return to the house’s foundational strengths: modern fit, understated sophistication, and authentic American style.
From independent designer to industry veteran
Hutson has nearly two decades of experience in the American fashion industry. He launched Obedient Sons and Daughters in 2002. The brand earned finalist recognition for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award before Hutson moved through design leadership roles at 3.1 Phillip Lim, Club Monaco, and Generra. He founded The Academy New York in 2014 and operated it until 2022. The Academy cultivated a devoted following among fashion insiders, artists, and musicians who appreciated its understated sophistication.
Hutson received the appointment offer via a late summer phone call from Andrew Rosen, executive chairman of Rag & Bone. Hutson had spent the preceding months consulting for various brands after closing The Academy. Rosen’s offer presented an opportunity that required little deliberation. The company possessed what Hutson valued: established credibility, denim expertise woven into its foundation, and a distinct New York sensibility that shaped American sportswear.
A modern approach to tailoring and fit
Hutson arrived at Rag & Bone while the fall collection was still in development. He collaborated with the existing design team to refine the final pieces, but his vision extends well beyond that initial project. Tailoring will anchor his approach, though not in the traditional sense of matching jacket-and-trouser sets. Contemporary New York men have abandoned the full suit in favor of more flexible combinations – a sport coat worn over denim or a trucker jacket layered beneath a blazer and paired with tailored trousers, for example.
The designer plans to emphasize his background in fit and fabric development by offering familiar silhouettes with contemporary proportions. Denim programs will expand significantly in 2026, including the return of RB Raw, which revisits the brand’s origins in raw denim aesthetics. This focus aligns with Rag & Bone’s history. The brand was founded by two friends from England, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, who had no formal design training and decided to produce jeans at a Kentucky factory.
Robert Geller’s brief but impactful tenure
Geller joined Rag & Bone in fall 2023, bringing credentials that included founding his eponymous label in 2007, after working for Marc Jacobs and the cult-favorite brand Cloak. His collection earned him a CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year nomination in 2017. During his tenure at Rag & Bone, Geller updated fits and silhouettes while consolidating the ready-to-wear and Pursuit sportswear lines into a cohesive collection.
The brand acknowledged his departure with measured language. He remains a close friend of the company, though the partnership has concluded. Geller could not be reached for comment about his future plans.
Follow all the latest news from Fashionotography on Flipboard, or receive it directly in your inbox with Feeder.
You might also read
Rag & Bone’s ongoing corporate transformation
Rag & Bone has undergone significant structural changes in recent years. Rosen became a partner in 2006, and Neville left in 2016 to pursue opportunities in the beauty industry with his wife, Gucci Westman. Wainwright stepped down from his chief brand officer role in 2023. Then, in February 2024, Guess Inc. and the brand management firm WHP Global acquired the company through a complex arrangement: Guess purchased all operating assets, and a joint venture equally controlled by Guess and WHP acquired the intellectual property.
These ownership changes provide the financial stability and global distribution infrastructure that could amplify Hutson’s creative direction. Rosen praised Hutson’s ability to strengthen the brand’s core identity, describing it as the intersection of classic British tailoring elegance and grounded American sportswear authenticity.
Kyle Sweeney, senior vice president of men’s merchandising and design, emphasized that Hutson’s design language fits naturally into the brand’s current direction. The clarity of his vision will shape the brand’s long-term menswear strategy.
Designing menswear for a global New York man
Hutson articulated his intention to create menswear that feels both lasting and immediate. The pieces should carry what he calls the soul of New York while resonating beyond American borders. This philosophy acknowledges that contemporary menswear must serve multiple contexts, professional settings, casual environments, travel, and social occasions, without requiring men to maintain separate wardrobes for separate lives.
The authenticity that initially attracted Hutson to Rag & Bone remains central to his plans. He prefers to build upon existing strengths rather than impose an entirely foreign aesthetic. The brand already has considerable equity in denim, a category that continues to influence menswear purchasing decisions. His task involves refining proportions, improving fabric quality, and offering compelling reasons for men to invest in pieces that will endure for multiple seasons.
Whether Hutson can navigate the challenges facing American fashion brands in 2025, shifting retail landscapes, changing consumer priorities, and increased competition from luxury conglomerates and direct-to-consumer labels, remains to be seen. However, his appointment signals that Rag & Bone believes in sustained creative leadership rather than constant reinvention. The Florence presentation in January will provide the first indication of whether his vision aligns with what men actually want to wear.