WWD talked to Club Monaco's CEO John Mehas this week in an effort to explore the brand's growth and evolution. It's no secret that Club Monaco has turned itself into a go-to. The brand has become a well-rounded fashion machine, catering to everyone from those who need basic business casual staples to more elevated fashion fans. You may already know Aaron Levine, who's in charge of the menswear, but probably never heard of Mehas. Which is exactly the point. The intentional low profile has kept Club Monaco focused on the product and not necessarily the branding.
CM is actually much smaller than other comparable brands like J.Crew and Banana Republic and even its parent company, Ralph Lauren, doesn't let much information leak out about Club Monaco, simply mentioning its number of stores in reports and saying the brand is "resonating well with customers around the world." There are only 30 Club locations in North America and many of them have a twist—one built in an old bookstore in Montreal still sells books and another in the Hamptons sells flea market finds. Naturally, it has taken advantage of smart collaborations as well, bringing in the likes of Lardini and Mark McNairy. Today, men's is about 50% of Club Monaco's business and the plan moving forward is to open a few more mens-only stores in the near future. Club continues to kill it all while flying under the radar, but they may not be low-key for much longer. Though, they probably would like to keep it that way.
