For spring 2023, we’re joining forces with one of our favorite independent menswear designers: David Hart. He’s known in the menswear world for sharp tailoring, a strong retro vibe, and stunning red carpet looks for celebs like Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Platt, Dylan Sprouse, and more. 

It’s not his first foray into collaborations, having worked with brands like Hickey Freeman and Hart Schaffner Marx. But for this collection, he put forward a decidedly more casual take. 

David Hart, photographed by Arturo Cubria

 

In this collection, you’ll find two signature untucked shirts—one in our traditional short-sleeve body with a cool lobster print, the other a camp collar and fun shark print, above. Both were hand-painted by Hart himself. Also featuring the shark, whom we’ve named Bruce, is a lightweight wool sweater that’s perfect for chilly nights on the coast. Then, David crafted cable-knit polo in two colors, using superfine wool that’s light enough for spring. To match, he created two pairs of drawstring shorts, one in solid red and the other in a hand-painted vertical stripe. Shop the collection here. 


Here, David describes the genesis of his first collaboration with UNTUCKit and reveals how he’s taken a shine to the more casual side of menswear.

 UNTUCKit:
Thanks for sitting down with us, David. With your own brand and in past collaborations, you’ve worked mostly with suits and tuxedos. What made you want to work with UNTUCKit?

David Hart:
I was just really intrigued by this young brand with so much steam behind it. I was curious about how it was growing. I’d seen the ads and heard people talking about UNTUCKit as the next big player in the menswear market. So of course, I would gravitate toward it and jump all over the idea of working with you to make clothes that guys need and want.


UNTUCKit:
How did you blend your personal style with UNTUCKit?

DH: 
My brand has a lot of tailoring and this buttoned-up, formal dressing. But UNTUCKit is what that guy is wearing when he's not dressed up for work or events. On the weekends, he’s in UNTUCKit. This is his everyday wardrobe, so this collab idea came from a place of natural synergy, I felt.


UNTUCKit:
Creating a collection inspired by Montauk was your idea. How did that come about? 

DH:
It came to me on a recent road trip I took. There’s just an ease about Montauk. It's super laid back. It's all the way out at the end of Long Island, so it takes a while to get out there. And once you're out there, you just want to relax and stay there and enjoy the beach, have good food. There's this rustic, nostalgic energy that's in that town and I think it really fits with the mood of UNTUCKit.

 


UNTUCKit:
What do you think will surprise people about this collection? 

DH:
I think lightweight knitwear for summer is a new idea to a lot of guys. We have a great summer weight merino sweater that sits well with the woven shirts, but it’s overly warm. Any guy could just pop right into their existing wardrobe. We also developed fun prints that I painted by hand. They're a little more novel and fun. They add that little element of kitsch that you’ll find in Montauk too with all the crab shacks and other beachy establishments.

 


UNTUCKit:
What was the most fun part about this collaboration?

DH:
Plugging into your team was so fun and seamless. I enjoyed making the prints and working with your in-house designers. Together, we developed the right colors and washes so everything felt cohesive and sat well with your core shirts. And it’s been thrilling to see my designs in your dynamic fit system, knowing every guy can wear it.

 


UNTUCKit:
What are guys going to love about this collection and adopting that Montauk vibe?

DH:
They’ll get the best of both worlds. New York fashion paired with the UNTUCKit sensibility of easy clothing that fits well and is super laid-back. Plus, the quality is there with your factories, with your fit. It's this nice marriage of the two and I can’t wait to see it out in the wild.