Alex Mill Moves Into Nolita

Nestled in a former bakery on Elizabeth Street in New York City’s Nolita is Alex Drexler’s first freestanding boutique for Alex Mill, the line of men’s and boy’s wares he launched in 2012. “I always wanted to start something on my own and have a store,” the 35-year-old Drexler, who previously worked behind the scenes in garment production at brands like Steven Alan and Gryphon, told Style.com. The new shop opens its doors for the first time today.
It may also be pertinent that Drexler’s father, Mickey Drexler, is the CEO of J.Crew and the former CEO of Gap. But don’t let that disenchant—Alex is working to forge his own path. “No matter what connections you have, it’s really difficult to start a business, and this business is about the product,” he says. “The extent of [my father's] involvement is just him giving me fatherly advice.”

Drexler stresses that quality is key when it comes to his menswear essentials, which range from $55 to $295. The line, he explains, offers, “the right core items, say a shirt, jeans, and T-shirt, that make up a man’s uniform.” And via intense attention to detail (think special stitching, buttons in industrial-grade melamine or mother-of-pearl, and salvaged edges), he hopes to provide modern dressing with an edge for the Alex Mill everyman, a concept that well extends into the brand’s new 400-square-foot Nolita home.
“Similar to what our clothing represents, the space is modern, fresh, and clean with bright colors and hints of vintage elements,” Drexler says. “There’s a striped gym floor with a beautiful tin roof, vintage cameras we bought off eBay, red cabinetry, and waxed cotton seating…we also have a map of New York made out of vintage denim from Japan.”

It’s obvious that Alex Mill is a labor of love for Drexler and his small team. “Each day is a new set of challenges, as you can imagine, and it’s hard to see the light. But I’m really proud of what our team’s accomplishing.” And while the brand, which is also carried by Barneys New York, Unionmade, Odin, and United Arrows (among others), is growing, Drexler continues to focus on the basics. “The clothing needs to fit great, and people need to love it. That’s really all that matters.”