March 22, 2024
Provided Image/Maison Braun
Fashion designer Darryl Brown sports one of his coats outside his new luxury clothing store, Maison Braun. The shop opens Saturday in Rittenhouse.
Philadelphia clothing designer Darryl Brown wants to bring a little luxury to the Philadelphia fashion scene with the opening of his new boutique in Rittenhouse.
Maison Braun, which opens Saturday at 1721 Spruce St., offers custom designs and made-to-order clothing in addition to tailoring services and a ready-to-wear line for men and women. Shoppers can find high-end Egyptian cotton sweatshirts and sweatpants, T-shirts with unique silhouettes and custom suits.
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Brown, a West Philadelphia native, said he envisions Maison Braun as premier luxury shop capable of becoming a Philadelphia fashion house.
"A lot of people think Philadelphia is a blue-collar city, and in some regards it is, but there's also luxury in Philadelphia as well. There's a rich history here," Brown said. "I want to put Philly at the forefront as a world city that breeds top-notch creatives and things of that nature."
Maison Braun has about 2,000 fabrics, primarily Italian and English, that can be used in its custom and made-to-wear designs. Custom formalwear and suits run from $1,200 to $2,000, Brown said.
Brown spent the last decade working in luxury brands. He worked for Damari, the clothing brand started by former Eagles player Malcom Jenkins, and apprenticed with Baldwin, a leather and tailoring company on Fabric Row. He also created the casual apparel brand Public Equity Functional Materials in 2021. Public Equity clothes won't be available at Maison Braun, but Brown said he is planning to launch a new line for the brand later this year.
Darryl Brown created the luxury clothing brand Maison Braun after a few years working for Damari in Philadelphia.
Brown began his career in the music industry, stumbling into fashion along the way. But it was a bit of a natural fit, Brown said, because he came from a very fashionable family. His mother taught him that looking good helped people feel good.
"The first time I designed something that came from my brain and someone put it on, it made me feel the same euphoria I felt when someone loves a song that I was making," Brown said. "So I knew it was 'OK, I love this, I really want to cultivate this and see where I can take it.'"
Brown said he pulls inspiration from everywhere, but he's particularly inspired by old Hollywood glam and designer Tom Ford, incorporating classic tailoring elements with a design ethos. But he wants Maison Braun to be more than a place to find a great suit. He wants to add gowns and evening wear at some point.
"It was important to me not to position this as just a suit brand because we don't want to be put in that box," Brown said. "We want to have fun."
Opening a boutique in Rittenhouse was important, he said, because he's always considered it Philadelphia's hub of luxury, even as kid. Still, he wants the boutique to be an open, cozy space for passersby, even if they're not able to afford the designs (Maison Braun also offers a 30-minute consultation free of charge).
"I wanted it to be a place where — the thing is, we want to have exclusivity, but we don't want to be elitist," Brown said. "So even if a person can't afford the price point, we want them to be able to come in and get educated on what we have to offer."
