To establish a viable men’s fashion business from scratch as a solo designer these days requires a cocktail of iron-clad conviction and cojones. It takes even more (of both) to then suddenly change direction mid-stream. But Milan-based designer Umit Benan did just that.

Since he started in 2008, Benan had built a solid fashion reputation as well as multiple wholesale accounts worldwide for his cool, elevated street fashion and hot ticket runway shows. Then, one day in 2022, he decided to completely redefine his brand. The net result, apart from a stunning new boutique that opened in Milan in June, is Benan’s debut last month at New York’s Bergdorf Goodman . There was a very particular trigger for this volte-face.

“It all started with a jacket,” he explains. “I was in Istanbul to visit

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