A former J.Crew exec has created a menswear paradise for the guy 'who wants to look American'

Todd Snyder wants to sell you his vision of modern American style. And he wants the average guy to be more comfortable choosing it for himself.

"Being an American menswear designer, I wanted to do something that represented me," Snyder told Business Insider during a tour of his eponymous brand's new store, which opened in New York City in December. "[The] brand really represents the guy who wants to dress better, who wants to look American."

Snyder translates to "tailor" in Dutch, but this designer didn't always want to get into fashion. Snyder originally wanted to be a designer of a different breed - an architect - and only switched to fashion after becoming frustrated with the slow path a career in architecture would require. He went on to design menswear at Ralph Lauren, Gap, and J.Crew, where he eventually became a senior vice president.

But what exactly is American style? To Snyder, it's the "eclectic mix of everything that we know," including British style, streetwear, and everything in between.

"Clothing is about a feeling," Snyder said. "Otherwise we'd all be walking around in gray sacks and not really give a hoot. We all dress the way we do for a reason. There's emotion built behind it. We want the store to feel that way."