February and September are the two most important months in the fashion calendar. New York Fashion Week which started in the lofts and then in the tents in Bryant Park – then over to Spring Studios – has now divided itself into a myriad of venues across the city. This division has provided more inclusivity for fashion professionals and fashion enthusiast to support and see the shows.

The CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) releases the official calendar for “the shows” several weeks before each fashion month, which serves as the Bible for the American shows. Brands who are not featured on the CFDA calendar are most likely to produce their own shows in order to showcase their collections

For me, NYFW is the time spot new trends, get rid of old ones and provide visual context to the never-ending aesthetic of Menswear. This season – like last season – I presented my stylized fashion collection for menswear customizable suiting brand Hive & Colony – which specializes in made-to-measure, bespoke menswear pieces. The brand is known for their quality fabrics, strong, silhouettes and attention to detail. Hive & Colony is also launching a women’s their division in 2026. With eleven stores across USA, the brand is looking to grow in impact and sales. The fashion show was a collaboration with Southern Scholar Socks – which added a nice dandy touch to the overall looks.

I had one opportunity to speak with the brand’s CMO Marianella Mace about their positionality in the industry and her thoughts on their advantages in the market.

Jeffrey: As CMO, what are your top 3 goals for the Brand?

Marianella: “Goal number one is the digital transformation—the CRM, the new website, and the new POS. There are a couple of reasons why this is so important—I really want us to be present and up-to-date so all of our teams have the tools that they need to be successful. Launching the new website and POS are very important to me, because I’m always thinking of scalability.“

“Goal number two for this year is to launch a loyalty program. Loyalty doesn’t always have to be transactional. I see loyalty for us as a unique capability. That means as a brand we can invest in local businesses, and local businesses can invest in us—so then we start to create that community.“

“My third goal would be moving us towards the realm of industry leaders and industry thought leaders in the business. I don’t want us to be a brand that people just come to and shop—I want us to be thought of as innovative with substance. When people think of fast fashion, they assume they are just going in and buying a piece—there’s nothing else behind it. We are aiming at collaborations with fashion schools, speaker series, and other initiatives we can share soon.“

Jeffrey: How do you feel H&C separates itself from other menswear brands?

Marianella: “What separates us is that we’re not so focused on the transactional aspect. We are rather proud of how well we can craft a garment for you that is going to make you feel confident. I really believe we have a unique set of capabilities within our teams that allow us to spend time on the curation with every single person. Even though it sounds cliché, the experience is an area that we’re really focusing on. Our stores are the stages and the props, and our clients are the main characters, while our style curators are the supporting actors.”

Jeffrey: What is your stance on suit quality?

Marianella: “I always ask what is the intention of the suit based off of the character—because you may but need something that you move around in every day or for your constant travels, or wrinkle resistant—you basically want body companion. Suit quality is essentially subjective and molded to the lifestyle of the suit wearer, which we respect and provide services for.”

Jeffrey: How does presence in New York assist in the overall brand image?

Marianella: “Well, I think Frank Sinatra said it best, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” I think what’s really great about having a presence in New York is that the city embodies a global cultural aesthetic, so it gives us the capability to be experimental and to be a part of the fashion capital in order to associate the brand with sophistication. That energy gives us the ability and confidence to create an international presence and set the stage for when we want to expand our global reach.”

This article is more than just about fashion—it’s about how Hive & Colony is redefining what modern and contemporary menswear stands for. Their mix of tradition, innovation, and community leads me to believe they are not simply tailoring garments but tailoring the future of customization in menswear and even in men’s fashion

All photographs in this article are credited to Tim Gerdes.