STYLE ICON

By Jennifer Condon

He’s spent the past two decades building a reputation as an arbiter of what’s cool—Hamilton shirts, G. Lorenzi and Lauduree macarons, to name a few—so it’s no surprise that Town & Country recently appointed him to refashion its iconic title. A native Texan, Fielden references his late, great uncle’s ranching uniform as an early style influence. “The idea that something functional could be stylish made a big impact,” he says. “I admire others whose wardrobe reflects a certain taste about what they do in life: Gerry Mulligan, Peter Beard, Vernon Jordan and, of course, Wild Kingdom's Marlin Perkins.”

After he fled Texas for the Big Apple, Fielden worked his way up the mastheads at The New Yorker and Vogue, landing his current job of Editor-in-Chief in March. Despite endlessly being exposed to new products and trends, Fielden finds that “I basically like the same stuff I did when I was 16 years old and working at The Polo Shop in San Antonio.” He shares with us what he loves, from things tried and true to brand new.

“I live in Brunello Cucinelli’s unstructured sports coats and Barker Black shoes.” It's only fitting that this editor-in-chief choose Barker Black for his shoes as they've been a media favorite since launching in 2005. In fact, the brand was chosen by GQ magazine as one of the best new designers in America in 2007.

“What I love about New York is that if you wear a three-piece suit people don’t think you’re from Mars.” Suit dressing doesn't get better than  Ermenegildo Zegna, one of the leading Italian fashion houses founded more than 100 years ago.

When pressed to choose a runway trend he's looking forward to showing in Town & Country, Fielden turns to Prada. "Prada and plaid is an exciting combination; I’m a Scots-Irish mongrel, but I often yearn to be Italian, so I found her new women’s collection the best of both worlds.” When pressed to choose a runway trend he's looking forward to showing in Town & Country, Fielden turns to Prada. "Prada and plaid is an exciting combination; I’m a Scots-Irish mongrel, but I often yearn to be Italian, so I found her new women’s collection the best of both worlds.”

Styling tips are a hot commodity for someone like Fielden, who exudes the stuff at every turn. How to make a loose, casual-fitting shirt look a bit crisper? “Never underestimate the military fold—adjusting the fit of a shirt by pulling it snug in the front and folding the back into a pleat that you then tuck into your pants.”