Frère’s fashion brand is upgrading the ‘tech bro’ look

What do Tim Cook, Jay Z, and Fred Ehrsam (co-founder of Coinbase) all have in common? 

That would be their interest in Frère, a bespoke ready-to-wear clothing brand that has attracted names all over the tech world. The brand, which only launched in March, is opening its first store in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. Frère is known for its suits but also sells items like $3,490 wool knit tracksuits and cashmere overcoats for $5,990. It’s luxury. Quiet luxury, as the kids might call it on TikTok. It’s that subtle tech look that sees CEOs wearing neutrals that cost around $1,000. 

“Frère blends classic tailoring with contemporary elements, allowing leaders in the world of tech and beyond to stand out subtly in environments where understated style often speaks the loudest,” Davidson Petit-Frère, co-founder and creative director of the brand, told TechCrunch. 

The brand was founded by Petit-Frère and François Kress, the latter of whom serves as CEO. Kress served as president of Fendi in North and South America before becoming CEO and managing director of Bulgari in North and South America and president and CEO of Prada Group for the U.S. Petit-Frère, meanwhile, worked in luxury real estate before entering the world of fashion, first through internships and then by launching his own clothing brand, Musika Frère, which specialized in bespoke suits.  

He dressed Beyoncé and Stephen Curry before getting the idea to go bigger and better. After years of working in the luxury sector, Kress and Petit-Frère met and the two pondered what the past, present, and future of menswear should be. “A balance of innovation, artistry, and cultural relevance,” Petit-Frère said.

Kress added to that. “We saw an opportunity to reshape the menswear narrative by focusing on what will never go out of style: beautiful tailoring, timeless elegance, and exceptional craftsmanship,” he said. 

The style of the average “tech bro” hasn’t changed much since it became a meme decades ago. They are known for wearing Patagonia vests, hoodies, jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt with their startup’s logo on it. Style is only slightly individualized — Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos have dominated headlines this past year for adding color and gold chains to their classic tech bro looks, but for the most part, the core of this style is the same, even as it has refined itself over the decades as tech people become more and more powerful. The shoes have become sleeker, the T-shirts more fitted; the material is better too. They are wearing Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli, and Common Projects. Now Frère is throwing itself into the loop. 

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Kress said the journey has been fast and “exhilarating.” The company is still in the process of raising a seed round. The brand’s current lead investor is Robert Nelsen, an angel investor who is also the co-founder and managing director of ARCH Venture Partners, known for his investment in biotech companies. He invested in the company as an angel investor, alongside other names in finance, tech, and fashion, such as Robert Hamwee of New Mountain Capital and rap mogul Jay Z.

“They make a helluva suit, plain and simple,” Nelsen told TechCrunch. “Frère blends timeless craftsmanship with a fresh perspective, and that’s what makes it stand out. For folks in tech, it’s about having style that feels personal but still professional, something that reflects who you are and where you’re going.” 

The brand used the money it has raised so far to hire a team and design its ready-to-wear collection.

“We combine elements of my Haitian heritage with the luxury and sophistication that defines the brand,” Petit-Frère noted.

The company also used the money to help with its boutique launch in SoHo. Interestingly enough, Frère has yet to have an e-commerce presence, though it plans to launch that later this month. Kress said a physical location helps immerse customers in the brand’s story and designing a flagship store was one of the first tasks the duo sought to complete. 

Luxury fashion was notoriously slow to embrace digital commerce, and in-person shopping remains one of the true ways to engage with their products. That makes sense when it comes to testing material, quality, and the fit of clothes. Going in-store for some is no frill; having clothes that one looks and feels good in is the true definition of luxury — in addition to, well, all the cashmere. 

“Beautiful products like ours need to be experienced firsthand, not just through a screen,” Kress added.

This piece was updated to add Jay Z as an investor.