Meet Brad Corona and Brian Nicholson.

Creators of Jack Robie.

1. Can you give us a bit of a background about Jack Robie? Where does the name come from?

Jack Robie was started by two Brown University classmates Brad Corona and Brian Nicholson with the goal of making a better fitting dress shirt for the average guy. They and their friends had a hard time finding shirts that didn’t fall on one of the extremes: large, unflattering, traditionally shaped shirts or super-slim, designer-like fits that were too constricting on a slightly more athletic guy. The end result is that all Jack Robie shirts are marked by a tailored fit through the body, and just enough room in the shoulders to provide great comfort.

The inspiration for the name comes from John Robie, a character potrayed by Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. As an American living abroad they were inspired by his personal style that is an elegant belnd of the casual and the formal.

2. What D.C. spots do you like to frequent?

It’s hard to say anything beats our classic favorite, The Prime Rib. But recently we were at Brasserie Beck. It is an awesome place to have fun and eat great great food. For night-spots, more often than not we find our way to George. Everyone, from patrons to bartenders, is always having a blast.

3. Give us an idea of who your ideal customer is. Where does he live in D.C.? Where does he hang out? Where does he work?

There is no such thing as an “ideal” customer. But prototypically we find most of our customers come from NW Washington DC, or the surrounding areas. Specifically Arlington, VA and Bethesda, MD.

4. You have to do dinner with your girlfriend and her parents in Georgetown, then go to a bar with your buddies. Which shirt would you wear from summer 2011 collection?

Ford. It features our Italian inspired dress collar, but is made from a stand-out blue gingham cotton fabric. It is a great representation of formal meeting casual and expresses what the brand is all about: looking good and having fun.

5. What are the 3 words you would use to describe the style you see in D.C.?

Dignified, timeless, American

Brad Corona and Brian Nicholson, creators of Jack Robie