Throwing Fits: The Carter Young Altman Interview (November 24, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode of Throwing Fits features an in-depth, witty, and wide-ranging conversation with Carter Young Altman—founder and designer of the acclaimed menswear brand Carter Young. Altman talks with the hosts about the evolution of his label, lessons from working at iconic retailers, the nuances of transatlantic fashion, building a brand with intention, challenges small designers face, and more. The discussion is irreverent, honest, and flush with both personal anecdotes and industry insights, offering an inside look at an emerging force in contemporary menswear.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Carter Young’s Personal Style & Fit Check

• Clothing rundown: Dance shoes from Toga Virilist, Helmut Lang jeans (bought in Portugal), Uniqlo socks, vintage Gap leather jacket, denim shirt and blazer from his own label, velvet and hand-drawn belt from his mom.
• Vintage Obsession: Altman favors mass-market vintage (like GAP) over high-end designer (06:15), to better study construction and cost-effectiveness.
• Thrift as Research: "Everything I consume hopefully will inform what I do in my professional life." (06:44, Carter)

2. The Move to London: Brands, Business, and Culture

• Motivations: Moved for personal (his girlfriend) and strategic business reasons (fashion calendar, European buying habits) (09:44–10:42).
• Wholesale Expansion: Relocation catalyzed global growth—Carter Young is now in 9 countries/22 shops (11:12).
• Americana from Abroad: The distance sharpened his take—“I’ve kind of rejected the word nostalgia... I’m not trying to recreate, I’m trying to evolve.” (13:51)
• London vs NYC Style: London more focused on vintage tailoring and custom pieces, New York is currently driven by brands like Aimé Leon Dore and Kith (07:18, 17:41).

3. Brand Vision: Evolution, Not Nostalgia

• “New Americana” Ethos: Altman distances from pure nostalgia, positioning his label as filling the gap between East Coast Ivy, LA tailoring, and Western—favoring vernacular, Rust Belt, and Midwest influences (14:01–14:56).
• British Influence: London’s history of tailoring and appreciation for fit permeates both Altman’s work and local culture. “The tailoring heritage... there's an understanding by the average person of how to get something tailored to your body.” (19:53)

4. Brand Building & Operations

• Expansion Strategy: A team effort—Julius handles production, Carter handles design/strategy, Adam handles operations. Their presence in London has re-oriented sourcing and business structure (30:40).
• Design Process: Collections begin with cultural/media inspiration, then pivot to fabric and cut, always conscious of commercial realities (31:11). Spring 26, for example, was inspired by The Swimmer by John Cheever, filtering existential Americana through fabrication.

5. Tailoring, Pricing, & Getting It Right

• Custom as Key Offering: Growth has been fueled by accessible made-to-measure suiting (~$1200), intentionally bridging the gap left by defunct mid-market suit retailers (34:28, 35:15).
• Philosophy: “I think what a lot of people forget is tailoring is often in the modern context worn around lifestyle milestones.” (35:15)

6. The ESSENCE Debacle: Retailer Risks

• Money Owed: ESSENCE, once a big opportunity, now owes Carter Young ~$25k due to bankruptcy (40:45). Altman’s pragmatic—“maybe in a couple years, I get a couple dollars.” (40:18)
• Unisex Evolution: Notably, ESSENCE purchased the brand as womenswear for two years—reflecting Carter Young’s strong female customer base (42:32–43:12).

7. The Business of Fashion: School vs. Hustle

• No Design School Needed?: Altman advocates that success today requires more than technical skill: “It’s not just you can make really good product... you have to play the game in the machine.” (48:14)
• Brand Narrative: Advice from Matthew Williams (ALYX)—the world doesn’t need more product, it needs new stories. “If you’re going to make something, you better have a reason or a narrative...” (49:54)

8. Learning from the Greats: Kith, Helmut, Alyx, etc.

• Kith Lessons: Interning at Kith taught Altman range planning, merchandising, and operations. “I also learned about range planning...how you launch a new extension of a brand.” (63:46)
• Helmut Lang, Alyx: Exposure to different design approaches and business scales informed Altman’s commitment to quality and intention.

9. Navigating the Modern Retail Experience

• Quality vs. Brand Perception: Altman bemoans online shopping’s erosion of consumers’ ability to judge hand, fabric, and fit (68:06). “Most of what it takes to win as a fashion business is... removing the friction between seeing something online and the purchase.” (68:31)
• Fit Model Insights: Many brands cater fits to models, not customers—Urban Outfitters’ average fit model is 5'10", much taller than the true American average (69:12).

10. Brand Integrity vs. Commercial Opportunity

• Sacrificing the Bag: Altman has turned down “whack” collaborations and limited distribution to keep long-term credibility (58:52–59:12).
• Logo Debate: Reluctant to cash in on flashy logo items. “If I’m selling like logo hats... I need the money.” (87:45)

11. Collaborations and Creative Connections

• Partnerships with Stylists: Recent successful custom and collab capsules with Patricia Villirillo (stylist for bands like The 1975) (74:39, 78:23).
• Ideal Collaborators: Would look to test new product categories via collabs (e.g., footwear), or expand via household names like Levi’s, Gap (84:50).

12. Modern Marketing & Social Media

• Social Skeptic: Altman admits socials are “a cost of doing business”—buyers care, so he cares, but laments the overstimulation and emptiness of scrolling (96:38–97:17).
• Influencer Economy: Conscious of the “explore page”/TikTok menswear machine and its ability to move the needle. He takes influencer content at face value as long as it’s positive—even if no one’s touched the garment (97:53–98:51).

13. Personal Quirks & Everyday Life

• Addictive Personality: Swapped out coffee for tea after a stomach bug (22:23), obsessed with wellness, massages, and Pan-Asian candies (88:26).
• Dumbest Purchase: Some random mild bean-flavored candy from a Sunrise Mart (93:30).
• Favorite Food: Loves UK “Chinese” curry sauce and chips; jacket potatoes with tuna and beans (94:25).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rejecting Nostalgia:
  “I’ve kind of rejected the word nostalgia, which used to be prevalent in my work... I’m not trying to recreate, I’m trying to evolve.”
  — Carter Young (13:51)

• On Building a Brand Narrative:
  “If you’re going to make something, you better have a reason or a narrative or something you’re adding to the conversation—otherwise, just go design for someone else.”
  — Carter (paraphrasing Matthew Williams at Alyx, 49:54)

• On Pandemic of Too Many Brands:
  “Not everyone needs to start their own brand. There’s a lot of headaches.”
  — Carter (50:30)

• On Sacrificing Business for Brand Integrity:
  “If I’m selling a hat, then you know, I need the money.”
  — Carter (87:49)

• When Asked About Fashion Victims in London:
  “There’s still kind of like a Balenciaga runoff thing happening—you know, really baggy mall denim and a bomber jacket and a bad bleach hair job.”
  — Carter (21:32)

• On the Frustrations with ESSENCE:
  “Yeah, I’m not gonna see it. It’s just... Forever gone.”
  — Carter, on money owed by the retailer (40:18)

• On Brand Growth Philosophy:
  “Everything now is laying the groundwork. I mean, everything for the past couple years has been laying the groundwork for... any success you might see now has been a long time in the making.”
  — Carter (58:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|-------------------------------------------| | 03:41–06:44 | Fit check & vintage obsessions | | 09:44–11:44 | Move to London & international business | | 13:14–14:56 | “New Americana” thesis | | 17:41–19:53 | London vs. NYC menswear | | 31:11–34:10 | Design process and collection creation | | 34:28–36:26 | Custom tailoring focus | | 40:45–43:02 | The ESSENCE money owed saga | | 49:54–50:41 | Importance of brand narrative | | 63:46–64:28 | Lessons from working at Kith | | 68:06–69:48 | Online shopping and hand-feel discussion | | 74:39–76:57 | Dressing The 1975 & George XCX suit | | 87:45–88:14 | Logo items debate | | 93:30–94:15 | Dumbest purchases & candy | | 96:38–97:17 | Social media and overstimulation | | 97:53–98:51 | Menswear TikTok/influencer ecosystem |

Closing Thoughts

Carter Young Altman emerges from this interview as a studied, deeply intentional, and funny voice within American menswear. He blends heartland influences with learned streetwise pragmatism—wary of industry pitfalls, but passionate about making meaningful, wearable clothing. This episode is a must-listen (or read) for anyone interested in the tension between creativity and commerce, the evolving definition of “Americana,” or the realities of modern independent fashion.

Where to Follow & Buy:

• Carter recommends following the brand, not him: @carteryoung.world
• Try the made-to-measure suiting or shop online (ideally touch the clothes if you can).

Memorable Send-off:
“I think the coolest thing that we get to do is, like, hang out professionally... fashion as a creative medium is tied to an economic engine. Every six months, I have to deliver a new collection.”
— Carter Young, on the beauty and grind of building a brand (72:45, 73:09)