Following his graduation from Baruch College with a degree in business administration, Mount Vernon resident Theo M. Hackney, founder of Theo Courtnay New York, worked on the business side of fashion for Saks, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s, as well as Ralph Lauren and Talbots Woman. “I did not intend to become a fashion designer,” Hackney says, “but the design aspect just started to grow on me.” After studying textiles and merchandising at FIT and working for a small Manhattan sample room, in 2008 Hackney debuted his high-end women’s sportswear line. His designs feature rich wools, crisp cottons, luscious silks, and handsome leathers, all imported from Italy.
His current collection includes such retro-informed styles as (shown below, from left to right) a bracelet-length jacket ($385) and matching box pleat skirt ($365), both in a camel-hair blend; a silk chiffon sleeveless tie top in burgundy ($245) paired with a herringbone wool pencil skirt ($265); and a '40s-style red coat in a wool and cashmere blend ($895).
Styles can be ordered online at theocourtnaynewyork.com. Prices range from $230 for a French-cut cotton shirt to $3,000 for a lambskin leather coat. Allow for a two-week turnaround.