Todd Snyder x Jack Purcell Makes a Case for 'Rebel Prep' as Your New Uniform

Prep has gone through so many waves and permutations that trying, in 2022, to pin it down as any one thing is a fool's errand. Sure, it's still rooted in traditional stuff—think oxfords and cardigans, chinos and plimsolls—but depending on who's doing the interpreting, it can twist outwards in new, ever-more-interesting directions. And when New York-based designer Todd Snyder is in the mix, you can bet that means reworked classics, a healthy dose of irreverence, and a heaping portion of sportswear staples. Case in point: the new "Rebel Prep" collection, the second collaborative outing from Todd Snyder and Jack Purcell (yes, like the Converse shoes with the little rubber smile stamped into the toe cap).

If a badminton ace doesn't sound like the most likely inspiration for a collection that ranges from knitwear and rugby shirts to fishtail parkas and track pants, well, you're in for a surprise, because you'll find all those and more in the lineup. "The collection was inspired by the way that artists, rock stars, and other rebels effortlessly mix sportswear with more sartorial styles," Snyder explains in a release. In practice, that means the vibe is more "cool-guy athlete who listens to Quadrophenia on repeat" than "country-club member with a brass-button blazer." And that means it's pretty perfectly tuned to this moment in menswear, when old meeting new in unexpected ways isn't just encouraged, but essential.

All of which is to say: If you've been on the hunt for something to give your wardrobe a much-needed shot in the arm, you just found it. And "rebel prep" is starting to look a whole lot like a personal uniform that we could all adopt, and be all the better (looking) for it.