Matthew Longcore, the editor of Ivy Style, recently had an enlightening conversation with Rhys Moore, the CEO of St Johns. Below is the detailed transcript of their interview.

Matthew: St Johns is celebrating its 80^th Anniversary this year, a remarkable milestone for any brand. Congratulations! This definitely positions St Johns as a heritage brand. Can you elaborate on the history and evolution of St Johns?

Rhys: St Johns was established in 1946, right after World War II. Captain John Webb, a US Navy Officer stationed at the submarine base in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, envisioned a men’s aftershave inspired by the local Bay Rum. Historically, bay rum, a blend created by local chemists using genuine island rum, was used for various ailments due to the medicinal qualities of the bay tree leaf oil. Capt. Webb combined this unique aroma with local spices and herbs such as cloves, cinnamon, and eucalyptus to craft the Classic Bay Rum Cologne we cherish today. This single product laid the foundation for the St Johns brand in the US Virgin Islands. Capt. Webb was also motivated by a desire to remain in the warm Caribbean climate instead of returning to the cold north of Minnesota.

Matthew: Having shared many breakfasts with you, I’ve learned about your impressive background, including your MBA from Duke University, your passion for polo, and your residence in Connecticut. Could you share more about your journey and how you came to lead St Johns?

Rhys: I’ve had the privilege of attending several institutions, ultimately graduating from both Michigan and Duke. My involvement in polo may sound pretentious, but my love for horses and equestrian sports has created memorable experiences with my daughter. My path to St Johns was somewhat serendipitous, stemming from my previous experience with men’s brands and my involvement in business turnarounds.

I began my career in a training program at Saks Fifth Avenue in Palo Alto, which provided invaluable insights into retail dynamics and consumer behavior. Although the experience was enlightening, it was not financially rewarding, leading me to humorously refer to that time as my “Indentured Servitude” phase. I sold my car and cycled to work daily, which was quite the sight back then. Eventually, I transitioned to the wholesale side, managing business units for brands like Champion and Swiss Army. A friend in private equity later invited me to advise on potential acquisitions and assist in restructuring one of their portfolio brands, which ultimately guided me to St Johns.

At that time, St Johns had been recently revitalized by three brothers who cherished the brand from their childhood vacations in the Islands. They were eager to ensure its survival. The company had previously been owned by Mr. Woodhouse, who, due to age, struggled to keep pace with the evolving landscape of men’s grooming. The brothers’ family office acquired the brand and initiated the process of revitalizing the business. Shortly after, they invited me to join their efforts.

Reestablishing a brand poses significant challenges. We faced several internal issues and two critical existential threats.

St Johns operates out of the US Virgin Islands, specifically from Warehouse #1 in Havensight, St. Thomas. While it’s a vibrant location, running a business from there comes with unique hurdles—transportation, customs, duties, fulfillment, and distribution are all complicated by governmental regulations and the island mentality. As we began to relocate our warehouse and distribution operations to the mainland, we encountered our first major threat: Category 4 hurricanes, Irma and Maria. We secured our building with heavy mahogany storm doors and sandbags the day before the mandatory island evacuation, believing we had safeguarded our operation. the first hurricane damaged part of our roof and separated sections of the building. The island endured catastrophic damage, including the complete destruction of Home Depot and the loss of all palm trees, which we rely on for weaving our bottles. Just five days later, the second hurricane hit, lingering over the island for 24 hours and unleashing torrential rain. Despite our diligent preparations, our building became inundated with water, resembling an aquarium. It took two weeks for the airport to resume operations, and when I returned, the water cascaded out of our doors. Our company vehicle had a broken window from flying debris and was filled with 100 gallons of water. It was clear: we had suffered a total loss.

We quickly adapted; we mixed Bay Rum on the mainland, created bottles with a vibrant woven design, and allocated a portion of those sales to support relief efforts on the island. The community responded positively.

After nearly a year, the fronds we needed for production regrew, and we successfully reorganized our island artisan weavers. Production stabilized.

Then came the pandemic. Who needs to smell good when attending a Zoom call in their pajamas?

During this downtime, we seized the opportunity to refresh our branding, design new labels, craft branded boxes for each fragrance, and develop exciting new scents. From this period, we launched contemporary fragrances like Vetiver, Madras, Caneel, and most recently, Three Saints.

My experiences navigating these crises highlighted the resilience and strength of the St Johns brand, along with its enduring bond with customers. Few brands enjoy such unwavering support.

This strong connection, combined with our new fragrances, has spurred growth and attracted a younger demographic of well-groomed professionals.

I’ve also realized how fortunate I am to have exceptional business partners.

Matthew: In the realm of fashion, Ivy Style represents a long-standing tradition characterized by classic, timeless looks. Does this concept also apply to fragrances? What defines an “Ivy Style” fragrance?

Rhys: Absolutely, some fragrances embody this principle. St Johns serves as the epitome of an Ivy Style fragrance, especially our Bay Rum. A fragrance qualifies as Ivy Style when, much like certain brands, it remains classic and rooted in a significant time and place, retaining its essence through the years. It must be timeless, with a strength that allows it to transition seamlessly from generation to generation. This timelessness will also apply to our newer scents like Caneel, Madras, and Vetiver. The Ivy Style ethos resonates throughout our entire collection.

I liken St Johns to a J. Press Shaggy Dog sweater or a flap pocket OCBD. It transcends being merely a fashion item; it can indeed be fashionable. You can wear it dressed up under a sport coat and flannel slacks or casually with jeans and suede loafers. You look sharp, smell fantastic, and feel like a classic icon.

While there may be other fragrances that fit this category, I can’t quite pinpoint them at the moment. (I say this with a touch of sarcasm)

Matthew: For many years, St Johns has proudly adopted the tagline “Unapologetically Masculine.” Can you explain how this came to be? What understanding of masculinity does St Johns promote?

Rhys: One day, while describing the essence of St Johns to someone unfamiliar with the brand, I recognized a need for clarity in how we present ourselves. In contrast to many men’s fragrance brands that try to cater to everyone and avoid offending anyone, we needed to assert our identity—our brand is firmly for men. “Unapologetically Masculine” was born. Some colleagues worried we might alienate certain customers, but our intention was not to offend. Instead, it articulates our brand stance. Feedback from both new and longtime customers revealed they appreciated this clear vision, as it accurately reflects our fragrances and perspective. It is important to note that you don’t have to be masculine to enjoy St Johns. Our newer fragrances are appealing to women as well. Women often purchase these scents for their partners because they find them pleasant and appealing. This is crucial since women are the primary buyers of fragrances across all categories.

Interestingly, we also have a few scents that women buy for themselves, particularly 77 and Vetiver. Three Saints may also find a place in that category.

Matthew: The newest fragrance from St Johns is Three Saints. I personally enjoy wearing it, and my wife loves it as well. What inspired the name, and how does this new addition complement your existing lineup?

Rhys: It’s wonderful to hear that your wife appreciates Three Saints! She clearly has excellent taste, and I recommend you keep wearing it!

Three Saints pays tribute to our Virgin Island heritage, honoring St John, St Thomas, and St Croix as we celebrate our 80^th year in these islands. The fragrance captures the essence of surf, sun, and sand, featuring notes of Calone, Absinthe, Basil, a hint of lavender, Tonka, and, of course, a touch of citrus.

Three Saints fits beautifully into our fragrance range, offering a distinct scent profile that contrasts with Bay Rum. It features notes consistent with our newer fragrances while also incorporating refreshing surf and mint elements. Like our other offerings, it embodies the island spirit.

This fragrance has been an instant success, with our initial small batch selling out before we even listed it on our website. More inventory is on the way.

Matthew: My wife keeps asking when the women’s fragrance Coral will be available. Can you provide more details about that product?

Rhys: Coral is a topic of frequent inquiries! Prior to the hurricanes, we offered three or four scents for women, exclusively available in the Caribbean. They were not sold online or on the mainland. After the hurricanes, we paused the women’s line along with several older men’s fragrances. My focus shifted to rebuilding our core men’s line and expanding from there. the demand for Coral surged. We reintroduced it, and though it gained traction slowly, we quickly exhausted our inventory. The requests kept coming, prompting us to plan a larger production run. We are currently weaving bottles in the islands and finalizing the fragrance formulation. Coral will be restocked in about a month, and I promise you will be the first to know, Matthew.

Matthew: I’ve spotted St Johns products at The Andover Shop and J. Press, along with specialty boutiques in Connecticut, like Lattice House in Southport and Michael Hayes in Newport, Rhode Island. Where else can customers find your products?

READ MORE »