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Meet Brian Spaly

The man who made dress pants more fit

by Cora Daniels | photo by Warwick Saint

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Finding khakis that fit right is tough—especially when you're athletic. Just ask Brian Spaly, 32, founder of Bonobos, a clothing startup (bonobos.com).

"I'm built like a hockey player," says the 5'11", 170- pound entrepreneur. Spaly came up with the idea for his pants (which feature more room in the legs for muscular thighs and quads and less fabric in the rear to cut down on boxiness) while studying for his MBA at Stanford.

With seed money from early customers and a couple of his professors, his Internet-based business was an instant hit, earning $1.6 million in its first year. "For me, working out is essential—it's like eating or breathing," he says. "I don't think anyone's image should suffer because they like going to the gym."

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