Friends of Cad: Tug Rice
Illustrator Tug Rice has long been a friend of Cad, and someone whose creative world feels naturally aligned with Cad & The Dandy. Based in New York City, Tug has built an international reputation for his elegant, character‑driven illustrations, a style that blends wit, theatricality, and a deep understanding of storytelling. His work has been commissioned by iconic institutions including Harry Winston, Dior, Halcyon Days, St. Regis, The Carlyle, and The Ritz London, and has appeared across fine bone china, silkwear, puzzles, major publications, and books from Simon & Schuster and Rizzoli.
Trained in drama at Carnegie Mellon, Tug brings a performer’s instinct for character and a playwright’s sense of narrative to every figure he draws. That sensibility made him a natural collaborator for Cad & The Dandy. For our New York penthouse, he created five original large‑scale illustrations that explore the transformative, psychological, and often playful nature of menswear, capturing the quiet drama that unfolds when a man steps into a look with intention.
In our conversation below, Tug opens up about storytelling, character, menswear, and the subtle transformations that happen when clothing becomes part of a narrative.
Q: For those discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe the world your illustrations live in?
A: It’s a comfortable world, I hope, that feels both familiar and new. The elegance is approachable. It doesn’t try too hard. Although it’s narrative, my work is never prescriptive. It’s up to the viewer to decide for themselves what’s going on, to read between the lines about these characters. That makes it a conversation where the viewer gets to be an active participant, and I like that a lot.
Q: What first pulled you toward illustration as your creative path?
A: At the root of everything, I have an obsession with stories. I love crafting an illustration like a writer would a story — creating characters, settings, and themes. Illustration was a natural fit that evolved from training and working in the theatre. And because my first few illustration jobs related to menswear, exhibiting new work centered around that world for Cad & The Dandy feels poignant.
Q: Clothing and character seem deeply connected in your work — when did that relationship start for you?
A: When I was acting, costumes were so critical to discovering who my characters were. Not only that, but who they thought they were. That’s even more important. All clothes are masks. They communicate so much. As a storyteller, they’re incredibly useful. The choices we make indicate whether we want to stand out or disappear, whether we wish to appear powerful, nurturing, wild, or serious. Clothing can become armor or tools of seduction. When a person knows what they’re doing, they can be unstoppable.
Q: What inspired the pieces you created specifically for the Cad & The Dandy penthouse?
A: This idea of occasional outfits as psychological costume, particularly for men, got my wheels turning. There are several obvious occasional outfits: black tie, morning suit, tennis whites, and more, that men may wear in their lives at least once. I started to explore the transformation that occurs when a man commits to the look. Does he automatically become suaver when he puts on a white bowtie and tailcoat? Does a perfect tennis outfit make him better at the game? And the idea of masquerading interests me, from literal party masks to sunglasses and sleeping masks. We’re always costumed, whether we like it or not.
Q: You’ve worked across many formats, editorial, murals, brand collaborations. What felt unique about working with a tailoring house?
A: The bond between a tailor and his client is special. From taking measurements to picking out linings over espresso, it’s a safe relationship with a rich history that’s a pleasure to draw inspiration from. The visuals that come to mind when you talk about tailoring are striking and unmistakable. I can’t think of the word “bespoke” without imagining the Edwardian illustrations of gentlemen from Vanity Fair. There’s a starting point that drives every project and, for this, it was those old sartorial illustrations that are still often displayed in tailoring houses. I wanted to work within that vocabulary and put my own spin on it.
Q: When guests walk into the penthouse and see your work, what do you hope they feel?
A: I hope they’re intrigued by the transformative power of clothing. Maybe they’re inspired to choose a slightly wider lapel, or a more interesting fabric. Maybe they’ll embrace the role‑playing aspect of tailoring a bit more boldly.
Q: What role does storytelling play in your process, especially when you’re creating characters who feel both timeless and modern?
A: I tend to let the characters reveal themselves. I don’t sit down with the intention of drawing a specific type of person, just a vague idea. Once I’ve started, and I think any artist will tell you the same thing, something takes over. Strange as it sounds, you become a vessel for the fictional character who’s trying to make a point of some kind. Then you just have to listen and produce without judgment.
Q: When you’re sketching people, what details do you find yourself drawn to first?
A: Where a person leads from physically is a good place to begin. It tells you what’s important to them. If they lead from their chest, it might suggest a certain level of pride, or an attempt at selling confidence. If it’s their head, they might be a more cautious person, afraid of tripping, or an intellectual. A person who leads with their pelvis probably has other motivations.
Q: What’s your relationship to menswear, as an observer, an illustrator, or a participant?
A: I like the rules of it. I like that black tie, for instance, is quite limiting but that, within those limitations, there are many choices (satin or grosgrain? peak lapel or shawl?). I long for structure and menswear offers that, along with opportunities for experimentation and personalization.
Q: How do you think about elegance and humor coexisting in your work?
A: Together, they’re a wonderful team. I suppose their combination is the definition of wit. I don’t want to experience ultra‑serious elegance and I don’t want humor that isn’t elevated in some way. Humor reminds us that elegance isn’t meant to be sombre. And elegance holds humor to a certain standard that I think is necessary, or else we’d only be laughing at really crass jokes.
Q: What’s something about your process that people might be surprised to learn?
A: I work best with near silence. Music can be inspiring but it can also be distracting, so I often have something mundane playing in the background. A conversation or interview, anything that doesn’t demand my attention. It creates just enough noise to let the work take over.
Q: What’s inspiring you right now, visually, culturally, or personally?
A: Spain. I’m eager to visit Madrid.
Q: And if you could illustrate anyone, living or gone, who would be a dream subject for you?
A: Rudolph Valentino. Not only was he exceptionally well‑dressed, but, being a trained dancer, he understood movement. That kind of fluid motion would be a pleasure to capture.
Our thanks to Tug for sharing his insight, imagination, and unmistakable point of view, and for bringing such thoughtful, beautifully crafted work into our penthouse. His illustrations have already become part of the atmosphere and identity of the space, and we’re grateful to call him both a collaborator and a friend of Cad.
*For those intrigued, please contact us for details on how to view these fantastic 6’ x 4½’ works of art, five unique pieces created exclusively for us on view till April 2027.