Fencing is one of the oldest sports in the modern Olympics, with a culture of discipline, etiquette and precision built over centuries. Until TAB DEPT., it had never had a fashion house of its own. Fencers had uniforms and equipment. They did not have a brand that carried the sport into the rest of their lives.
TAB DEPT. is the world's first fencing apparel brand: a fashion house built from the strip outward, working across luxury, streetwear and athletic wear.
Built by a fencer
TAB DEPT. was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the summer of 2024 by Tylen Butler. Tylen began fencing at 13 and went on to become a 3x Jr. Olympics fencer and a 3x state champion and letterman at Penn State. He is training toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in men's épée.
The brand launched without outside capital. Every collection, campaign and release has been built independently, with the same discipline the sport demands.
Be En Garde®
In fencing, "en garde" is the command that starts every bout. It means ready. Weight balanced, blade up, eyes forward.
Be En Garde® is the philosophy behind everything TAB DEPT. makes: guard your mind, your heart and your spirit, and move through life with intention. BE EN GARDE® and the lunging fencer logo are federally registered trademarks of TAB DEPT.
Three worlds, one house
Luxury. The house's signature print, MASQUE, is drawn from the steel mesh of the fencing mask and rendered in leather. LA BELLE, named for the deciding touch in a tied bout, is the house's upcoming luxury collection.
Streetwear. Heavyweight hoodies, boxy tees, sweats and outerwear carry the house's marks and fencing language into everyday wear.
Athletic. Performance tees, quick dry tanks and training pieces are built for movement, on the strip and off it.
A language from the strip
Every TAB DEPT. name comes from the sport. EN GARDE is the call to readiness. RIPOSTE is the answer to a parry. The Lamé Bomber is named for the conductive jacket that decides a touch. LA BELLE is the final touch.
Recognition
TAB DEPT. has been featured by Axios Charlotte, QCity Metro, Fashion Law Journal, The Quintessential Gentleman, CLAST Magazine and NOTTHESAMO, and recognized by USA Fencing.
The house's first publication, TAB DEPT. Issue 01, is a brand monograph released in October 2026.
Explore the house
Shop all garments or read the Be En Garde® story.
Be En Garde.