Photos by Nathan Michael
Thinking back on this past Saturday’s NorthernGRADE Chicago pop-up, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude. Gratitude to the vendors for participating in it. Gratitude to the bloggers and publications that helped promote it. And, above all, gratitude to every person that came to be a part of it. I’ve always liked NorthernGRADE more than the other menswear events because of how laid back it is. It’s an easy place to strike up a conversation with a stranger, and actually enjoy it. And I think that carried through in Chicago. It seemed like everyone was having a pretty good time. I know I was. A few of the many people and products that made the day what it was are after the jump. Hat tip to Nathan Michael for the photos.
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For as long as there’s been a NorthernGRADE, I’ve been a fan of it. Launched back in 2010 by Pierrepont Hicks and J.W. Hulme, the Minnesota-based event has grown from an intimate gathering of American-made-o-philes to a full-on menswear mecca. And now, it’s coming to Chicago. I’ve had the great privilege and pleasure of working directly with PPH to co-produce the Chicago premiere of the pop-up, and if I do say so myself, it’s shaping up to be quite an event.
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What really makes NorthernGRADE great, is how unapologetically down to earth it is. It’s not about fashion. It’s not about networking. It’s about meeting the people behind the goods that shape your life. The items you have forever, and that mean more to you than any others. Simply put: NorthernGRADE is a celebration of craft. Despite the marked increase in vendors, visitors and press, the show maintained the same easy going atmosphere as its first year. And that says a lot. Not just about who’s there, but about why too. Read More »
Of course, no NorthernGRADE 2011 wrap-up would be complete without a mention of Buckshot Sonny’s, the new store from my good buddies Max Wastler and Joe Gannon. The pair put together quite a selection for the event, the standout of which – for me at least – were the exclusive Pointer Black Label Chore Coats (that’s right, camo Pointers!). Unfortunately, they didn’t have my size. But, I heard rumor that a re-up is happening in the very near future, so hopefully that won’t be case for much longer (hint, hint). Read More »
From the pounding of his hammer, to the holler of his voice, to the burn of his homemade moonshine, Cause & Effect founder Billy Moore is consistently one of NorthernGRADE’s most entertaining personalities, not to mention one of the most talented. I had the good fortune to walk away with a river belt this year (see the photo at the link above for a making-of shot), and it is an absolute work of art. I highly, highly recommend picking up some of his stuff. Read More »
Most of my day was spent hanging / helping out at the Left Field NYC booth, which provided ample opportunity to ogle the label’s fantastic new AW11 Crossgrain Crews. Some nice updates have been made to the previous model, including changing the fabric to a heavy-duty, 100% cotton terry and adding a v-stitch at the neck. Like pretty much everything else I’ve posted this week, these still aren’t online yet. But, they will be very soon (along with a just-as-nice hooded version). Read More »
If, like me, you prefer your wallet on the slimmer side, then I’d definitely check out the Money Clip Wallets from Minnesota’s Leather Works. Not only are they excellently made (handcrafted in St. Paul from the same leathers Red Wing uses to make its boots), they’re also super affordable (prices range from $19 – $29, depending on the leather), and, thanks to their two external card pockets and namesake money clip, they’ll keep you organized too. Read More »
San Francisco’s Taylor Stitch was once again in attendance, and had a nice sampling of their fall ’11 collection with them. The new Chambray Popover is made in SF out of 100% cotton chambray from Italy. Details include two chest pockets, a four button placket with contrasting bottom button, button-down collar with a third button in the back, and the co.’s signature pleat-free back and sleeves. Label co-founder Mike Maher was kind enough to model the shirt, and as you can see, the fit is aces as well. Read More »
NorthernGRADE co-founder Pierrepont Hicks had their brand new, and absolutely stellar, AW11 collection on display. Highlights from the all-NYC-made range include striped Italian linen, baby-butt soft camel hair, beautiful Scottish tweeds, and the label’s brand new signature silks. The complete collection should be up on the PPH site before the end of the month. In the meantime, you can check out their amazing new lookbook here. Read More »
I’m happy to report that this year’s NorthernGRADE was a rousing success. And to keep the magic alive just a little bit longer, I’ve decided to use this week’s blog posts to spotlight some of my favorite products from the event.
Not only is the Shawl Collar Cardigan from veteran Portland, OR knitwear-maker Dehen 1920 beautiful, it’s also one of the heaviest sweaters I’ve ever come across (seriously, the thing weighs multiple pounds). Another nice feature is that it’s almost entirely water repellent, thanks to the natural lanolin coating of the worsted wool used in its construction. Unfortunately, these won’t be available for purchase for another month or so, but, based on the samples they had at the show, I can assure you they’ll be well worth the wait. Read More »
As I’m sure you already know, the Pierrepont Hicks / J.W. Hulme Co. curated NorthernGRADE market is this weekend. The two brands have put together a fantastic list of vendors this year, so if you’re anywhere within a six hour radius of Minneapolis, do yourself the favor, and make the trip. It’ll be worth it, I promise. I’ll be hanging out at the Left Field booth all day, so stop by and say hi. I’ll see you this weekend.
