“They’re a little more grown-up.”
It’s early August, and the Corsillo Brothers are in go mode. AW11 ties needs to be shipped to stockists. Details need to be finalized on not one, but two two high-profile collaborations. The build out on their first brick and mortar retail space is about to begin. But first: someone’s got to staple Hill-Side packaging together. Even if you have only a minor interest menswear, you still know who The Hill-Side is. Their utilitarian-inspired ties, bandannas, scarves and pocket squares have made them one of the most popular independent brands in operation today. That said, their packaging isn’t going to staple itself. Younger brother Sandy dutifully steps up to the task.
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LAYERxlayer is a hard brand to pin down. Even with the seemingly endless number of style niches and sub-genres out there, there’s still no one in which the label is a perfect fit. Everything is made in the USA, and almost entirely from American components, but there’s nothing remotely Americana or capital H Heritage about any of it. The pieces tend to be heavily designed, sometimes to the point of bordering on architectural, and yet they’re still tough and functional, and not at all designer-y. Even beyond their appearance, there’s something else about their bags – something more intangible, a little tougher to identify – that just feels different.
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“We’re fabric nerds.”
Outlier co-founders Abe Burmeister and Tyler Clemens aren’t exactly the type of guys you’d expect to start an active apparel label. There’s nothing overtly sporty or jock-ish about them. In conversation, they come off much more NPR than ESPN. And yet, the two have managed to launch a brand that’s quickly becoming one of the most respected in the industry. Why? Because Burmeister and Clemens have succeeded where no one else has: they’ve made high-performance apparel that’s comfortable enough, and handsome enough, to wear in non high-performance situations. In other words, clothing that’s perpetually appropriate, regardless of where you are or what you’re doing.
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Welcome to the second installment of the Makers Series. Over the next four weeks, I’ll be taking you inside the workspaces of some of my favorite brands. Kicking things off, a visit to New York’s Unis.
“I want them to know there’s a person behind this stuff.”
Eunice Lee, founder of Unis, doesn’t mince words. She doesn’t have time to. From sourcing, to production, to her store, to wholesale, there’s not a single facet of her business she doesn’t have a finger in – and most she handles entirely on her own. On the day we met, she had spent the better part of her morning on the phone, dealing with several of her stockists, all of whom were late on their payments. When I asked why she didn’t have a showroom, or some take-no-prisoners rep to handle that, she replied, “because I want those stores to know who they’re hurting. I want them to know there’s a person behind this stuff. And that by not paying, they’re directly affecting me and the people who make my clothes.” Her sincerity was palpable.
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“It’s just me.”
At first sight, Left Field NYC founder Christian McCann is kind of an intimidating dude. Tall, a boxer’s build, countless tattoos; basically exactly what you’d imagine – or hope – the man behind his brand would look like. However, once you get him talking, it doesn’t take long for the menace to fade. Beneath the tough exterior is one of the most genuine and thoughtful guys in the menswear business. It might seem funny to say, but he’s actually a lot like his clothes: earnest, pretense-free, and steadfast. Despite our being over an hour late, he warmly welcomes my sister and I into his studio. “I’m sorry you had such a hard time finding the place,” he says. “I’m glad you guys are here.”
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“I just don’t want to get stuck in a place.”
There’s a lot to admire about Forestbound founder Alice Saunders. A mere 26 years old, and she has already achieved more with her brand than most people do with their whole lives. “Yeah, this is my job,” she says with a smile, leaning against one of the two giant sewing machines that occupy her in-home studio. “I guess it’s going pretty good too.” Between the slew of high-profile press she has received (including real, honest-to-god print publications), her recent capsule collection for Anthropolgie, inspiring a legion of copycats on Etsy, and, the fact that she’s been gainfully self-employed since college, I would say that ‘pretty good’ is a bit of an understatement. “You’re a total success” I tell her. She shrugs, “I guess.”
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“I make stuff for people like me.”
I didn’t know quite what to expect as I made my way to the home of Eric Heins, the 23 year old wunderkind behind Corter Leather. I knew he was young, that he worked out of his bedroom, and that he had, over the latter half of the past year, established himself as the menswear blogeratti leathersmith of choice. And that was pretty much it. Upon entering his apartment, an airy duplex in a shoddy Victorian three-flat, I was greeted by one of his two hairless cats. “My roommate said there was no way she’d ever let a cat in the apartment, unless it was hairless. She didn’t know I was friends with a breeder,” he tells me with a smile. The cat pressed itself into my leg. I’d arrived.
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Welcome to the first installment of the Makers Series. Over the next four weeks, I will be spotlighting some of my favorite brands in their own spaces, doing what they do best. First up, a visit to Brooklyn’s Stanley & Sons.
“Everyone has just been so nice.”
It was the day after the now infamous NYC blizzard (the first one) when I went to visit Stanley & Sons founder Chris Grodzki in his Williamsburg studio space. My mission was two-fold. One, attempt to document Chris in his work environment, and two, have Chris update my custom S&S bag from a tote to an overnighter. With my sister in tow, I wound my way single-file through the three foot high snowbanks lining the still bustling Bedford Avenue. After a turn and long walk down Grand, we finally arrived at our destination, a warehouse turned storage facility for a nearby architectural artifacts dealer. S&S was occupying the basement.
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