New Balance

Sneakers, gym shoes, athletic footwear-whatever you prefer to call them, have not been around for too long. In the annals of time, their mere existence is a blip at best. So it is both surprising and refreshing to learn that New Balance has been manufacturing their kicks since 1906.

The New Balance culture is a bit different from that of their competition. Fabricated stateside, the company tends to eschew the mass media advertising campaigns that run amok in this day and age, relying on a loyal base of followers and their word of mouth. Granted, it is hardly a difficult task, as New Balance, in the fitness realm, has earned a reputation over the years as one of the premier shoes for the active lifestyle. One of the innovators to offer width options, a much needed demand amongst athletes everywhere, the company is also known for labeling their shoes in a traditional “1”, “2”, and so forth. The affront to the tradition of hype and fancy marketing for a particular pair is not accidental; it gels with the company philosophy.

At the end of the day, New Balance just wants to focus on providing an essential tool for their clientele’s health and wellness, and maybe offer a lifestyle. A simple enough concept, and one that makes us want to take a lap right now.

David Hart & Co.

There is a shifting of the Earth’s core in 2012; traditional winds are swirling in the opposite direction. No, the Mayan prophecies have not obliterated our planet. The change has come within the confines of men’s fashion.

Case in point: Not even a decade ago, hip hop culture was spilling into every facet of society, from clothing to mindset. Look at the NBA, where the greatest basketball players in the world were doing their part of bringing this way of life to the mainstream via ESPN, the only appropriate four letter word in a man’s vocabulary. It was a fresh and crisp aesthetic, certainly not a passing fancy, but at the time, no one could imagine a pocket square would ever be an essential piece of the post-game interview. Then it happened, the perfect storm of old school panache, modern day swagger and future time sensibility. A world where Kanye West and a seasoned Wall Street legend might share the same Scottish Tartan, where the hand crafted men’s accoutrements of centuries-old Italy find their way to the pages of GQ draped on the body of a hardcourt icon from the Southern tip of Chicago.

We can thank the maestro David Hart.

Hart, namesake of David Hart & Co., personally hand crafts neckties from his NYC base. Using the finest linens, wool, cotton and luxury silk, all immaculately detailed pieces are hand slip-stitched and tailored for the distinguished gentleman of any background. Whether the vibrant and rich colors of the Scotsman, the cool factor of a genuine Japanese selvedge denim tie or the effortlessly timeless John Drake bow tie, Hart has provided the men’s couture landscape with items that are simply essential, regardless if the wearer listens to Wiz Khalifa on an iPod, the Rolling Stones on cassette or Sinatra on vinyl.

Exquisite taste is a universal thing.

Save Khaki

Save Khaki is a niche boutique in the Big Apple. That niche?

Preppy. And proud of it.

Predominantly khaki, clean and streamlined, Save Khaki caters not only to a specific look, but a mindset. Think traditional workwear meets daily life. And the clothes feel like a second skin, so comfortable and form fitting that the wearer feels as if he was simply born with it. Save Khaki operates with an M.O.-“Less, but better”, which bleeds over into the stylish yet unbothered psyche of their clientele.

With three stores in Gotham, the company has also opened a web store for its flock, and most of Save Khaki’s products are American citizens, another thing we love.

All hail the khaki.

Wood & Faulk

When considering the creative explosion of craftsman style, Wichita, Kansas is not the pioneering frontier that brings one's mind to bear. For graphic designer and Wichita native—Matt Pierce—the slow, flat, farming and industry good-life made for a solid upbringing. It was also the foundation for Pierce’s documentation of experiments in style and craft—a.k.a. Wood & Faulk.

What began on the Wichita streets of Woodrow and Faulkner, Pierce was studious in the art of craftsmanship. Always the tinkerer and customizer, his early forays into building crossed several mediums. Pierce’s uncle taught him how to build car engines. On commission, he worked on furniture. He refined his skills also working on homes. For Pierce it was never a business. He would take jobs simply for the pleasure in building.

Any sum obtained through his endeavors, were invested in the purchase of well-made tools—each new building interest allowing him to accumulate a garage full.

After Pierce migrated to Portland, Oregon, he initially rented but later purchased a home due to the confines of a small shop space. He bought an old house and again embraced tinkering through home repair. Eventually he began publishing the progress of his efforts through pictures via the popular gallery service, Flickr.

Friends and fellow creative’s took notice and encouraged Pierce to share on a personal site of his own, which quickly evolved into Wood & Faulk, his “Documentation of experiments, style, and craft.”

Since the creation of Wood & Faulk, Pierce has been building in other ways—community—as a natural, organic evolution of his sharing efforts. His experiments also feature a small, carefully crafted range of products including shop-wear, bags, and leather goods.

We asked about the societal trend towards fulfillment through do-it-yourself, handmade creativity, and Pierce noted that he believes in the power of craftsmanship and trusts it is not a passing fad. “We had gotten away from build something yourself and taking pride in it. If you do it right, it lasts a long time. Do it right. Spend the dollars and it will last a whole lot longer. It is better with effort.”

The notion of Made in America also resonates with Pierce. “Not in a blinding patriotic way, however. No matter where things are made, you must look for the quality of the craft. We have seen wondering Made in America companies that have done things horribly. It should really stand for something good and strong. It should benefit the consumers that are buying things.”

Looking at Wood & Faulk, it is clear that Pierce looks at Made in America with the fondness of timeless quality. “You can’t take it at face value these days. Consumers must look beyond the Made in America stamp. Go beyond the advertising. Only then can you decide if it is worth the investment.”

Wood & Faulk is built on exposing ideas and opening dialog with people who desire to create or those who want to have more lasting creations. Pierce remains encouraged about the prospect of Wood & Faulk’s impact in the future as well. “It is about sharing ideas and I have been excited about how well mine have been received.”

Photography by Lisa Warninger.

http://www.woodandfaulk.com/

The Story of L.L. Bean

Leon Leonwood Bean left,brothers Otto center, & Guy Bean right

Leon Leonwood Bean was an avid outdoorsman with a cool name who happened to develop a waterproof boot, out of necessity, for fellow nature enthusiasts in Greenwood, Maine, in 1912. So fast did the word travel, Bean constructed a four-page mail order catalogue to service non-resident clients. One hundred years later, LL Bean endures as a “folksy, down Maine” company-and an industry icon.

Durable and functional sportswear was never meant to be stylish in the days before LL Bean stepped its moccasin clad feet onto the scene. Hiking, fishing, snowshoeing…these undertakings were fueled by clothing, accessories and accoutrements that were commonly stored in garages and sheds. Upon LL Bean’s arrival, the outdoor couture trend has become a cultural sidebar, a do-it-yourself community that spans from the woods of Maine to the asphalt of Manhattan, the treacherous pools of the Everglades to the dry terrain of Hollywood. From children lugging around half of their bodyweight in school books, the graphic designer wearing a classic wool travel blazer, or the fly fisher plying his trade while strapped into Leon Bean’s original boots, the company has secured a global reach with its homey themed products.

On the cusp of its centennial, LL Bean continues to set the standard for fashionable outdoors wear. As Americans go greener, the possibilities of Earth’s sustainability grow. As long as we allow Mother Nature to thrive and maintain a hankering for flair, LL Bean can start planning for the next hundred years.

And to think it all started because Leon Leonwood Bean was catching his lunch.

JJ Hat Center

There is a standard of bias and prejudice in the world, and for once it has merit. This world, of course, is the realm of headwear.

A hat is not just a hat. Show up to a black tie affair in a tattered Yankees ballcap and prepare to have the red carpet pulled beneath you. Arrive at a white table cloth restaurant with a stunning woman and a bandanna, go home with take out and a lonely couch. Since 1911, JJ Hat Center has steered aspiring distinguished gentlemen away from such societal and fashion faux pas.

They are New York's senior experts, recognized globally as one of the most esteemed and renowned hat boutiques. For 101 years, the Gotham based purveyor of the classics has served generations, from nervous novices to well-versed veterans. The precise and polished art of the fedora, pork pie, beret and cap is not merely a job for the gentlemen at JJ Hat Center-it is a lifestyle. They will teach you the history behind each hat, as well as the proper care and ideal style. And, inadvertently, they will teach you Sinatra-like swagger.

And for that, JJ Hat Center … we tip our cap to you.

Kiehl's

Cosmetics.

Founded in 1851 by John Kiehl, Kiehl's began as an apothecary in the East Village of New York City. Throughout nearly two centuries, Kiehl’s has morphed into a destination for lotions and cosmetics, but with a twist; up to 40% of its clientele are men. It is an all-sexes approach to marketing that the company has managed to achieve this desired demographic. Well educated clerks, clad in lab coats, provide expert advice to an already hip and authentic product. Vintage Clark Gable motorcycles provide the motif at Kiehls’ flagship location, while fashionista’s freely peruse the skin health lines at such esteemed department stores as Barney’s and Saks. Though essentially providing the same paradigm altering products, the bow upon which the box is wrapped makes the straightforward and universally needed cosmetics accessible to all.

While famous for a more- than- generous sampling policy, Kiehl’s operates as a philanthropic entity, a large part of its culture. Over forty years ago, the company introduced its “Mission of Kiehl’s”, which was a directive to create a better world for all of its citizens. With a heavy focus on AIDS research, environmentalism and children’s causes, Kiehl’s remains as committed to the health of our communities as they do to their client’s skin and their own bottom line.

Yet at its simplest, Kiehl’s has given a gift to the universe that might once have been deemed impossible; a product, finally, that a husband and wife can finally share.

Gift giving just got easier.

Mulholland Brothers

There is a brilliance to manhood, if executed correctly. While overzealous fits of canned machismo are a turn-off for everyone, the channeling of our forefathers, in their Hemingway-esque, carry a big stick nuance, is just about the perfect dose.

This is wear the Mulholland family steps in.

In San Francisco, Mulholland, a vendor of Sport/Adventure/Accessory goods, is the place where one finds himself when reaching out to the aforementioned ambassadors of classic testosterone and fine taste. Founded in 1984 by the Senior Mulholland and his two sons, the family that once crafted shotgun cases and fly rods on a whim turned their adventure and outdoor passions into a niche business, a non-peggable industry whose absentia was duly noted upon Mulholland’s arrival. Driven to hand craft the most durable and pristine accoutrements necessary for every man, Mulholland plows forth as a company spurred by the freedom their products enable. From duffels to golf bags, leather flasks to alligator hide shaving kits, Mulholland serves as the bridge between the charm of days past (Field Sport Doctor’s Bag) and the technology driven future (Leather iPad Sleeve). In a sense, a jaunt through their American made catalogue reveals a selection fit for the patriarch of our families, from over one hundred years ago to the household head many years from now.

They say the classics never go out of style; for Mulholland and their growing flock of purists, the classics are the only style.

Defy Bags

Defy Bags, sleek messenger and courier bags, sleeves, and wallets made nearly entirely of reappropriated materials, are constructed with an attention to craftsmanship often forgotten and lost in this instant gratification, prepackaged, consumer based post modern condition. The company motto of “Old Materials. New Ideas” infects every aspect the bags. Hand made with sturdy industrial sewing machines – blacked with cast metal, and powered by exposed pulley belts of stark brown leather – Defy Bags are imbued with the spirit of America’s industrial heyday. Perhaps being fashioned from reused and repurposed tarps, belts, and canvases from that heyday serves as a subtle and poetic eulogy.

Proprietor Chris Tag started the Chicago based company in 2008, drawing from childhood experiences in Dayton, Ohio, where he witnessed the waning days of a proud manufacturing era in this nation. “My neighborhood’s dads were: engineers, metallurgists & mechanics. I was just surrounded by people who knew, seemingly since birth, how to fix, repair, or make things,” he describes.

The progenesis of the idea came as Tag, creative director for a major Chicago advertising firm, already frustrated with the seeming futility of spending months on a thirty second commercial spot, only to have the effort disappear in two weeks, saw a fourteen by forty eight foot test run vinyl billboard heaved into the trash. The proverbial light bulb went off. He decided to cram the huge, improperly and vividly colored vinyl sheave into his Mini Cooper. Teaching himself to sew at night, after putting in seventy hour weeks at work, Tag produced a prototype bag of crude stitching and loud colors. He continued on this path, improving sewing techniques, seeking advice and tips from Chicago area sewing companies, and dismantling dozens of military surplus bags. With each attempt at constructing a bag out of reused materials, Chris Tag did so with an intention of inserting that Dayton ethos of creation and manufacture he knew from his childhood.

Validation came – after long hours of studying and reverse engineering, and reincarnating old materials – a few bags were sold to coworkers at the advertising firm Tag was working for, and even a few fellow commuters on the Metra train. The business was born. He amassed literally tons of military surplus tarps, bicycle tubes, and other accoutrements in his basement, till the supply outgrew his space. A spot in a warehouse building with a history of manufacturing – including narrative of an alleged sweatshop once residing in the very space to be occupied – was procured.

The enduring equipment in his shop – from those iconic sewing machines to the caddies of marred wooden slats holding supplies – breathes new life into cast off materials. There is certainly not a lack of resources in the detritus of this post modern era. When asked about the future of Defy Bags, Tag spoke of exciting developments including sketch books filled with design options, distribution with a major U.S. retailer for 2012, and exportation of this tangible reinvigoration of American ingenuity around the globe. That, in effect, is defiant.

Defy Bags: Old Materials. New Ideas. from Jerry Rig on Vimeo.

Model Jessica Hart Launching Clothing Line

Gap toothed Australian model Jessica Hart has graced the cover of Vogue Australia, modeled for Victoria's Secret, and knows a thing or two about the fashion industry. Hart has recently leveraged her industry knowledge by launching a new clothing line with New York–based brand Pencey. The line includes denim, and the model's signature style of sleepwear-inspired street ready silhouettes.