Vinnie Sikka is a man who prioritizes physical over digital. While his online dress shirting business Deo Veritas relies on customer clicks, he’ll tell you he is more concerned about the quality of his shirts than a slick online interface.
News
Getting to Know Nice Laundry and Their Exceptionally Nice Socks
It has been a whirlwind couple of months for Ricky Choi and Phil Moldavski, the Living Social alumni behind the Washington, DC-based menswear staples startup Nice Laundry.
Inside Ledbury and Read Wall DC Christmas Pop-Up Stores
Several online retailers set up shop in Georgetown this holiday season, offering DC residents an opportunity to touch fabrics, try on clothes and get to know their brands offline. Modern Fellows toured pop ups put on by Richmond-based Ledbury and Washington, DC’s Read Wall this week and captured some photos of what’s on offer.
On Kickstarter now: DC-based Proper Socks and $70 American-made Shirts from Hucklebury
It is a challenge to keep up with crowd-funding these days. Since Kickstarter and similar platforms have proven themselves to be useful pre-order mechanisms for fashion startups, the sheer number of campaigns has exploded. While it is impossible to review them all, Modern Fellows caught up with two promising companies online right now on Kickstarter: Proper Socks and Hucklebury.
Welcome to the Hat Shop, DC: An Interview with Goorin Bros. CEO Ben Goorin
“Welcome to the hat shop!” Ben Goorin is standing at the door to his company’s new Georgetown outpost, offering a hearty greeting to a steady stream of shoppers. It has been a busy eight years for the fourth generation CEO who, since taking over the business, has opened nearly 30 retail stores selling American-made hats directly to men and women.
In Downtown Las Vegas, Stitch Factory Looks to Build a Tech-Savvy Fashion Community
One of the few incubators in the United States at the intersection of fashion and technology, Stitch Factory is looking to help build the kind of hip, tech-savvy destination for entrepreneurs envisioned by Zappos.com CEO, Tony Hsieh, who is embarking on a SimCity-of-sorts project to reboot downtown Las Vegas.
Highlights from Northern Grade Richmond
Northern Grade landed at Richmond’s Haxall Point September 21-22, as organizers teamed up with Need Supply Co to host a pop-up market featuring made-in-America menswear brands.
From Thailand, Custom Necktie Tailor Sam Hober Takes an Old Fashioned Approach to a Digital Age Business
Thanks to the internet, Thailand-based custom necktie maker Sam Hober carefully manufactures custom ties for clients around the world. The company offers a variety of silk, wool, linen and cotton ties, scarves, and pocket squares to a global customer base while boasting of the largest selection of solid grenadines in the world. Modern Fellows ordered a tie from Sam Hober
In Las Vegas, Fashion and Technology Startups Discuss Global Branding and International Markets
In Las Vegas earlier this week, startups at the intersection of technology and fashion discussed developing a global brand from day one and highlighted opportunities associated with participating in the international marketplace.
Is the Future of Digital Retail Physical? Startups Behind NYC’s Dapper Man Shop Discuss the Collaborative Pop-Up
Digital retail startups have blossomed over the past five years, but continue to wrestle with how to overcome an inherent-limitation to their model: a lack of a physical presence where customers can interact with their products and get a feel for the company. In response, some menswear entrepreneurs are banding together to create new retail channels to attract a broader customer base.
Bonobos to Launch Permanent Guideshop in Bethesda
Online menswear retailer Bonobos continues to expand its brick-and-mortar presence. On July 20, the startup will open the doors of a permanent guideshop in Bethesda, Maryland, and will also launch in Austin, Texas later this summer.
Suit Supply to launch new label, menswear “speakeasy” in New York
Menswear start-up Suit Supply is launching a new luxury label to be featured in a speakeasy-style boutique attached to the company’s New York flagship location, head of U.S. operations Nish De Gruiter told Modern Fellows in an interview. An August 2013 launch is planned for the new shop, which will have its own floor and entrance alongside Suit Supply’s current location at 453 Broome Street.