Meeting entrepreneurs is often inspirational, especially when they fly cheerfully in the face of conventional wisdom. Gina Locklear launched Zkano socks in 2009 in Fort Payne, Alabama after much of the South’s once-booming textile and apparel production moved off-shore. Zkano’s story suggests opportunities remain for American manufacturing in an age of global competition.
Inside: Charles Tyrwhitt DC at Farragut Square — updated
Discovering custom shirting and high-quality craft retail from around the country is wonderful, but everyone needs a couple of solid go-to local stores to turn to for some of the basics. For me, Charles Tyrwhitt fits the bill, which is why it was nice to see the company choose DC as its second U.S. location following New York. Here’s a look inside and some impressions
Introducing American Trench
It is an exciting time for entrepreneurs Jacob Hurwitz and David Neill, who are in the midst of starting up American Trench, a fledgling Philadelphia-area company dedicated to making quality American-made outerwear and apparel. Modern Fellows is pleased to offer the following introduction to the men behind an intriguing new brand
Inside: Michael Andrews Bespoke for the Holidays
With Christmas rapidly approaching, Modern Fellows stopped in Michael Andrews Bespoke’s showroom off of Dupont Circle to follow up on our earlier conversation and see how they were getting along since launching their DC operations in October. We spoke with Michael and Carly about how their DC clientele compares with New York, and found the place all decked out for the holidays.
Mind the Chap Co-Founder on Introducing Men to Emerging Designers and Starting a Business in the Digital Age
To follow is a lightly-edited transcript of a recent conversation with Sapna Shah, one of two co-founders of Mind the Chap, a New York-based start-up that launched last month aimed at introducing style-conscious men to emerging designers and limited run products.
Ratio Clothing CEO Eric Powell on Manufacturing in North Carolina and Making Custom Shirting as Easy as Amazon.com
Since coming online in 2011, Ratio Clothing’s mission has been simple, says its founder Eric Powell. It is to make shirts that fit well right off the bat via an online process that is effortless and straightforward.
A Quick and Dirty Roundup of Black Friday Sales
A non-exhaustive and minimally-detailed list of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday sales from some favorite brands and retailers. Check details with merchants.
Inside: Bonobos’ Holiday Guide Shop on Bethesda Row
Rapidly-growing online retailer Bonobos is bringing its contribution to alternative brick-and-mortar retail to the Washington, DC area. On November 7, the company opened the doors of a temporary Guide Shop on Bethesda Row, joining others in New York, Boston, Chicago and Palo Alto.
What is the Future of Manufacturing in America? Perspective from Brooks Brothers’ CEO
What is the role of American manufacturing in modern men’s fashion? The answer depends less on individuals discovering a new sense of patriotic consumerism and more on the ability of American workers and factories to compete globally. Claudio del Vecchio, chairman and chief executive officer of the Brooks Brothers Group, provided a window into the current state of American manufacturing
GQ is Way Off-Base: DC Men Have Already Stepped Up their Style
GQ’s writers must not spend much time in the nation’s capital. The city has changed dramatically since however many years ago it was when the author of this month’s “Project Upgrade: Capitol Hill Edition” formed an opinion that professional men in the District favor “blousy shirts and ill-fitting suits.”
The Best Menswear Blogs of the Moment
Everyone has their go-to sites for style advice. Modern Fellows is no exception, and has compiled a resource of what we consider the best resources for professional mens’ style — from A Continuous Lean to Putthison to WWD.