A crew of countercultural climbers called the Stonemasters took up residency in Yosemite National Park and effectively reinvented the sport. They ditched the heavy gear and the old methodology in favor of something faster, cleaner, more fluid... free climbing, before anyone was calling it that.

Their reference points weren’t other climbers; they were the likes of Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix, and Carlos Castañeda. And the attire became a new kind of uniform: painter pants, army surplus fatigues, and whatever else moved well.

One of them, Mike Graham, decided the clothes still weren’t right. So he built his own, pulling a diamond-shaped gusset from a pair of kung-fu trousers for full range of motion, integrating a nylon webbing belt borrowed from backpack design, finishing the whole thing in hard-wearing canvas.

In 1982, after a few years of selling his handmade wares to friends, Gramicci was born, named after the fake Italian nickname Graham had adopted when the Stonemasters staged a fictitious “all-Italian ascent” of Half Dome. Might’ve been a joke at first, but the name stuck.

By the early 90s, spotting a pair of Gramiccis on the streets of Shinjuku wasn’t unheard of. As with all American brands and products, the Japanese understand how to import and care for those products better than Americans ever could.

It was eventually sold to a Japanese company (its new home there) and has been operating from Japan ever since.

The thing about Gramicci is that it was born out of solving a specific problem. A weird blend of kung-fu, mountaineering, and workwear, baked into a universal solution that appealed to everyone.

Climbers wore it. Skaters wore it. Tokyo wore it. And in 2026, they opened a new popup space tucked inside the Netil House in London Fields’ Hackney neighborhood.

I had the pleasure of visiting recently. There’s a climbing wall, a large LED screen set up for screenings and viewings, and furniture designed to be moved or cleared out entirely, depending on what’s happening that week.

But in general, it’s the kind of space that more brands should center their products around… places that make you feel welcome to dwell, not just transact.

The space was conceived by Stevie Gildea (Gramicci’s UK & EU Brand Manager) and the team behind Wisdom & Effort, who run Gramicci’s UK and EU distribution.

We sat down with both to explore the shop, ask about how you build something you can’t quite describe, and perhaps entice you to pay them a little visit the next time you’re in London.

PS - big thanks to Meara Kallista for the great photos on this shoot!

PPS - their new Hackney space is temporary, so go hit it up and tell them I sent you! They’re open all summer and have some bangin’ pieces from the new collection. Plus, they’re constantly hosting events and community gatherings. Well worth the visit.

Addy here: 2 Netil Ln, London E8 3RL, United Kingdom

You’ve talked about having boxes of climbing magazines from the 70s and 80s, like ads that were fun, an independent vibe, dozens of small brands doing interesting things. Gramicci was born right in the middle of that era. What do you think you guys understood then that most outdoor brands lost along the way?

Erik: Climbing was a bit more of a counterculture back then; it attracted lots of interesting characters. Since the scene was so small, a lot of the technical innovation was DIY-driven, with people running their own small brands, having fun, and trying things.

When the scene grew, lots of companies became big businesses, and big businesses are usually really boring.

I think Gramicci managed to stay intact by growing slowly and staying true to their core products, rather than branching out into other activities or trying to be too innovative.

And most importantly, not taking themselves too seriously.

Gramicci is a California brand with an Italian name that’s been run from Japan for decades and is now opening flagships in London. That’s a strange geography for a brand to hold together. What is the connection between all of this that keeps Gramicci coherent?

Stevie: On paper it sounds strange: California roots, an Italian name, shaped by Japan, now showing up in London. But the connection less geographical and more cultural.

Gramicci has always traveled through people rather than markets. Japan didn’t just “run” the brand – it deeply understood it. It gave Gramicci an appreciation for quality, longevity, and everyday wear that still respects its roots.

London makes sense because it’s a place where subcultures overlap, where climbing, skating, fashion, music and art constantly cross over.

The coherence comes from values rather than aesthetics: freedom of movement and space for interpretation. Those ideas translate anywhere if you don’t force them to look the same.

It’s clear from visiting the Hackney Space that it isn’t your typical retail store designed for selling clothes, so what was the brief for the new Gramicci Space? Was there something Gramicci wanted to do differently?

Erik: Yeah, it was all about “build something we can’t fully describe” and we nailed it… because we still can’t describe it.

It was about how Gramicci can build the brand in London, we want people to interpret Gramicci in their own way and having somewhere that facilitates that is what the Hackney Space is.

The book, the store, the campaigns; those are three very different formats for telling the same brand story. What does each one let you do that the others can’t?

Erik: One you can step inside. One you can read in the bath. One you scroll past really fast. With this in mind one can tailor the message to do different jobs in each format.

Gramicci is a brand that has cultural references to 90s skate & street culture, how has it managed to maintain such relevance long term?

Stevie: Gramicci’s relationship with skate and street culture was never forced. Skaters adopted the clothes because they worked and because they didn’t scream for attention.

That kind of relevance is harder to manufacture but easier to sustain. We haven’t tried to constantly “update” the brand to chase trends. Instead, we’ve focused on staying authentic to the things that made it useful in the first place.

When you leave space for people to reinterpret the product through their own culture, the brand stays alive without you having to shout about it.

“Keep it vague” has become a tagline for Gramicci. How do you apply that to a brand with a defined origin story without flattening it into something predictable?

Stevie: For us, “keep it vague” doesn’t mean being unclear about who Gramicci is. It’s more about not over-explaining it. The brand has a very clear beginning, but we don’t feel the need to keep spelling that out or turning it into a fixed formula.

Once you start telling people exactly what a brand is and how they’re supposed to read it, it kind of stops being interesting. It becomes closed.

With Gramicci, we’d rather let the story sit in the background and let people come to it in their own way. The important part isn’t the details of the origin, it’s the attitude behind it… freedom of movement, usefulness, not trying too hard.

Those things stay consistent, but how they show up can change depending on who’s wearing it and where they’re wearing it. So being vague is really about leaving space.

If someone comes to Gramicci through climbing, that’s valid.

If it’s skateboarding, music, or just how the clothes fit into their everyday life, that’s just as valid. We’re not trying to control the interpretation; we’re trying to give people enough to connect with without telling them exactly what they should be seeing.

What is it about the Hackney Space that makes it feel very Gramicci to you, and why?

Stevie: It feels Gramicci because it isn’t trying too hard to prove that it is. It’s practical first – you can climb, you can watch a film, you can use the space – but it’s also comfortable with contradiction.

There’s a looseness to it, a sense that things could change tomorrow, which feels honest to how the brand has always evolved. It’s not precious, it’s not perfect, and it doesn’t tell you exactly how to behave when you walk in.

That freedom is probably the most Gramicci thing about it!

When I finally pulled the trigger on a Paynter jacket, it was their Batch 19 raglan.

Upon opening the package, I was amazed at how much thought went into the whole presentation. There was the jacket, but also a map of the Isle where fabric was woven, along with photos of the sheep, the mills, and weavers who worked there. The inner patch was gorgeous, and their little care notes were filled with whimsical illustrations.

I proceeded to talk about this coat over and over again to anyone who would listen. A coworker of mine couldn’t understand how (or why) I’d spend $700 on a coat and so I started sending her photos of everything: the coat, the map, the photos they included. I forwarded her the email updates I got from Paynter with videos of the whole process.

I told her about their strategies to minimize waste and only produce what was needed for each batch. And her response at the end was perfect: “I can’t believe you got me to care about a jacket so much.” She even hinted that she would like to own one herself in the future.

In a world where customers are so removed from the stories and people who make their clothing, Paynter has gone all in on making the story as much of the product as the product itself.

I got to talk with Becky and Huw and what was supposed to be a 45 minute call became a 2 hour hangout. I wish I could include all of it, but for the sake of time here’s what stuck.

Back in 2021, Sprezza sat down with Huw and Becky at the drop of their seventh batch. Their first had sold out in 14 minutes.

Their second in 3. They were two people making limited-edition jackets in quarterly drops, building in public, and betting that customers would wait — and care — if the story was worth telling. You can read that original piece here.

When I asked Becky to describe what’s changed since then, her answer was clear:

BECKY

“We’ve always made limited edition jackets in Batches, and we’ve stuck to it. In a way nothing has changed - our jackets are still limited, with a story to tell and a point of view. We always take customers behind the scenes so they see them being made’. But behind the scenes, so much has changed, we’ve grown up as a business, quality gets better with every Batch and the systems we’re built on are like night and day compared to Batch No.1.”

Huw added what I think is the more important context — what it actually takes to operate this way as a company of two:

HUW

“You’re managing production, doing the design, doing the customer service, setting up fulfillment centers in three different countries, managing taxes... compared to other brands, it looks like we’re doing bugger all.”

Up until this point I had no idea it was just the two of them behind every batch, every email, every instagram post. A month before this conversation, they hired their first part-time employee. They also had a son nine months ago.

Their pace is intentional, not lazy.

BECKY

“I think it takes us at least a year, probably, from the very first sketch of an idea until something’s in production. And sometimes it’s longer — which is actually a massive bonus. If we love the idea when we first ask our factory to develop it, and we still love it a year in, then that product has longevity. We’ve got time to keep improving. We don’t want to ever make something and think that the next version will be better.”

These three photos were printed and mailed to me alongside the coat. Seeing where something comes from, and who made it, really solidifies the bond to that thing.

The making-of updates that Paynter sends during production have become one of their most recognizable things, and my favorite part of the process apart from receiving the coat itself. Videos from the factory in Portugal, photos from fabric mills, even voice notes from their contact Sergio on the floor. I asked when the decision was made to make that a core part of the brand.

BECKY

“Batch 1 sold out in fourteen minutes, and it was wild. We never thought that would happen. And I think it was that day that it hit us — we’ve got 300 customers now, and they’re waiting eight to ten weeks. So we went over to Portugal during production and videoed as much as we possibly could. And Sergio from our factory would take a product outside, into the sunlight, take a picture of the latest updates, and WhatsApp them to us. Sometimes he sent voice notes that we’d share with customers.”

One thing Becky & Huw did repeatedly was mention people that they worked with by name, but not the way you would a coworker, more like how you’d call a friend. Shortly after talking about Sergio, they mentioned a videographer they worked with named Vitor who worked 40 minutes from the factory in Porto and would ride over to shoot footage in real time. They mentioned Ian, one of the weavers who helped make my own coat. The relationships and stories they tell bring you in on the journey.

The storytelling has gotten bigger and more complicated, but the spirit is the same as it was at Batch 1.

HUW

“If we had a store and someone came in and picked up a piece — it’s exactly what I’d want to tell them. That’s the starting point.”

The result checks out: return customer rates run around 60 to 70 percent per batch. And occasionally in more unexpected ways. They told me the story of a customer of theirs who had briefly corresponded with them via email who knit and mailed two hats, a jumper and a blanket for their son. She was based out of the US. The Paynter customer feels like they’re a part of the bigger picture because of how intentionally they’re kept up to date with the process of every batch.

I asked how they even find these stories in the first place — the weavers, the mills, the details that end up in those emails. Huw’s answer was clear:

HUW

“You have to visit. The best stories come from visiting. Going to the Isle of Harris and Lewis and actually talking to Ian the weaver, having tours of everywhere, seeing behind the scenes — you learn about what everyone does, how old everyone is, their temperaments, their story. We wouldn’t have known our corduroy was brushed 64 times if we hadn’t gone there and asked.”

You don’t find that detail in a press kit, and I think that’s the whole point.

That kind of obsessive attention to process doesn’t stop at storytelling. It shapes how they think about everything — including the part of the conversation most brands treat as a marketing checkbox.

Sustainability is a buzzword that’s thrown around too loosely nowadays. I asked how Paynter stays credible when the word has been used so much it’s started to mean nothing.

HUW

“We don’t talk about it. We just do it. If you go onto our website, we don’t talk about sustainability much. We’re not making any promises. We think our business model is a potential solution — everything’s made to order, so there’s less waste. You go to some mills and they’ve got 50,000 plus meters of fabric left over. You go to archive sales and it’s just warehouses full of clothes that haven’t sold. That is like a nightmare.”

BECKY

“We make as many as we sell. We order the fabric for that batch. There’s no extra. And we hope that by letting people see how something is made, they’ll take much better care of it. It will last longer in their wardrobe because it matters to them. We don’t say we’re a sustainable brand — that’s not the first thing that should be interesting. The product should be inherently good.”

And then Becky said something that I keep coming back to — a distinction that’s quietly at the center of everything Paynter does:

BECKY

“The word value is so interlinked with price and being a low price, whereas actually value is surely personal. It’s what it means to you. It can be so inflated with meaning. Value doesn’t mean budget. It means sentiment.”

The inner patches are a part of the coat itself, along with the care instructions and small details found with the packaging.

Every Paynter batch has a label designed by a commissioned artist. The brief is always constrained: 76mm × 76mm (the same size as the Post-it note the business was originally sketched on), two colors, a few anchors inspired by the New Yorker masthead. I told them I spent close to twenty minutes with the map illustration that came with my Raglan. Becky explained the thinking:

BECKY

“We never actually told anyone about the limited edition label with Batch 1. That was one thing we kept as a secret surprise when it was delivered, because we always like to hold something back and send a little treat. They now are part of the things we share about the jacket in advance, because they’re a huge part of it for us too. We’ve got a massive folder of artists and designers we’d love to work with and commission artwork for one day. Sometimes we’ve got a story in mind and we look through that folder and wonder who feels like the right person to commission each time.”

For their most recent batch, the brief was about influence, the layers of references that go into a single coat. American hunting jackets, British fishing jackets, workwear, fly fishing. Huw described it as a jazz band riffing: without the drummer, the bassist has nothing to play off.

HUW

“We needed to find an artist who was essentially a musician as well. We found Max Kisman, who’s based in Amsterdam, 72 years old — our most senior label designer. He loves music, plays in bands still. He came back with something really playful, quite abstract. It was perfect.”

BECKY

“It’s a very unusual canvas. Very few projects are 76 by 76 millimeters. You can only work in two colors. Amazingly, most of the time when we reach out to designers, people do want to do something.”

I have the map that came with my batch in my living room now, trying to flatten the edges to get it framed nicely. It’s not just a patch or promotional packaging, it’s genuine, intentional artistry included in every shipment.

Paynter drops roughly four times a year, with micro drops in between. With the growth they’ve seen, I asked what keeps them from ramping it up.

BECKY

“Truthfully, from a conscience perspective, we don’t want to make an unnecessary amount of things. But more to the point — we couldn’t work harder than we do. And we want to do very few things, really well made, that we have a lot of passion about and can communicate that energy to other people. I went into a retail store in central London a few weeks ago and just came back feeling a bit sick. So much stuff. One clothing brand nearby us just came back from Paris and showed a collection of 600 pieces. That’s like 60 years of Paynter.”

HUW

“We’re both runners. We love long distances. We kind of bring that energy into the business — we want this to go for a long time, so we need to keep our tempo really consistent. If we sprint, we’re going to burn out. We’d never sell, because what we’re doing is what we’d want to do. Why jump ship?”

Paynter has two things dropping in the near future that I think you should know about.

First, a quilted vest, but not the kind you’re picturing. Made by the world-class Italian outwear specialists Olmetex, this water repellent twill fabric is lightweight, quick-drying, and easy to care for. It’s inspired by 1960s mountaineering outerwear made from high-quality cotton and nylon with a luxuriously soft showerproof finish and recycled viscose lining. The double zipper is a nice touch. This goes live on May 1st.

Microbatch vest and the original Raglan, soon to be brought back.

Later this year, the Raglan returns with a twist. I can’t give too much away, but this quote should be enough to keep you hooked:

BECKY

“Three raglans of the completely same silhouette and cut, but three completely different stories to tell.”

You’ll have to stay tuned to find out more.

I think as time goes on, there’s this expectation that brands have to scale to grow bigger and bigger. What I find refreshing about Paynter is that instead of making more things and telling you to buy more and more, they’ve found a way to produce jackets and vests and shirts that are so good you don’t need to purchase anything else. Throughout the interview itself, and even once it ended and we just kept rambling, I loved hearing how Becky & Huw genuinely believe that we don’t need more okay things, we just need a few really good things to keep around for a long, long time.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Paynter, and I hope when we get to chat again that I’ll hear the same thing about their process: “In a way nothing has changed.”

Thankful to Becky & Huw for making time to chat and explain their process. One important thing to note: For the past year and a half, Paynter orders have only been available to newsletter subscribers. If the fabric sells out during pre-order, there’s no public launch at all — their website is sold out before most people ever see it. If you’re looking to buy one of their batches, subscribe at paynter.co.uk.

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For most, it’s a relic of the past, a piece of the wardrobe that’s now retired from everyday life. And look, we don’t need to dwell on the tragedy of casual wear taking over offices or how dress codes have dissolved. It’s gotten bleak, to be fair.

But in the depths of an “it’s so over” with suits, some men are finding within themselves the strength to muster a resounding “we’re so back” with respect to suiting. Less out of obligation and more out of genuine curiosity.

There’s a growing appreciation for craft, for clothes that are made rather than just manufactured, and for the kind of dressing that actually requires some thought. It’s the attention to detail that matters most.

Independent establishments like J. Mueser, whose showroom is tucked away in Manhattan’s West Village, are a big reason why this shift is on its way back.

They work with people at every level, from first-timers who’ve never been measured for anything to veterans with dozens of custom suits in their wardobe.

What I like about their team is how they

1. Treat suiting out of genuine love, not like a costume you use to flex on others.

2. Are less concerned with the transactional side of selling more suits, and more about teaching people how to think about them

Because on the second point, they know that when they’re doing their job educating people first, they can easily sell more down the line.

This spring, we wanted to invest more in helping you understanding tailoring, so we the J Mueser team to create a mini playbook that will help you understand the mechanics of finding a suit that works for you, whether or not you visit J Mueser for that.

If you want to get access to our 2026 suiting, dropping next week, tap in!

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I’ve never done this before. What should I wear when I come in for my first appointment, and what do you need from me to get started?

For your first appointment, we’d recommend something similar to what you may actually wear with a suit or sport jacket.

A button up shirt is a good place to start and give the fitter an idea of how you wear your clothes and where a jacket sleeve should hit. Probably the most important is footwear. But if you plan to wear your suit with loafers, wear a loafer.

If you’re imagining it with a pair of cowboy boots, that’s a very different consideration and one we want to make sure we account for.

What’s the actual difference between bespoke and made-to-measure, and how do I know which one is right for me?

The difference is pretty simple. For made-to-measure an existing block is modified based on your measurements and posture. Bespoke involves a completely unique, drafted pattern, multiple fittings, and a ton of handwork.

Our bread-and-butter Waverly line of tailoring lies somewhere in the middle, a uniquely hand-drafted pattern made on a small production line at our sartoria in Naples, Italy.

For the first commission, we do a basted fitting, which adds a couple of weeks to the initial turnaround but ensures the pattern fits the client as close to perfect as we can get it.

How do I describe what I want if I don’t know the technical terms? Like, can I just show you a picture of something I like and you tell me what’s realistic?

We have plenty of clients come with photos or even entire Pinterest boards, because it’s a uniquely drafted pattern, we can do almost anything, from different button or pocket configurations, to a multitude of shoulder constructions.

With that being said, our house style is a typical Neapolitan construction, which is a lightweight cotton canvas, a very soft natural shoulder, and a high-rise, straight fitting trouser.

We encourage everyone to come with whatever ideas they have, and if it seems unrealistic, we’ll let them know.

I’ve heard terms like lined, unlined, half-lined. What should I actually be asking for, and does it depend on where I live or how I plan to wear the jacket?

It’s all about climate and feel. There’s something very nice about an unlined jacket. There’s a lot of handwork that goes into finishing all those seams, and they do tend to wear a little easier.

We’d definitely recommend it for something like a breathable wool fresco or Irish linen to take full advantage of the cloth. A scratch Harris tweed? Maybe that gets a full lining.

What’s a break in the trousers and how do I decide what looks right on my body versus what’s just trending right now?

There are no right answers with custom clothing; no absolutes or hard rules. Maybe some of your wool trousers you like the drape of a full break, but a cotton or something that doesn’t really drape you want to hit just at the top of your shoe.

It doesn’t have to be the same across your entire wardrobe and your tastes may change over the years.

That being said, we believe the thing people will generally be happy with and feel relatively trend-proof is a slight break to no break.

Walk me through what happens at the first fitting versus the second. What are you looking for each time, and what should I be paying attention to?

The first appointment is the consultation; no garment yet. We take your measurements, walk through the cloth library together, and make all your design decisions: structure, lining, lapels, trouser details. We also just talk. How you live, what you’re building this for, how you carry yourself. All of that shapes the pattern we draft for you.

The second fitting is the basted fitting. The suit arrives loosely assembled with temporary stitches so we can still open and adjust everything. It looks rough, which is intentional.

We’re checking how the pattern translates to your body: shoulder, chest, back, seat. Move around at this fitting. Sit down, reach forward. Tell us what pulls or doesn’t feel right. Every correction here refines the permanent pattern we keep on file for you.

The third fitting is the finished garment. It’s often ready to go right out of the gate, but just as often our in-house tailor handles the final refinements, shortening the sleeve a ¼”, maybe nipping the waist a hair, small adjustments that make the difference between a suit that fits and one that looks like it couldn’t have been made for anyone else.

Once we’re satisfied, it’s yours to take home.

If something doesn’t feel right during a fitting, how do I communicate that without sounding like I’m telling you how to do your job?

We’re communicating constantly as we fit: “how does this feel?”, “does that waist feel tight?” If something isn’t fitting right, it is often pretty visually obvious, but if there’s something we’re not seeing, just mention it. We’re not too sensitive.

How much does my body type actually change what you’d recommend? Like, if two guys walk in wanting the same suit, how different would the end results be?

Two guys walking in wanting “a navy suit” might end up with very different shoulder widths, lapel widths, chest suppression, trouser rises, and silhouettes… all to achieve the same effect on their respective bodies.

Someone with a shorter torso might need a shorter jacket length and higher button stance. Someone with broader shoulders might want softer construction to avoid feeling like a linebacker.

What are the most common mistakes guys make when they come to a tailor for the first time?

A few things; probably the most common is not allowing enough time. A custom suit can’t be made in a week, in fact it probably needs about 8-10 weeks. So make sure you’re not waiting until the last minute.

Another issue we sometimes run into is clients will rely too heavily on novelty, asking for contrast buttonholes, novelty lining, or crazy details. Our goal is you end up with a beautifully fitting suit that you can wear for decades to come, and we want to limit anything that impacts that.

If I’m building a wardrobe from scratch with you, what’s the first piece I should invest in and why?

For a first suit, we almost always recommend navy… ideally in a cloth versatile enough to be broken up and worn as a blazer when the occasion calls for it. A navy high-twist with flap and patch pockets works beautifully here: sharp enough as a suit, relaxed enough as a separate.

If traditional wool feels too formal for your life, or you want something that can move between the office and the weekend, consider a navy cotton twill instead — press it for a wedding, wear it rumpled with jeans on a Saturday.

Give us your feedback if you have any to add!

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Where I went in Paris last week

I’ve been to Paris many times before, and twice in the last month. But as it turns out, I am often there for work during fashion weeks, which means the city is infiltrated with bi-coastal elites who flood the wine bars, tobacco shops, and vintage stores in search of that je ne sais quoi.

But my last two visits, both 12-24 hours long, were fun moments that let me slow my experience down and visit spots I’d otherwise not have time for, so I’m ungatekeeping a few of them here.

Keep in mind, this is neither a complete guide to Paris nor is it meant to cover the whole city. It is simply my experience spending time in the Marais (mostly).

More tips over time, but this should be good for now!

Shopping

Husbands Paris (tailoring)

If there was a store that could revive the wearing of the suit in public settings (bar, Drake’s of London), these guys would be the ones to do it. The tailoring here operates in a kind of parallel timeline, as if you’ve stepped on the scene of a Wes Anderson film.

Silhouettes are considered, proportions are interesting, and the staff treat you like a person rather than a transaction. I left genuinely reconsidering my relationship with structured clothing.

Distance Athletics (running)

Distance has built something that feels closer to a concept store than a performance retailer. Their own objects and apparel sit alongside collabs and limited-run goods,

They also have outposts in Lyon, Copenhagen, Tokyo, and Iten, which tells you something about the community they’re building and the creative eye they have for being a globally-minded brand.

But they keep it 100 and have an independent spirit to everything they do, no matter how big those ON or Nike bags may be.

Yvon Lambert (books + art)

Walk in for the books, stay for the cocaine and heroine salt+pepper shakers. That’s the move at Yvon Lambert. The selection is vast, ranging from art and romance to photography and color theory, and it’s genuinely one of the better places in Paris to stumble across something you didn’t know you needed.

Ofr. Paris (books + art)

Perhaps an even greater book shop than the one above, Ofr. is the kind of shop that makes you want to read more, make more, and think harder about what you’re putting into the world. The magazine and book selection is obsessively curated, and the gallery component gives it a different weight than your average cultural retail space.

And as one friend told me when we walked out, “the owner is a hardcore socialist who figured out how to make money.”

Sums up the French, I’d say.

Merci (multi-brand retail)

This is an absolute mecca visit to make when in Paris. Merci has been doing the French countryside aesthetic long before it was a reference point for everyone else. The store’s full-range retail format (clothing, objects, home goods, its own linens, and pottery) works because it’s both coherent and comprehensive.

There’s no doubt we’ve lost the art of the department store, but curated retailers like Merci still offer hope in a sea of terrible curation.

Underrated item: the tote program. Slaps. Especially these minis.

Nuovo and Erem Vintage (vintage)

Both shops punch above their weight in terms of selection. If you’re looking for old Prada, Margiela, Calvin Klein, or Céline at a price that doesn’t require a conversation with your accountant, these are the spots.

The edit is tight and the quality holds up… not the kind of vintage rail you have to dig through hoping for luck. Worth budgeting time (and some euros) for both.

Disclaimer: I was here with my partner, so we didn’t quite manage all the menswear shops I’d have liked to hit, but if you’re keen on vintage, a couple that are worth the vist are: BRUT and Rêve de Gosse.

Buttes Snack Bar (wine bar and restaurant)

This is a proper natty wine bar (for those who partake) with a dinner menu that changes often and hits every time. Mussels in harissa bouillon, gochujang wings, and one of the few places that could persuade me to eat asparagus.

The kind of neighborhood spot that makes you wish you lived around the corner. Don’t forget to bike downhill after dinner and you can see the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the distance.

Bambino (listening bar)

I’d heard about Bambino before I went, which sometimes works against a place, but not here. The room is doing Tokyo jazz cafe meets London club, and the food (charcoal-grilled, a little unexpected) holds its own against the atmosphere.

The sound system is serious, and the vinyl wall is immense. By Friday at 11, it turns into a dance bar, and it’s all downhill (in a good way) from there.

Dreamin Man (coffee)

Dreamin’ Man may be one of the more talked-about coffee shops recommended when you go to Paris, but it’s far from performative. The owners are no-nonsense, focus on the craft, and the more I visit Paris, the more it becomes my default spot to anchor a morning around.

Long live Dreamin’ Man.

I’m fully aware that Paris rewards the slow visit. Not the fashion week sprint or the 24 jaunt, but this is a nice little hit list to explore as a baseline if you’re in a time crunch.

Let us know what we missed!

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Note: this was also posted first on another newsletter, Hyper, last week. Link is here.

NOTE: While this piece is in partnership with Birkenstock, the framing in this article, along with the title and POV are mine; nothing was dictated by the brand.

I feel like there’s a version of every person’s style journey where they eventually come around to Birkenstock. Where, at some point, you put on a pair and realize, “oh, this is what a shoe is supposed to feel like.”

It’s one of those brands you discover through wearing, not through marketing. And once you get it, you kind of can’t go back.

They commissioned me to unpack the brand’s history, which is a fun full-circle moment for me, considering I’ve been wearing Birkies for well over a decade now, and the shape of my foot outlined in that cork footbed is a testament to just how loyal I’ve been.

But when I think about what keeps pulling me deeper into the brand, it goes far beyond how the product looks.

The foundation

The Birkenstock family has been making shoes since 1774, which is a flex in its own right.

That’s 250 years of studying how the human foot actually moves, but the real turning point came in 1902, when Konrad Birkenstock invented the first contoured, flexible footbed, essentially the blueprint for how we think about arch support and weight distribution today.

He literally coined the term “Fussbett,” which the rest of the industry adopted. The idea was to replicate walking barefoot on natural ground, sand, grass, and soil in a world increasingly covered in concrete and hard floors.

But what’s wild is that same footbed is still the foundation of the products they sell. They didn’t abandon it, outsource it, or license their brand elsewhere.

Nope. Every footbed is still produced in their own German factories. Over 90% of their products are assembled across six owned facilities in Germany, with each shoe passing through more than 50 pairs of hands. If they can’t find the right machinery for a process, they design and build their own.

In an industry that’s outsourced nearly everything for generations, Birkenstock stayed put.

How culture found them

All of that context makes their rise into the culture more interesting to me.

They began to build a name and brand for themselves by making sandals, and in the late 60s, those sandals arrived in the US in the late 60s through a woman named Margot Fraser, who discovered them in Germany and started selling them through health food stores in California.

The counterculture picked them up immediately. By the 80s, the Boston clog, which turns 50 this year, had become a staple on college campuses across the Midwest.

Kate Moss wearing Birkenstocks in a 1990 editorial for The Face is still one of the most referenced images in fashion.

In ‘92, Marc Jacobs put altered Arizonas in his grunge collection for Perry Ellis, the show that got him fired and launched his career at the same time.

Every subculture that adopted Birkenstock did so on their own terms. Nobody was convinced. The shoe just worked, and people kept finding new ways to make it theirs.

The collaboration blueprint

This is where it gets genuinely impressive.

In 2018, Rick Owens made Birkenstocks a centerpiece of his runway show, a partnership that became the blueprint for what is now 1774, Birkenstock’s high-fashion division.

The 1774 team operates out of a Haussmann apartment in Paris, and since its founding, the collaboration list has become one of the most stacked in fashion: Dior, Valentino, Manolo Blahnik, Fear of God, Kith, BEAMS, Stüssy, Jil Sander, Proenza Schouler.

Last month, Etro debuted a Boston collaboration at Milan Fashion Week to celebrate the clog’s 50th anniversary. Birkenstock went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2023.

Every single one of those collaborations, from Owens to Dior to the latest Etro drop, is still built on the same cork footbed, still assembled in the same German factories, still passing through the same hands.

The collaborators bring the expression, while Birkenstock provides the foundation, which is (in my view) one of the hallmarks of a truly great partnership when two entities collaborate.

Their chief product officer, Markus Baum, put it simply in a recent interview: “People bring their ideas, we come with our ideas. The final idea has to work in our own factories. It’s very down-to-earth, and we’re not trying too hard.”

What is the secret sauce?

I’m fascinated by this idea that Birkenstock, a publicly traded company that’s been in business for 250+ years, can maintain a balance between quality and quantity at scale.

Most brands in this space operate on trends and hype cycles. New silhouettes, new campaigns, new reasons to pay attention every quarter, whereas a brand like Birkenstock operates on conviction.

For them, the footbed is the thesis, and everything else is an expression of that thesis.

• The collaborations don’t dilute it

• The fashion co-signs don’t change it

• The IPO didn’t redirect it

Because the product has always been the focus. And I think that’s the most honest definition of longevity in fashion: not that you reinvent yourself to stay relevant, but that you never had to in the first place.

We’ve already done guides on:

• jackets in transitional weather

• spring trousers

• one on shirting

• a footwear shopping guide

Outside of the deep dives, editorials, etc., we’re investing a ton into making Spreza a trusted resource for you when it comes to buying products, so thanks for continuing to support us.

Access our shopping guides

A few notes about these guides ❤️

1. As always, if you’re looking for trendy shit on the cheap, this isn’t the best place to look. You need the right stuff, not more stuff.

2. A lot of these recommendations tend to be medium to higher price point (though not always). If you’re looking for quality, affordable options, I always recommend thrifting what you can (like eBay, vinted, etc), or looking at options like Uniqlo.

   1. If you like these guides, share them with a homie, partner, family member, lover, or anyone who would appreciate it!

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Read more

Spring is knocking.

You can start easing those parkas and 3M shell jackets into hibernation, but don’t get it twisted: layering season isn’t going anywhere.

This time, we’re running a women’s-only What Our Friends Are Wearing, and it does not disappoint!

We’ve got a solid female following, and it’s only right that we spotlight women with dope, authentic style. Expect more of these throughout the year as we roll out pieces geared toward women, too.

And to be honest, there’s a lot we can learn stylistically here from the ladies.

So take notes.

Dalila Radoncic — New York, NY

NYC Creative

What’s the one item you’re most excited to wear this spring?

Fisherman sandals and a great deck or denim jacket. After such a long, cold winter in New York, I’m beyond ready to shed the heavy coats and endless layers. While I truly love winter styling, there’s something unmatched about stepping into spring pieces that feel lighter and freer.

I’ve especially been loving fisherman sandals lately. I know they can be a bit of a hot take, but I’m fully on board. I have a few pairs that I’m so excited to finally wear and style properly. There’s something about a spring-summer only shoe that makes the season feel official.

At the same time, I’m really looking forward to wearing my deck and denim jackets without needing to pile on layers. I recently picked up two cropped deck jackets from Buck Mason Women’s, and they feel like such an effortless, cool-girl staple.

How would you describe your go-to warm-weather look?

Relaxed, effortless, and classic. I always gravitate toward strong basics—light wash denim or linen pants paired with a crisp white tee or an easy button-down. From there, it’s all about subtle styling!

I like to keep the base classic and introduce a pop of personality through accessories—maybe a scarf tied around the neck or a great hat to pull everything together. My style definitely shifts with the weather, but this spring I’m really leaning into simplicity: clean, relaxed silhouettes that still feel intentional.

What does your footwear rotation look like for the season?

My rotation includes:

• Fisherman sandals: Women’s black leather fisherman sandals | Romane Absolute Black | Bobbies (the leather on this shoe is INSANE! You don’t have to worry about breaking them in - they’re that good!!!)

• Loafers: black leather from Peche + a cool light beige Italian suede from Banana Republic.

• Mule clogs: cool pair from Boden

• Ballet flats: Freda Salvador Cow Haircalf + Bobbies Square Toe Ballet Flat

• A touch of western-inspired boots: Women’s beige taupe suede western-style boots | Vick Antelope | Bobbies & Women’s Black Veronica Flex Harness Booties | The Frye Company

I’ve recently been embracing flats more than ever. In the past, I leaned heavily on sneakers, but lately I’ve been drawn to more elevated, sophisticated footwear. I’m also loving a western-inspired boot moment, it’s so good when done right.

Any must-have lightweight jackets you recommend for layering in the spring?

Absolutely! Lightweight outerwear is essential for spring layering.

• Deck jackets: Buck Mason’s At Ease Deck Jacket is a standout. It’s incredibly versatile and can easily be dressed up or down!

• Denim jackets: I recently picked up a light camel denim coat from Sézane with a leather collar and adjustable waist - it’s such a unique take on a classic piece.

• Oversized blazers: A great menswear-inspired blazer is always in rotation for me. It instantly elevates even the most casual outfit:

Are there any new pieces or trends catching your eye this season?

Definitely, bomber jackets are having a major moment right now, and I’m really drawn to that silhouette. I’ve been especially inspired by Saint Laurent’s take, but there are also great, more accessible options from brands like Ralph Lauren, just like this one.

I’m also loving:

• A strong pop of red into outfits

• Western-inspired details (a longtime influence for me)

• Fringe is making a comeback

I recently thrifted a navy suede fringe jacket from the ’70s, and I can’t wait to wear it now that heavy layering is behind us.

Do you follow any personal style do’s or don’ts for spring dressing?

Do’s:

• Repeat and rewear your outfits

• Lean into light wash plus white denim

• Embrace denim on denim

• Add a pop of color through accessories

• Invest in versatile lightweight jackets

• Keep things easy and comfy

Don’ts:

• Save dark denim for Fall and Winter

• Skip heavy outerwear like puffers once the weather gets nice

• Retire winter-specific footwear (like UGGs) for the season, please

Susan Carroll Cooper — Glasgow, Scotland

Design Practice Manager

What’s the one item you’re most excited to wear this spring?

Definitely my frog skin fatigues. They’re very lightweight, so they don’t get any wear over winter, but they’re perfect when it starts to warm up. They’re vintage; I’ve had them for years.

It’s always a sign of the seasons changing when I can wear them without feeling too cold.

What does your footwear rotation look like for the season?

Dark brown loafers are year-round for me, so I’ll be kicking about in those as per usual. After a long time searching, I’ve landed on some simple, lighter casual footwear options in the form of New Balance Mt10T and Tabi footwear.

I walk everywhere, but don’t always want to be wearing 574s and heavy sneakers, so these feel like a sporty ballerina compromise.

And they add some subtle interest to an otherwise plain outfit. And throw in a pair of Vans or spring courts and the occasional camp moc for fun.

Any must-have lightweight jackets you recommend for layering in the spring?

A trench. Something lighter, but in a ventile or similar fabric that can handle the inevitable showers, and a French work jacket to layer under or wear on its own. I’m not telling anyone anything new here; these are classics. A mountain parka comes in handy, too.

Are there any new pieces or trends catching your eye this season?

Brooches. The girlies have been doing this for a while, so I’m on eBay looking for something cool to add to sweatshirts and work jackets—a little fancy flourish on utilitarian fabrics. I’ve been using a kilt pin as an adornment or to adjust the length of my knitwear over the winter.

Do you follow any personal style do’s or don’ts for spring dressing?

Do check the weather forecast and then prepare for the (inevitable) rain anyway. (Perhaps Scotland-specific)

Don’t overthink it. I like to review my wardrobe ahead of a season change and get really excited to wear my favourites that I haven’t reached for during winter.

Siôbhan Corbin — United Kingdom

Sustainability Manager

What’s the one item you’re most excited to wear this spring?

I am looking forward to wearing bandanas on my head again! Doing so feels out of place in the colder months, so I am excited to bring my bandanas out of hibernation and put them back to work.

How would you describe your go-to warm-weather look?

Easy and breezy! My go-to is a loose-fitting button-down or button-up shirt with a pair of French workwear trousers or a skirt when it starts to warm up.

What does your footwear rotation look like for the season?

I’ve got a pair of leather Tabi heeled ballet shoes on their way to me as we speak. I am looking forward to bringing these into rotation with my Salomon Marie-Jeannes, Hoka Hopara Sandals, and my trusty New Balance 990v5s.

Any must-have lightweight jackets you recommend for layering in the spring?

I’ve got a vintage MA1 that I feel goes with pretty much anything and everything. I can’t recommend getting your hands on one enough. It may sound a tad boring, but I am also going to have to say a denim jacket—or three in my case—vintage, of course. The range in denim jacket fits is something that’s really fun to play with, styling-wise, once the weather warms up.

Are there any new pieces or trends catching your eye this season?

I’m leaning more into the sportier-looking, wrap-around sunglasses this year. I’ve been a devout Ray-Ban wearer since the beginning of time, so it’s an unexpected move from me to be leaning into this. I need to go and try a few pairs on, but they’ll definitely be something I buy in the near future.

Do you follow any personal style do’s or don’ts for spring dressing?

Do bear in mind that it’ll be a lot colder in the morning than in the afternoon, so don’t go out in your thickest knit or heaviest coat, as you’ll be carrying it home later on.

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There’s a photo that lives rent-free in my head.

I wanna say it’s from an old profile that GQ did on Sid Mashburn years ago (circa ‘08) when he first opened his eponymous men’s shop in Atlanta’s up-and-coming Westside neighborhood.

The fits leaned a little slim, but I was enamored by the color pops, the way the suiting draped, and the golden era of sartorial prep we were lucky enough to live through.

This is that photo.

I first stumbled upon Sid and his work as a teenager, where my only outlets for discovering good taste was through Wordpress and Tumblr. He immediately became a beacon for good taste and muse for personal style.

Being from America’s Deep South (I’m a Tennessee boy at heart), and having grown up in rural towns, finding any semblance of creativity, culture, and style was hard to come by.

But if you’ve had the pleasure of meeting someone like Sid, you know what a radiant character he is. And you quickly realize that the way he treats people isn’t some kind of shtick… it’s who he is.

He treats people like he’s got all the time in the world. He shakes your hand, looks you in the eye, and remembers your name like you’re one of his own.

And that’s the kind of hospitality and care we often miss in retail.

I had the chance to sit down with Sid last year and talk shop on all the things. We went deep on everything from his upbringing in Mississipi, his first retail job, a one-way ticket to NYC to work in fashion, landing his first job at J.Crew (when it was a catalog in New Jersey), climbing the menswear ranks at Tommy, Ralph, and Lands’ End, and finally making his way home to ATL where finally opened his first men’s shop.

It’s now expanded into locations across the US, and what’s most impressive about Sid is how he’s stayed the course through many iterations of his brand.

We hope you enjoy this conversation.

PS, huge thanks to the homie Ray Spears for photographing Sid at his flagship spot for us.

Please give Ray a follow and reach out if you want to work with ‘em!

Clayton Chambers: Sid, appreciate you taking the time. I feel like our worlds have kind of orbited around each other for a while, but it’s good to finally sit down properly.

Sid Mashburn: Yeah, man, likewise. I think we met in the store before, right?

CC: We did, years ago. But even before that, I feel like I got to know you through that GQ piece years ago. That one really stuck with me. I was just starting to figure out my own style, and seeing how you built something so personal and intentional really resonated.

SM: That was a fun one. We had no idea what we were doing back then. Still don’t, some days.

CC: That makes two of us. You’ve been in this world for a long time (Ralph, Tommy, J.Crew) but it all started in Mississippi, right? That’s not exactly the first place people associate with menswear.

SM: No, it’s not. But I grew up around clothes. My grandparents were merchants. They had a furniture store, hardware store, even a clothing store at one point. My sisters were older than me, and they were into fashion. There were always magazines around the house. Think Seventeen, Glamour, Mademoiselle. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was absorbing all of it. And I loved shopping. Whether it was the grocery store or a roadside Stuckey’s, I just dug the experience of picking things out.

CC: So when did it shift from interest to obsession?

SM: Probably when I was 15. I had just gotten my driver’s license, and the first place I went wasn’t to a friend’s house or a football game, and I drove straight to a clothing store to ask for a job. I wanted to be around it.

I ended up working at this place in Jackson, Mississippi, called The Rogue, which was one of the best menswear stores in the country at the time. They had all the right brands, all the right people working there.

It was like a little fraternity. One guy could talk about literature, another knew everything about cars, another was obsessed with music. It was this mix of culture and style, and it just clicked for me.

CC: Sounds like a real creative incubator. Was New York always the goal, then?

SM: Yeah, I graduated from Ole Miss and went straight to the city. And let me tell you, they were pulling the straw out of my hair the second I got there. Total country boy. I wanted to be a designer, but I didn’t have the credentials to get into Parsons or FIT.

So I got a job at a menswear store, Frank Stella, and started figuring it out from there. A guy from British Khaki came in one day and asked if I wanted to do sales for him. I said, “Sure, if you teach me how to design.” And that’s how I learned.

Just by doing it.

CC: That’s wild. And that led you to J.Crew?

SM: Indirectly. I met my wife, Ann, in New York. We actually met on the beach. She was working at Vogue at the time, and a friend of hers left to work for this startup catalog company in Jersey. She told me I should go talk to them. Turned out to be J.Crew. I somehow talked my way into being their first menswear designer in 1985.

CC: No big deal. Just the first guy to design J.Crew menswear.

SM: Yeah, man, it was a blast. We were figuring it out as we went. At the time, we were doing these unisex pieces. Men’s chinos and shirts that they’d tweak for women. But we started playing with the idea of a full menswear line, and that’s how we landed on things like the barn jacket.

CC: And Ann was working in the Devil Wears Prada world of Vogue at the time?

SM: Exactly! She was basically Anne Hathaway’s character in real life. That whole high-pressure, high-fashion environment - it was the real deal. We joke about it now, but it was intense.

CC: That barn jacket is legendary.

SM: It was kind of a Frankenstein’s monster—part Barbour, part LL Bean, part old hunting coat I found in a thrift shop. It was oversized, a little preppy-sloppy, and just worked.

Once it hit, we got a little more freedom to push things further, like tailored goods, sport coats, dress shirts. That’s when we really became a proper menswear brand.

CC: Then came Ralph. What was that transition like?

SM: I got recruited from J.Crew to Polo. My interview was with Ralph and his brother Jerry, and at one point, Ralph jokingly goes, “He’s stealing all my ideas.” He was half-kidding, half-not. J.Crew had this younger, cooler thing going on that was really resonating. And he wanted to bring some of that energy back to Polo.

CC: That must’ve been like getting a PhD in style.

SM: Exactly. J.Crew was loose—we could do anything. Madras anoraks, polka dot shorts, fatigue sport coats. There were no rules. But Polo? That was a different beast. Ralph and Jerry were meticulous about every detail—the color of a button, the weight of a fabric, the way a collar rolled. It was a masterclass in branding and consistency. I learned a ton.

CC: And then Tommy. Another massive shift.

SM: Totally different. Tommy was smart, man. He understood scale and marketing in a way that was ahead of its time. I was there in ’97, working on his high-end collection line. Basically his version of Purple Label.

The idea was to elevate the brand in Europe and prove that Tommy wasn’t just about big logos and baggy jeans. It was cool to be part of that.

CC: That’s something people really connect with. You walk into a Sid Mashburn store, and you just feel it. It’s not just racks of clothes, it’s an energy.

SM: That’s the goal, man. It’s all about taking care of people. I tell my team all the time: remember names, remember faces, make people feel like they belong. That’s what makes a great shop.

If someone walks in and you remember their name, what they bought last time, or just what they were wearing, it changes the whole experience. It’s hospitality. The best shops aren’t just about selling clothes, they’re about making people feel at home.

That’s how you build a relationship, by actually caring about the person in front of you.

CC: And you’ve mentored a lot of younger guys along the way, like Mark Anthony Green, Pete, Matt Lambert. That’s something not every business owner prioritizes.

SM: It’s important. My dad was a people person, and I picked that up from him. It’s about inclusion. I want the shop to feel like a fraternity where everyone gets a bid. If you walk through our doors, you’re one of us.

CC: What’s next for you and the brand?

SM: We opened another store, this one in Nashville, with more in the future. But we’re not rushing. It’s about growing the right way, at the right pace. That’s how you keep it special.

CC: Sid, this was great. I could do this all day.

SM: Likewise, man. Let’s do it again sometime.

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Not just making products, but thinking carefully about how people actually live with the things they own.

SLOWE Living is one of those brands. Founded by industrial designer Oliver Murphy, SLOWE makes modular furniture out of a small workshop in London, England. Their whole philosophy centers on simplicity, repairability, and designing things that get better the longer you live with them.

I first came across SLOWE last year, when I was setting up my studio here in Amsterdam. When Oliver and I connected over a shared appreciation for the kinds of objects that earn their place in your life rather than demand attention, I wanted one of his sofas in the space, and he kindly agreed to gift me one.

Oliver’s got a unique approach to design, and his references span Tokyo, Copenhagen, Danish modernism, and 90s Japanese industrial design, but the work itself feels grounded in something more personal than any single influence.

We sat down to talk about how a pandemic side project became a furniture brand, why he’s deliberately resisting the pressure to scale, and what he thinks meaningful sustainability actually looks like when you strip away the marketing.

If you want to follow his work via IG, tap in here.

PS: A huge thanks to Jack Orton, Marcus Brown and Tom Groves for the photos.

The sofa bed that inspired SLOWE Living started as a personal solution to a problem.

How did that experience change the way you think about what design should do?

When the pandemic hit and a lot of my client work disappeared, it unexpectedly gave me the opportunity to make things with my hands again, something I’d really missed since studying industrial design.

I wasn’t trying to start a brand at that point. I just wanted to try and design a sofa for our own home that worked well in a small London apartment and didn’t feel like a compromise.

I couldn’t find anything on the market that felt both versatile and genuinely well considered, so I started drawing on influences from places I’d lived and travelled, particularly Japan and Copenhagen, and thought what can I make, myself, with the simplest materials available during the locdown?

That constraint shaped everything. I didn’t want complex or hidden mechanisms. I wanted something simple, easy to use, and well-engineered, something you understand immediately, but appreciate more the longer I’d live with it.

Designing for myself shifted my mindset away from hype and over-engineering, and towards longevity. I wasn’t thinking about trends or scale, I was thinking, would I be happy owning this for a long time?

That experience really cemented my belief that good design doesn’t always need to be fussy. It can be super simple, made from good materials, easy to use, and built to last, and that philosophy has stayed with SLOWE ever since.

You’ve spoken about influences from Tokyo, Copenhagen, Danish modernism and 1990s Japanese industrial design.

How do you reconcile these global references with the idea of place-based, slow craft in Cornwall?

Global references and place-based making don’t feel contradictory to me, everything has to be made somewhere, but inspiration can come from anywhere.

I don’t try to be overly precious about the references. There’s a clear lineage in the work I’m drawn to, whether that’s 90s Japanese Industrial design, Danish hey-day furniture, certain parts of the Bauhaus, or even minimalism associated with figures like Judd. None of it is about originality in isolation, but about respecting a common design language and set of values.

Making in Cornwall was important because the place gives work some identity and brand synergy I suppose. Many of the products I admire are inseparable from where they’re made, the processes, the pace, the people involved, it’s all so fascinating to me and I wanted to share that with my customers.

I wanted SLOWE to be built in a similar way, where manufacturing isn’t hidden, but part of the story and the value of the object.

Cornwall also offered a practical and philosophical fit. It allowed us to work with small, skilled workshops at the right scale, and it embodies a slower rhythm of life that feels aligned with the brand and the kind of work/life I want to live, a counterpoint to the constant urgency of London (which I still need in my life).

How do you see meaningful sustainability (something you pride yourself in promoting) versus sustainability that’s mostly marketing?

If you’re producing endless stock, chasing constant novelty, and relying on people replacing things prematurely, no amount of recycled packaging really changes that equation.

We’re not perfect, but no brand is and I can live with that imperfection, and not trying to improve absolutely everything. Brands like to project this outwardly polished somewhat virtuous way of looking at life, and I prefer to be a bit more daoist about it haha.

Our approach is deliberately slower: made-to-order, limited runs, perpetually repairable components, and products designed to evolve with people’s lives rather than be discarded.

If something breaks or needs replacing, we’re at the end of the phone to fix it. Or if you simply feel like a change in colour of your sofa, we can make up a new colourway with replaceable and washable cushion jackets.

I think sustainability credentials become marketing when it’s treated as an aesthetic or a badge, not backed up by real service or a good lasting product.

It becomes meaningful when it affects margins, lead times, and decision-making when you’re willing to say “no” to growth that compromises the integrity of what you’re making.

SLOWE seems to intentionally resist scaling at all costs. How do you reconcile slower scaling with the ambition to have an impact on culture and design?

I’ve come to believe that scale and impact aren’t the same thing. Fast growth often rewards volume over values. Slower growth gives you that space to build trust, relationship, friendships depth, and cultural meaning, things that compound nicely over time.

I also don’t like being hurried in life, it stresses me out. We’re a bit more Mediterranean in that mindset). What really is the rush, good things take time and if we do have a message it’s that. Run the bath and play one of our playlists.

That’s where I think it can have an impact on culture.

My ambition has never been to flood the market. It’s to contribute something considered to the conversation around how we live, what we keep, and what we value. If that resonates deeply with fewer people, rather than superficially with many, I’m very comfortable with that.

There’s a growing cultural conversation about living with less, valuing craftsmanship and resisting fast trends.
How do you see SLOWE Living fitting into that broader shift, and what do you hope it teaches people about how they live with objects?

I’d never want to tell people how to live or what they should buy. But personally, as I’ve got older, I’ve found a lot of freedom in owning fewer, better things, objects that don’t feel disposable or emotionally heavy.

That mindset is really at the heart of SLOWE. We design products to last, to be repairable, and to be supported over time, because life happens, things wear, spillages occur, pets get added into the mix.

There’s reassurance in knowing that when you invest in something, you’re not left on your own if something goes wrong.

Rather than chasing trends, we focus on making pieces that feel timeless and adaptable, furniture that can move with you through different homes and phases of life. Comfort, clarity, and longevity matter more to us than novelty.

If SLOWE teaches anything, I hope it’s simply that buying with intention can feel lighter, and that living with well-made, thoughtfully supported objects can quietly improve everyday life.

You’ve mentioned wanting to give space to other designers under the SLOWE umbrella.

How do you think a collective of slow-thinking creators might change the furniture/design ecosystem?

Running a business can be quite isolating at times, and I’m increasingly interested in creating space for designers who have strong ideas but lack the platform or infrastructure to bring them to life.

Large furniture brands tend to work with established names, which makes sense, but there’s also an opportunity to support emerging designers who are thinking more slowly and thoughtfully about how things are made and used.

I’d love to see the opportunity for this to grow as the business does.

Because our products are modular and adaptable, they naturally lend themselves to collaboration. Different materials, finishes, and interpretations can sit within the same framework.

I like the idea of SLOWE acting as a kind of canvas, where designers, artists, and creators can contribute their own perspective and create meaningful conversations through design.

Leave a comment

We’ve already done a guide to jackets in transitional weather, one on shirting, and a footwear shopping guide.

Outside of the deep dives, editorials, etc., we’re investing a ton into making Spreza a trusted resource for you when it comes to buying products, so thanks for continuing to support us.

Access our shopping guides

A few notes about these guides ❤️

1. As always, if you’re looking for trendy shit on the cheap, this isn’t the best place to look. You need the right stuff, not more stuff.

2. A lot of these recommendations tend to be medium to higher price point (though not always). If you’re looking for quality, affordable options, I always recommend thrifting what you can (like eBay, vinted, etc), or looking at options like Uniqlo.

   1. If you like these guides, share them with a homie, partner, family member, lover, or anyone who would appreciate it!

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Outside of the deep dives, editorials, etc., we’re investing a ton into making Spreza a trusted resource for you when it comes to buying products, so thanks for continuing to support us.

As a paid Spreza subscriber, you’re getting access to these guides more frequently. We’re committed to providing you with consistently great style tips and guidance around how to invest in your wardrobe.

Beyond the seasonal guides, we’re also working on building out more evergreen content - like the best basics to buy year-round. And we have some really cool giveaways and brand discounts in the works exclusively for our paid community.

Get access to all that stuff

A few notes about these guides ❤️

1. As always, if you’re looking for trendy shit on the cheap, this isn’t the best place to look. You need the right stuff, not more stuff.

2. A lot of these recommendations tend to be medium to higher price point (though not always). If you’re looking for quality, affordable options, I always recommend thrifting what you can (like eBay, vinted, etc), or looking at options like Uniqlo.

   1. If you like these guides, share them with a homie, partner, family member, lover, or anyone who would appreciate it!

Read more

This might be your favorite brand’s favorite brand

When it comes to clothing, attention to detail is everything. And one of the brands absolutely nailing that right now is Seoul-based label Khakis.

We’re talking asymmetrical chambray shirts, freaky garment-dyed HBT pants, thick waffle-knit zip hoodies; the kind of pieces that feel considered without trying too hard.

It’s all designed to mix into whatever obscure, seed-to-sewn labels you’re already rocking, without making you feel like you need to buy the entire collection to get the look.

Khakis technically operates as a multi-brand retailer, but their in-house line is going toe-to-toe with the third-party labels they carry.

Both the shop and the private label launched about six years ago, and since then, they’ve become a key player in Korea’s new wave of independent brands, alongside names like Document, Cayl, and Frizmworks.

They’re also part of the JKND Co., Ltd. umbrella, which includes a roster of heavy hitters like thisisneverthat, YESEYESEE, Sunlove, and Tune. So, you know the vibes.

We’ve been fans of Khakis for a minute over here, and honestly, this spotlight is overdue. Consider this an introduction to one of the best brands on the market right now as we dive into their well-curated shops, explore how they’ve leveraged smart, intentional collaborations, and check out some of our favorite pieces from their SS26 collection.

Khakis’ retail

Khakis, a first multi-brand shop, opened in 2020 on Yeonhi-ro 11-ra-gil, with a second location arriving four years later in Seongdong-gu.

Both spaces are intentionally stripped-down and minimal, letting the brands do the talking.

At Sprezza, we pride ourselves on the art of discovery, and Khakis absolutely delivers on that front.

From a ceramic label like Mt. Washington Pottery to Montbell, and even an independent magazine like Lightning, it’s the kind of place where you walk in to browse and somehow emerge three hours later, caffeinated, culturally enriched, and lightly considering a new hobby in ceramics.

Select brands they carry: Actual Source, Adsum, District Vision, Goldwin, Klattermusen, Last Resort, norda, Western Mountaineering.

Khakis’ collabs

One of Khakis’ brightest spots, and honestly, how a lot of people first got hip to the brand, is its run of meticulously executed collaborations. In an era where collabs can feel like little more than a logo slap and a press release, Khakis’ approach is a welcome palate cleanser.

At their best, collaborations should do two things: introduce the brand to a new audience (in this case, North America) and produce dope pieces both parties can stand behind.

From their take on New Balance’s 2010 silhouette, to a duffle coat with British stalwart Gloverall, Adsum team-up, and their most recent nine-piece collection with Japanese label nonnative, there’s always an element of surprise.

More importantly, the results actually deliver: wearable, considered pieces that don’t get lost in the usual collaborative-muddied waters.

Khakis’ in-house label

As we mentioned, Khakis’ in-house line launched in 2020, rooted in military gear and American staples—firmly sidestepping trends in favor of pieces that actually stick around longer than your latest style phase. While the brand is based in South Korea, most of the garments are made or sourced in Japan.

From dirty-washed painter jeans to striped, Kurt Cobain–inspired long-sleeve tees, plus slightly off-kilter denim shirts and outerwear, Khakis doesn’t pledge allegiance to any one lane.

Instead, it feels like the ideal amalgamation of skate subcultures, punk scenes, various military eras, and the no-nonsense utility of mountaineering gear.

Here are a few pieces we’re currently keeping an eye on.

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If you’re on the hunt for a new sofa

Before I get into all this, a quick note: and this isn’t sponsored either.

BUT, Vetsak gifted me a sofa recently and I’d be remiss if I didn’t share with you that they gave me a code you can use if you’re on the hunt for a new sofa. You get 10% off their outlet collections, which is solid.

If you’re on the hunt for a sofa, I’d highly recommend using this. You see what it looks like below, but when the couch arrived I wanted to have a friend photograph me in it so you can get a sense for how it looks IRL.

Code’s here: VETSAK-CLAYTON-2026

Annnd we’re back.

If you’ve been following along, you know I moved into a new apartment, and finding the right stuff has been a slow build. When we moved from the US, we didn’t bring much. Most of what we had in the states didn’t make the trip, and TBH I’ve kind of enjoyed the blank slate.

But there’s a difference between “intentionally minimal” and “we don’t have a couch.”

But back in January, I mentioned on my personal IG that the team at Vetsak kindly offered to gift me a sofa, and I asked for help picking the fabric and color. Not many people chose the khaki x corduroy combo, but that was my top pick, and I’m super happy with how it turned out.

The modular sofa arrived last month and it looks even better in person.

One thing I’ve noticed most since it arrived is how much it changed the room without dominating it. Our apartment here isn’t huge (~900sq ft); Amsterdam apartments rarely are. And a lot of furniture can be bulky in a tight space, overpowering it.

But this piece just settled in. It fills the room out without forcing anything, which is harder to find than you’d think, especially when you’re working with European dimensions.

And that’s kind of the whole philosophy I’ve been leaning into with this spot. Start with pieces that are quiet, well-made, and built to last, and don’t rush to fill every corner. Eventually, the space shows you what you’re missing and what to fill it with.

So, I like that the sofa gives me a nice foundation to build on, and now the walls are next. I’m looking for independent artists to build out a small collection around, nothing precious, just work that feels right in the space. If you have someone in mind, send them my way!

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Thanks to the homie Connor Houtman for taking photos.

And THANK YOU again to Vetsak for the sofa!

Discord memberships are now open

Hello friends, we are now re-opening the Sprezza Leisure Club, our invite-only discord group. It’s been a while since I opened invites to this, but with spring around the corner, it’s time.

If you want to join, you’ll need to fill out the link below, and we’ll get you locked and so you can start yapping away with the Sprezza fam, and other members alike. Warning: they might talk your ear off about some obscure Japanese brand they’re obsessed with, but they’re harmless!

Join the Sprezza Leisure Club

LL Bean Japan is back in the US

Back by popular demand, L.L.Bean Japan is running it back stateside this weekend only. Early access to the collection will be available through a special pop-up in NYC, then via cop online and select L.L.Bean retail stores.

Spanning 20+ styles and colorways, the collection introduces new silhouettes alongside refreshed core styles, blending oversized fits, rich textures and a bright, summer-forward color palette.

If you’re not privy, LL Bean launched a Japanese division in 1992, when it opened its first store in Tokyo, and as the Japanese tend to do with anything rooted in American heritage, they do it better than we ever could.

Buying in person

If you want to hit the popup, you’ll need to be in Brooklyn this weekend (Friday, March 20, through Sunday, March 22).

Address is right here: 106 North 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249.

Buying online

If you can’t make it but want to be online, you can purchase on their website from next Tuesday, March 24th.

Products available exclusively online and in-store include four colorways of the Prospect Harbor Field Coat, two colorways of the Japan Edition Roxbury Jacket, and two additional colorways of the Milo Anorak.

Our editor, Leon, has already been road-testing some of the collection they sent him and has nothing but rave reviews so far.

Shit I’ve been roadtesting lately

The Vibram coaster

This Vibram coaster (c/o my guy Chris, who gave me one when I was in NYC last month). It’s honestly a genius move by Vibram and doubles as a phenomenal gift idea. It’s quirky and weird, playful, and genuinely useful.

These kitchen knives

The homie Ryan from Fields Outfitting sent me a set of these delightfully sharp kitchen knives recently and they are the real deal.

It’s the Essential Trio: a chef knife, a nakiri, and a utility knife. Between those three, you’re covering basically every situation in the kitchen. The olive wood is what I keep coming back to visually; every handle has its own grain, which is cool. It’s like something you’d actually want on your counter, except they are also really useful.

The blades are 420HC stainless steel, hold an edge well, and are easy to maintain. Full tang through the handle, so the balance is right. Nothing precious about them; they just do what a good knife should.

Ryan knows his stuff. Worth looking into if you’re due for an upgrade.

Check them out here.

Next up, this… well, the whole fit actually.

Hat and shoes are from Cafe Mountain. Gotta love the nod to listening and DJs with the “no requests please” cap, along with these lowtop boots that Lewis from CM collab’d with Padmore & Barnes on last year.

The maroon heavyweight fleece hoodie is from Adsum, and it’s genuinely one of the best sweats I’ve ever owned. S

lightly cropped, nice thick drawstring, double zip, and lined with fleece on the inside. Absolutely a banger. Here’s the link if you’re interested.

Comes in this color, olive, and light / heather grey.

Navy fatigue trousers are from Khakis2020, a Korean brand that is becoming one of my favorite brands to wear, hands down.

And the tote bag in the background is from Alex Mill. It’s a Canvas carry-all tote that’s available in multiple sizes, can be monogrammed with your initials, but what I love most is that I can throw whatever the hell I want in it, and it somehow manages to fit.

Here’s where you can find it.

Loopwheel t-shirt

The loopwheel tee from Merz b. Schwanen (i.e. the famous shirt brand Carmy wears in The Bear) is 100% worth the money. They sent me a pair of thick a$$ socks, but their shirting program is truly incredible (albeit not cheap, but neither is the quality).

They have a nice little t-shirt guide you can check out here.

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Alas, we are not quite there… yet. And before we get there, we need to discuss the cursed dilemma we all face as the seasons (sort of) change: transitional weather.

The period where it’s kind of hot, but sometimes cold. Or a little steamy outside, and then windy (for those in the South). Or if you live in northern Europe, rainy… season.

We still want to put that sh*t on, but it’s tough without the right pieces in place. So in addition to today's guide on transitional spring jackets for you to consider, we’ll soon share a Guide to Dressing for Transitional Weather. We’ll share tips on what works and what to avoid.

If you are a free subscriber, you’ll still get some free stuff, but not our shopping guides.

A few notes about these guides ❤️

1. As always, if you’re looking for trendy shit on the cheap, this isn’t the best place to look. You need the right stuff, not more stuff.

2. A lot of these recommendations tend to be medium to higher price point (though not always). If you’re looking for quality, affordable options, I always recommend thrifting what you can (like eBay, vinted, etc), or looking at options like Uniqlo.

   1. If you like these guides, share them with a homie, partner, family member, lover, or anyone who would appreciate it!

Get our shopping guides here

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ICYMI we kicked off our spring shopping guides last week! We’ve started with footwear, and next up, we have transitional jackets, shirts, and then trousers.

We’ll also be rolling out a series of suiting/wedding content with tips on how to get fitted and measured for a suit, whether you’re getting married or attending one, how to talk to your tailor, etc.

Become a member

Travel guides are baaack

It’s been a minute since we whipped these out, but Mat Spade, who is our travel editor and a master curator of good vibes, has just come back from Brussels with the rundown on what’s good to do there, so we need to share that with you.

He has a colorful eye for design, strong personal taste, building a home, and how to travel well.

If you want to get to know Mat better, here’s an interview I did with him a while back. Also, please give Mat a follow for more zinger content.

Last, here are some previous guides we’ve done on (that should largely still be up to date):

• Manchester

• Copenhagen

• San Juan

Got a city we should cover next? Drop it in the comments!

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Food + Drink

Batch

Batch neighbourhood restaurant in Saint-Gilles for dinner (they’ve open all day, breakfast looks great too). Jazz house playing and a nice lost of sharing plates on the menu.

We had the burrata clementine salad, green cabbage pasta with confit egg, roasted cabbage with sriracha blanc + hazelnuts. Try bag seating in the bar area; a really slick mix of industrial and traditional Belgian design.

Nightshop

Still buzzing off our dinner at Nightshop; I had several recommendations for this place and this is me officially passing that tag on.

Love that they retained the garage details from previous use, the front shutter opens wide when it’s warm enough, and the long narrow unit lends itself perfection to the long open-kitchen table on the left (you get a great insight to what a well-oiled machine a kitchen can be).

The food was modern European, with an emphasis on locally-sourced meat and veg, and unusual pairings. Go here.

Mok Studio

A listening bar where people are actually listening. Mok Studio is by the people behind Mok Coffee Roasters; they’ve created the perfect day time space for anyone interested in coffee and listening a record top to bottom.

Quite a large space, with seating geared towards the front sound system, which also doubles up as the coffee bar. The baristas are the DJs, watch them reset the records in between making your pour-over. One of the most unique coffee experiences I’ve ever had.

Stella

Park yourself up at one of Stella’s cafes in the Saint-Gilles area. Stocking coffee by local roaster Wide Awake (also worth visiting one of their cafes while you’re central). Spacious, community-first cafes, with plenty of seating, set a modern airy units. Definitely where the locals go.

Bouche Coffee

This place seems to be highly recommended by visitors for coffee + design. Perfect location too, just opposite the Magritte and Oldsters museum, along with the Royal Palace.

As you approach, you’ll see it’s in good company, surrounded by curated vintage and design stores.

In terms of the cafe, a low-lit, wooden-and-concrete interior, coffee-forward, with daily bakes and a dedicated space for laptops. The outdoor seating is definitely prime people-watching material.

BoaBoa Records

What looked deadly quiet from the outside turned out to be a full house. We grabbed the last 2 seats at the bar in BoaBoa, just in front of the DJ. He said “I hope you like jazz” and we proceeded to have one spot-on hour chill.

What looked deadly quiet from the outside turned out to be a full house. An intimate setting, with the cocktail table and booth layout clearly taking design inspiration from traditional jazz bars, knocking arms and all cosy like.

I really enjoyed this place, seemed like I wasn’t the only one.

Le Coq

Old school Belgian pub at its finest. Right in the city centre, but felt very chill (unlike Delirium Cafe). A list of beers as long as a Skyrim scroll, we went in on a few local cherry numbers. Cash only.

Cafe Encre

Make your way into the red cube, through the curtain to the cafe bar at the back. A wild concept that works perfectly. Bonkers drinks jostle between regular brews, but these guys have a clear vision, which is clearly influenced by art and movie culture, so embrace it I say.

See + Do

Comic Museum

Belgium is the home of the comic, centre of the world for doodles, so it would be a shame not to visit the source. Go see Tintin and the gang.

Handshake (running store)

Independent running store about 5 mins walk from Bouche Coffee, stocking a range of smaller running and lifestyle brands that you won’t find at the usual commercial chains. Lovely little set-up too, designed around glass bricks, steel fittings and concrete.

Maison Hannon

To overlook learning some history about the places you visit gives you a better understanding of why the place is. There’s a couple of historical houses and venues in the city, we only managed to get tickets one: Maison Hannon in Saint-Gilles. A beautiful home just one the highstreet.

Get the audio tour and take your time, it’ll improve the experience ten-fold.

Old Masters / Magritte Museum

Art is always on the cards for a city visit, and I don’t remember visiting another museum on such a brand and extensive scale in a long time. Get lost in the endless rooms on several levels. From small regional artists to epic old masters at work.

Tag teams nicely with the Magriette Museum, which sits on separate wing of the same complex.

Centreville (clothing)

A menswear-focused independent store on the Rue des Chartreux. Stocking bits from Stone Island, Purple Mountain Observatory, Thisisneverthat, CP Company and other small brands worth discovering.

I used to spend my entire paycheck on clothes.

After high school, I went straight into the workforce, while living with my parents, on a $36,000 annual salary. Not much, but in 2013, it might as well have been like earning six figures.

It started with ASOS and Zara, but before I knew it, I was splurging on Mr. Porter.

It was excessive, unnecessary, and I have no recollection of what I even bought at that age. But it started a bad habit of constantly buying things, usually without any thought.

“Because buying things doesn’t make you stylish. But buying the right things and knowing how and why you’re buying them will form your personal style.”

And while it wasn’t a big deal when I was living with my parents, once I got married, had a kid, and took on a mortgage, those habits became unsustainable.

But beyond the cost, excessive shopping makes it difficult to understand your own style.

It feeds the idea that “more” = “better,” all while training you to buy things without thinking about why. It’s why you can own all the sneakers, shoes, or boots in the world and still be entirely swagless.

Because buying things doesn’t make you stylish. But buying the right things and knowing how and why you’re buying them will form your personal style.

How to make better purchases

So to change my habits, I came up with a simple way to make better purchases: categorizing what I buy. Every time I buy something, I try to place it into one of the following 6 categories.

I realized that most bad purchases didn’t happen because I couldn’t afford something; they happened because I hadn’t really thought about why I was buying it. Once I started sorting purchases into categories, it became much easier to see what kind of decision I was actually making in the moment.

Not only has this saved me money to spend on other garments, but it’s also made me more aware of where my money is going and whether or not I actually need what’s in front of me. Let me run you through it with some examples.

1. The necessary purchase is when life puts you in a position where you genuinely need something. Simple.

Last year, my family and I took a road trip to Disney World and on day one I managed to tear the one pair of jeans I brought with me… a truly amateur packing move.

I was also in the south, which is effectively a barren wasteland for shopping for good clothing. Luckily there’s a mystical place down there called Super Walmart, where you can buy anything imaginable: groceries, electronics, assorted rifles…and Wrangler jeans?

After a brief cost-benefit analysis…and trying to drown out the thought of the sweatshop where they were probably made…I swiped my card for $15.

I’ve worn these jeans 3-4x a week since to justify the purchase and they’re done well as a basic jean.

Sometimes that’s how clothing shopping goes: you dirty your white shirt before a wedding, your jacket tears before a camping trip, your jeans rip, and suddenly you’re at the mercy of whatever is available in front of you. Swipe your card and move on.

2. The informed purchase is when you’re buying the thing you’ve spent hours researching and years saving up for.

For me, that purchase was the Drakes Raglan coat I’ve written about at length.

Pitching a $2,100 coat to my wife wasn’t easy. But it helped that I had been talking about it for three years and had saved up for it. She knew it wasn’t a trendy piece of clothing; it was the coat I planned to have around for the next decade.

My next informed purchase will probably be the 3Sixteen side-zip boots. I’ve watched reviews, compared the prices against the Our Legacy Camions, and have gotten to see how they’ve aged thanks to the menslfuencers that post fit pics with them on daily.

My wife has already heard about them enough times to know they’re coming, and I’ve been saving.

I firmly believe that if you’ve wanted something for long enough without changing your mind, and it’s within your financial means, you should absolutely buy it.

Informed purchases are important and mostly safe because they’re often trend-proof. If your opinion on something hasn’t changed while the trends have, that’s a pretty good indicator that you aren’t shopping to keep up with what’s popular… you’re shopping for yourself.

3. The spontaneous purchase is when you see something you know you’ll eventually need and think, “Ahh, what the hell — if I’m already here.”

I had two of these happen recently with black t-shirts that I was planning to buy anyway for an upcoming t-shirt guide I’m writing. I happened to walk by the 3Sixteen store one day, and the Buck Mason store another day, and figured I’d save myself the shipping. Plus, it’s nice to pop into a store and talk shop for a bit.

Now I’ll be honest — this can be tricky to define. For me, it’s something I can buy without planning to buy it that day and without opening my banking app to do math. A t-shirt, a pair of sneakers, a hat. Not a major purchase like a coat or raw denim. The key is that the purchase isn’t random, it’s just earlier than expected.

Note: The next three categories are where things get harder. They require a bit more self-control.

4. The urgent purchase is when something has to be bought right now, or not at all.

This usually happens with limited releases, vintage finds, or moments where you know something will disappear if you walk away. I don’t fall for this one too often, but it does happen.

At a recent event we hosted with Stone Island, they quietly announced that guests could buy their New Balance 574 early before the official release. Fellow Sprezza writer Chris heard this news about five minutes before the event ended and was torn on whether to purchase of not. I peer-pressed him heavilyyyy, knowing he really didn’t have time to weigh it out.

Ultimately, he copped, and I’m glad (and he’s glad) that he did.

Urgency can push you into decisions you might not make if you had more time to think…but there’s also something thrilling about pulling the trigger on something at a moment’s notice.

If shopping was always entirely predictable, we’d miss out on really cool opportunities and stories to buy things that are rare or unique.

With urgent purchases, I think buyer's remorse can set in sometimes, but I just look in the mirror and tell myself to shut up and enjoy the money spent.

5. The sale purchase is pretty self-explanatory. Sort of.

We’re pro-sales here at Sprezza, and we even dropped a quick sale shopping guide last week. But sales can both work for you or against you. Sometimes they save you money on something you already planned to buy.

Other times, they convince you to buy the wrong thing just because it’s cheaper.

Here’s a good scenario: I'd been eyeing the Sebago Tucson mocs for a few weeks as a cooler alternative to the LL Bean duck boots everyone wears here in the Northeast. I planned to buy them anyway, and then they suddenly went on sale for 60% off. I purchased instantly.

Here’s a bad (or less good) scenario: When I bought my first pair of Paraboot Michaels, I had already decided on the black smooth leather version. Those never go on sale. But then I saw that the brown pair was discounted 45%, so I bought those instead.

I love them and wear them constantly, but they’re still not the black pair I originally wanted.

I compromised on what I actually wanted because it was cheaper. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it did leave me longing for more, and I then proceeded to buy another pair of Michaels shortly after… also on sale… black with pony hair on the tongue. I’m 2-0 on the all-black pair.

Thus, you need to be wise with sales.

Think them through and ask whether the money you’ll save is actually worth the compromise. If it isn’t, save up… and now you’ve got yourself an excuse to go make an informed purchase. I’d rather own a few things I really wanted than a bunch of things I got on sale.

6. The “I want it” purchase is the honest answer to the question: What happens when something doesn’t fit neatly into any other category?

There are going to be moments where you find yourself spending money on something you didn’t know you wanted, or that you planned for, or that you intended to buy, or that’s time-restricted. It’s the moments that surpass all the rules!

It’s what happens when you discover a new brand and decide to buy something immediately. It’s finding Alphaflys at Ross for $100 in your size. It’s putting in a crazy lowball eBay offer late at night and waking up the next morning to see it was accepted.

For me, it was buying a yellow varsity jacket from Reese Cooper when I became a dad because there’s a photo from my childhood of my dad holding me while he was wearing a yellow jacket.

I don’t wear bright colors and yet…I wanted it. And it was worth it.

They’re random moments where logic goes out the window, and desire takes over. Are they a little irresponsible? They can be!

But that’s why I try to keep these to a minimum and avoid pretending every purchase belongs here.

Where to go from here

So, listen, it’s not a perfect system, but it’s a really good system for me. And you need to find a system that works good for you.

Everyone has different shopping habits, so we’ll all end up with slightly different ways of categorizing purchases in our lives. The important thing is simply taking the time to understand why we buy the things we buy.

Once you start doing that, you notice patterns. You realize which purchases were thoughtful, which ones were spontaneous, and which ones you probably didn’t need at all. You might have 3 categories, or 10, or none at all!

But it matters that you make sense of it for yourself.

Buying clothing is supposed to be enjoyable. But it’s a lot more enjoyable when you’re able to buy things with a purpose, enjoy them, and not wonder how you’ve accumulated so much useless crap in your closet.

The fashion space is downright fickle. If you’re not selling through your hero categories, snagging a celebrity co-sign, or hopping on the latest micro-trend before it becomes a macro one, your brand can feel obsolete in the blink of an eye.

We’ve seen plenty of great labels shutter after just a couple of seasons because of it. Fashion loves you, until it doesn’t.

But one brand that’s managed to sidestep that fate for over two decades is the Japanese label Nanamica.

The brand prides itself on consistency, fabric innovation, and making beautifully uncomplicated clothes—like these jeans and this thermal hoodie, both of which I’ve been living in for the past few months.

Founded in 2003 by Japanese outdoor-industry mastermind Eiichiro Homma, who also serves as Creative Director of The North Face Purple Label, Nanamica was born from a clear market gap.

“At that time, many outdoor brands were not yet able to satisfy both functional performance and fashion sensibility at the same time. That disconnect was the gap Nanamica set out to address,” Homma says.

Nanamica translates to “house of the seven seas,” a nod to Homma’s and co-founder Takashi Imaki’s love of the ocean. “We wanted the brand name to reflect that connection,” Homma explains.

Once you understand that ethos, the performance fabrics start to click. It makes sense when you feel one of their ALPHADRY field jackets or pull on a lightweight COOLMAX Cotton tee.

The pieces are technical, but never try-hard.

Homma adds, “Rather than being tied to a specific place or moment, our design philosophy is shaped by the idea of openness and movement, much like the sea itself.”

We recently spoke with Homma about:

• How he got his start in the industry more than 40 years ago

• The lessons he’s learned from customers along the way

• What differentiates Nanamica from The North Face Purple Label

• Why he’s never been interested in designing for the algorithm

• + more!

Before fashion became your life’s work, what were you doing, and what first pulled you toward the industry?

I joined Goldwin at the start of my career after spending my high school and university years skiing and surfing. In that era, a lifestyle built around sports felt like a genuinely cool way to live.

I believed that working in the sportswear industry would allow me to create something that could make customers say “wow”—and that feeling is what ultimately drew me into this field.

You officially began your career at GOLDWIN in 1982. Looking back, how does it feel to have witnessed—and helped guide—the evolution of fashion and function over the past four decades?

When I joined Goldwin in 1982, outdoor wear was just beginning to be recognized in Japan as a distinct business category within sports.

Compared to already well-established markets like ski, tennis, and athletic wear, outdoor clothing had a unique quality: many of its items, such as flannel shirts and chino pants, could be worn naturally as everyday clothing.

Even at that time, Goldwin was developing The North Face, and the company had a strong ability to apply its expertise in functional materials and performance-driven design to products that customers could easily adopt into daily life. That approach made outdoor wear feel accessible beyond pure sport.

I don’t personally feel that I “guided” this evolution. Rather, I think three factors overlapped naturally.

First, the fact that Goldwin was already developing The North Face as a brand. Second, this allowed us to become early pioneers in functional material development. And third, that the era itself began to dissolve the boundary between business wear and sports lifestyle wear.

It was the intersection of these elements that helped shape today’s market, where fashion and function coexist so naturally.

Spending so many years at the intersection of outdoor performance and everyday clothing, what’s the most important lesson the customer has taught you?

When functional clothing is properly understood and accepted by the market, the brand that is embraced by the largest number of people ultimately becomes the most trusted.

This isn’t limited to apparel… when it comes to functional products, the ones that sell the most often prove to be the best products, because they have been validated through real use.

However, there is another side to this. Once functional clothing begins to be seen through the lens of fashion, a different kind of demand emerges—the desire to look different from others.

At that point, if a product or style becomes too widely adopted, its fashion value can sometimes diminish as its level of market penetration increases.

Understanding and balancing this tension between trust, functionality, and the desire for differentiation is one of the most important lessons customers have taught me over the years.

When you launched Nanamica in 2003, what gap did you see in the market?

At the time, much of sportswear was still striving for the absolute peak of performance. As technology advanced and design became more rational, often driven by computers, the ultimate forms began to converge.

Much like Formula One cars, sportswear silhouettes were becoming increasingly similar, and in some cases, garments began to resemble jumpsuits built purely for performance.

However, everyday clothing does not necessarily require ultimate functionality. In fact, there were moments when the pursuit of peak performance resulted in designs that drifted away from the silhouettes and proportions people actually wanted to wear in daily life.

In addition, outdoor and sports styles are deeply connected to the cultures in which they were developed, and there was a growing expectation that this cultural background should be reflected in design.

At that time, many outdoor brands were not yet able to satisfy both functional performance and fashion sensibility at the same time. That disconnect was the gap Nanamica set out to address.

More than 20 years later, how has that original idea evolved?

The core brand concept itself has not changed. However, over the past twenty years, it has become far more common for outdoor and sportswear to be worn as everyday clothing, even in the workplace.

After the pandemic, working outside of traditional office environments has also become a clearly defined part of daily life. As a result, everyday life, work, and leisure are now expected to connect seamlessly.

At the same time, we are living in an era where sustainability is demanded at a much higher level than before. Nanamica began with the idea of achieving a high-level balance between functionality and fashion.

Today, I believe our role has evolved into pursuing an even more advanced balance, one that integrates sustainability alongside function and design.

Nanamica translates to “house of the seven seas.” Why was that concept so foundational to the brand, and how does it continue to shape the way you design today?

The name Nanamica comes from the fact that both my co-founder, Takashi Imaki, and I have always loved the ocean, and we wanted the brand name to reflect that connection.

The phrase “seven seas,” meaning the oceans of the world, carries with it our desire to communicate with people around the globe in a borderless way.

Nanamica is now available in 24 countries, but our ambition goes beyond geography. We hope to create clothing that supports comfortable and stylish living for people everywhere—across different environments, climates, and lifestyles.

Rather than being tied to a specific place or moment, our design philosophy is shaped by the idea of openness and movement, much like the sea itself.

As creative director of The North Face Purple Label, how do you explain the difference between Purple Label and The North Face in the U.S. market?

The North Face in the U.S. is a brand built around the pursuit of ultimate functionality for outdoor activities, and from that core, it has expanded to cover a broad range of outdoor lifestyle products.

When the brand addresses everyday use, it often does so by detuning the performance of its core technical products to better suit daily life.

The North Face Purple Label, on the other hand, begins with The North Face’s high level of functionality and its underlying design philosophy, but places equal emphasis on meeting the fashion expectations of everyday wear.

We aim to achieve a higher level of balance between function and style.

Material development, fabric selection, and silhouettes are all designed with a distinctly Japanese sense of aesthetics—subtle, refined, and carefully considered—resulting in products that feel natural in daily life while still retaining strong technical credibility.

Designing collections for both Nanamica and TNF Purple Label, how do you decide which ideas or products belong to each line?

Nanamica is one company with a very clear core philosophy. Our aim is to support people’s daily lives by creating functional yet stylish everyday clothing.

We do this by applying the technical know-how of sportswear—along with military and workwear functionality—to timeless, basic items, and then elevating them with a high level of fashion sensibility.

This fundamental approach is shared by both Nanamica and The North Face Purple Label. The distinction lies in the starting point. TNFPL is a collection in which we express our vision of an outdoor lifestyle through TNF’s technical expertise and design philosophy. In other words, while the underlying values are the same, TNFPL is specifically shaped through the lens of TNF’s functional heritage.

Nanamica has long been known for fabric innovation—from KODENSHI down to ALPHADRY and COOLMAX Cotton. What does that development process look like today, especially with sustainability now front of mind?

We have always approached material development by asking a simple question: how can we create fabrics that are both highly functional and fashion-forward? That mindset remains unchanged.

In recent years, however, growing market expectations around environmental responsibility and sustainability have added an important new dimension. Two years ago, we began a three-year plan to transition all of our materials to more environmentally responsible alternatives, and we are now entering the final year of that process.

Our goal is to complete this transition across all materials within the next year.

At the same time, sustainability does not mean standing still. Alongside this transition, we continue to develop new, compelling materials that bring fresh value to our collections, ensuring that performance, aesthetics, and responsibility evolve together.

Nanamica doesn’t chase trends and has a very clear identity. How do you keep each collection feeling fresh without losing that sense of continuity?

Personally, I’m not someone whose tastes change very much, so expressing continuity comes quite naturally to me. However, in the fashion business, it’s also necessary to respond to the market’s desire for change and offer something new.

For Nanamica, continuity comes from the core values of the brand, and those values never change.

Freshness, on the other hand, is created through evolution rather than trend-chasing—through material innovation, advances in functionality, and subtle changes in shape, proportion, sizing, and color.

These adjustments are never about following extreme trends, but about refining details within the boundaries of what feels true to Nanamica.

I believe it’s this balance—between an unshaken core and quiet, thoughtful change—that allows us to maintain consistency while still offering something new each season.

Having seen nearly everything in the technical outdoor space, what’s a recent product or idea that genuinely impressed or excited you?

Because I work very closely with The North Face, I often have early access to the latest functional materials and advanced sewing technologies—sometimes earlier than people at other brands. That exposure is, of course, stimulating.

At the same time, I find inspiration in much simpler places. When I compare very basic items—like classic white button-down shirts from different brands—I often discover something new.

Subtle differences in pattern-making, stitching, or even button placement can completely change a garment's expression and the way it feels when worn.

Those quiet realizations can be just as exciting as the most advanced technical innovation.

Are there a few standout pieces from the upcoming SS26 collection that you’re particularly excited about?

For SS26, there are two looks I’m especially fond of. One is a trucker-style jacket made from vegan leather, paired with silk-nep pants. The other is a deck jacket and pant set-up crafted from polyester twill.

What excites me about the first is the way we were able to reinterpret workwear through rich, tactile materials like vegan leather and silk nep. In the second, we expressed workwear in a more refined direction, using a subtly lustrous fabric that gives it a slightly formal feel.

In both cases, it’s the contrast—the mix between the expected image of the material and a somewhat opposing design language—that creates a sense of freshness. And of course, each piece still carries the functional performance that is characteristic of Nanamica.

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Couple updates:

Throughout March and April, we’ll be dropping the first batch of Spring Shopping Guides.

These are curatorial at heart, and we put a lot of research and time into making sure they offer you the right pieces with an honest take, not just more noise for consumption’s sake.

In addition, we will begin creating a series of evergreen shopping guides featuring items you can purchase year-round (i.e. best hoodies, t-shirts, trousers, jackets, etc).

If you’re trying to level up your personal style and looking for what to buy and wear to buy it, subscribe below and we’ll get you sorted!

And thanks in advance, when you support financially it helps us keep doing what we’re doing.

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Introducing the Sprezza team

Dear friends, Spring is almost here (unless you’re in New York lolz).

I was there a couple of weeks ago, somehow managing to dodge the second snowstorm. And while I was in town, I brought the Sprezza team (yea, you read that right) together IRL for the first time. Timing worked out perfectly. We even got one group photo. Which I’m not in, naturally.

But it was a bit of a milestone for me, because it signals Sprezza isn’t just me anymore.

I’ve been building it for over five years at this point. For most of that time, it was scrappy and solo. But I realized at one point that if this is going to keep growing in a healthy way, it needs more hands and more brains involved.

Leon’s (middle) been helping on research & editorial for a few years now — a lot of the depth and research you’ve seen has been shaped by our back-and-forth.

Recently, Mariano (right) joined us and is stepping in on editorial as well, helping tighten ideas, expand coverage, and to offer a fresh perspective on writing.

And Chris (left) jumped on board to help with community (Discord, conversations, events & programming), making sure this doesn’t just feel like a newsletter you read in isolation, but something you’re actually part of.

So this is just a quick heads up that there are a few more names behind the curtain now, and you’ll see them pop up more publicly in our content.

Grateful for everyone who’s been here from the early days and excited about where we can take it next!

Mariano’s picks

Hoka Mafate Speed 2 Trail-Runners

The Mafate Speed is the perfect lugged sneaker for running errands. Good enough for some light snow, durable enough for those spring hikes, and versatile enough to wear with shorts or pants.

In terms of color way, this black/grey is super subtle and avoids Hoka’s usual highlighter colors.

Todd Snyder Rayon Big Shirt

I’m currently in summer shopping mode: oversized button ups, shorts and boat shoes (more on that shortly). This Rayon shirt is made from light & airy Lyocell and will fit in at any bbq or beach day you might have planned.

Bonus: wear them with jeans and you’ve got a solid fit for a night out.

Mr P Cotton & Cashmere Blend Corduroy Overshirt

People have often told me that corduroy just ‘isn’t for them.’ They’re wrong; anyone could pull this shirt off. It’s light enough to layer under a coat now but still usable enough deep into the summer. Plus, Mr P always punches way above its weight, even at full price. At $128 this shirt is essentially free.

Leon’s picks

Wallace & Barnes flannel workshirt

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I’m deep in a plaid flannel phase right now. I keep gravitating toward the subdued ones—muted, earthy, pretty much anything besides a Buffalo plaid.

This one nails it, and that little pop of yellow is just the right amount of brightened hues I like in my clothes. And with an extra 40% off, this beauty sneaks in under a hundo.

Nike ACG Canwell Glacier windproof jacket

Folks are declaring that Nike ACG is back, and I’d say, kind of. There are some heavy hitters and a few swing-and-misses, but this piece is definitely one of the bright spots in the lineup.

It’s equipped with a windproof membrane to keep your torso toasty, and the oaty-cocoa shade is about as ultra-neutral as it gets. One note: size down as the entire line fits boxy.

Gramicci Rock Slide Denim Pant

I’m a full-on pants stan for Gramicci.

First, the length is elite for the short kings (I’m a towering 5’9”). Second, there’s a built-in belt on all their pants, which is one less accessory to think about. And third, they’re the perfect mash-up of painter, cargo, and jean, except they actually look good.

Clayton’s picks

Mfpen venture coat

Now, here’s a sleeper hit of a piece. Mfpen (which is based in Copenhagen, where the design team works) is known for making excellent stuff. This Mac style coat at 40% off is a must-have and if you’re keen for it in size large, it will drape beautifully. A true fulfillment of your Scotland Yard dreams.

Montbell rain trekker jacket

There’s a part of me that imagines you’d catch Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig in a mustard yellow softshell, from Montbell no less. If you’re unfamiliar with the lore of Montbell, they’re just a reliable Japanese brand that’s been making delightful outdoor products at Uniqlo-level prices for many decades, and if you invest in pieces like this, odds are you’ll be using it a lot.

Herill cotton twill chinos

Few items scream “springtime” like a beloved pair of cotton twill chinos. In my opinion, they should fit slightly oversized and worn enough that you can beat the hell out of ‘em, as God intended. Colbo is a great retail shop for curation alone, and Herill crushes it. Channel the Take Ivy and grab a pair.

New Balance 1300 made in Japan

If you’ve seen that photo of Wes Anderson from the 90s, and you’re a real one, you’d know he was wearing 1300s (a shoe he’s always loved). But this updated colorway from the made in Japan collection is phenomenal, and while it’s not technically on sale, it’s priced where it should be, and SNS has a ton of sizing options.

So, go forth and summon your inner Wes.

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Seve, Hogan, Palmer. And in a more modern sense, Mitchell.

When I think about the worlds of golf and style co-existing, these are the names that immediately come to mind. Since the pandemic-era golf boom and more people playing than ever before, it’s been interesting to see so many brands enter the space with their own POV.

Unfortunately, I find many of these brands leaning too far one way in a fashion sense, with sloppy techie fabrics or slapping poorly designed logos on anything “golf related” that doesn’t pay homage to an age when golf had a truer sense of putting that shit on.

This is what has had me very excited to get my hands on the first and thoughtful line-up from LATE NINE.

Co-founded in Sweden by Maxim Lundh, a creative director with experience building other contemporary labels such as CQP, LATE NINE articulates a distinct perspective. They’ve also chosen the talented photographer, Milad Abedi, to shoot a lot of their stuff which always helps too.

Beckoning nostalgia from everything from the ’90s era Ryder Cups to Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf challenges to cozy post-round pints.

I’m a self-identified golf sicko (Maxim clearly is as well) and somewhat maniacal about how personal style can extend to the links. So I was enticed by the prospect of putting some of their gear to the test in one of England’s golf cathedrals along the coast, St. Enodoc’s Church Course.

Wearing it on the green

Ahead of the round, I picked up two of their products from their inaugural launch – a knit vest in brown americano and a quarter-zip windbreaker in a gorgeous taupe. With their stuff, every piece is rooted in golf but tailored for life off the course too.

Opting for premium natural fabrics crafted in well-respected European mills over synthetic materials. Which in my experience over two weeks in Cornwall consistently created an elevated feel. But back to the golf.

The Church course opens with a par five into the wind, and despite a light breeze and sun while warming up, it absolutely poured on us for the first two holes – welcome to Cornwall in October.

It was around 14 C (high 50’s) and I went with a polo, knit vest, and windbreaker for the day and felt comfortable throughout.

I was pleased with how much the garments moved with me through the tests and the many awkward stances of links golf. I liked the somewhat shorter sleeves and boxier fit of the windbreaker for this very reason.

Outerwear that doesn’t allow you to move at all is the worst, and I never felt inhibited by either the vest or the windbreaker going up and down the mountainous terrain carrying my bag. 20+ years playing this infuriating game and I’ve whiffed a lot on gear that doesn’t get the job done.

My biggest issue with the windbreaker, given the cost, was that it not a bit more water-proof (mind you, it clearly states it's a water-repellent cotton blend on the site). With the heavy rain on the first few holes, it held up for a bit, but then got quite wet in case you are looking for a do-it-all weather jacket.

When chatting with the team on this, they mentioned the preference to stick with more natural fibers to improve the feel of the garment – something I can’t argue with as a trade-off, as it really does feel luxurious.

On the bright side, the fabric did dry incredibly quickly, which came in handy as we trudged onto the dogleg third.

Another aspect in the windbreaker design I really enjoyed while playing were the pockets and collar. Many golf breakers or jackets have pockets on the front of the garment, and LATE NINE no doubt strategically placed them on the sides to allow for a free-flowing swing.

It requires a bit more maneuvering to access the pockets compared to when they’re on the front, but it’s minimal. Perfectly sized for some tees, a small towel, or, of course, hands.

Not to mention, I think their placement makes it much more functional as a versatile garment off the course, too, with a clean front.

The lack of branding on nearly all their stuff doesn’t hurt either. Regarding the collar – I loved how well it held up to the wind and its overall structure it maintained for a smart look versus folding over on itself.

Its overall durability to both zip and button it really stuck out to me while wearing.

St. Enodoc’s natural slopes mean you rarely have an even lie and it means a lot of putting on and taking off of layers throughout the round.

As we approached the short 38th, with the sun peeking out to give us a stunning view over Daymer Bay, I was down to the polo/vest combo.

From the jump, I noticed how soft and lived-in this garment feels. It’s a naturally breathable merino wool with thicker ribbing at the collar, allowing you to tuck a polo collar under or over easily.

Its relaxed and wider silhouette has it falling just outside the shoulder for a great vintage look.

As we walked up to the 18^th green with the lovely balcony in the background, a Guinness was the perfect pair to this fit I will keep coming back to. Didn’t hurt I had one of my better rounds of the year…for the superstitious out there.

Suitable for the pub

I had decided before taking a family trip to Cornwall for a few weeks, it would be the perfect setting to get some wear using both items off the course too. Plenty of pubs, fishmongers, and high streets to frequent, layered up, navigating the ups and downs of Cornish weather in Autumn.

I found myself coming back to the look below with some light denim, a white tee, and cap quite a bit. That, paired with a waxed overcoat, was ideal for days out on the beach and nights at the pub. The vest continued to prove incredibly cozy while remaining light enough to never feel overly hot.

Something I feel like is a tough balance to strike with knitwear. It’s fairly wide and comfortable across the chest, then tapers to a normal waist, so it sits well with mid to high-rise trousers/denim.

Because it has a slightly deeper V, I find it to be more flattering, typically not only with different body types but also different types of clothing. I’m tempted with the idea of wearing with a tie for when the mood strikes and wearing under a blazer as the temps drop.

On the windbreaker front, I found it to be a useful option for weekends/after work, particularly in transitional seasons. I imagine LATE NINE envisions you to wear it as a lightweight shell for a little bit of warmth, while made in a boxy fit so it goes over everything from a polo to a knit or sweatshirt.

Something I played around with quite a bit, from long sleeve tees from Drake’s to a Merz B. Schwanen sweatshirt. Another thing that’s nice about the pullover is that you can cinch the bottom hem to create more of a blouson-type shape, too.

Even though the site says the windbreaker runs slightly oversized, I went with a Medium, but I think I could have done a Large if it wasn’t sold out. I’m a 40 jacket, 6'1 ", 180 pounds, for context, and I chose a Large in the knit per feedback from the team. I am glad I did.

Both garments are luxurious and practical – and while the price isn’t cheap, I think the quality exchange is evident.

*Also featured throughout the KERCHER Hogan trouser MTM in a deep brown. It’s their signature Japanese Tech Satin. The wrinkle resistance really stands out as you can literally toss them in a bag and pull them out no problem.

I’m a big fan of the ever-present single pleat and extended button fly. Of course, with it being MTM you can make your own adjustments as needed with Josh.

Other favourites with the drop:

• Instructors Jacket in a Beautiful Italian Wool

• Tipped Double Loop Black Belt

• Beige Twilight Cap

All photos by Cody McKim