A conversation with Chris Echevarria, founder of Blackstock & Weber
We chat with Chris about the J.Crew Liquor Store days, Scott Sternberg's inspiration, his dream collabs, how to develop good taste, why retail is the highest art form, and more.
Isn’t that what we all want?
“No elitist shit, not making people feel like they don’t belong. 242 is for everybody, especially those who want to get put on to something new in a comfortable and well-designed environment.”
That’s the mantra for Chris Echevarria and his new retail space at 242 Mulberry, a stone’s throw from ALD, Rubirosa, and the ever-faithful Elizabeth Street Garden, a reprieve from downtown’s busiest neighborhood.
Mulberry is arguably the hottest place to be for any brand right now. But to Chris, retail is a high art form, a physical manifestation of one’s brand and product. And it’s his calling to make people feel some type of way when they enter into the world he’s created. It’s far beyond transactions.
Chris has long been ahead of the game. Since Blackstock & Weber’s (his first brand) inception, he’s played a big role in the loafer’s modern resurgence (visions of Ivy League students in chinos (still a hard fit) crossing between the commons to their next class come to mind).
He’s singlehandedly reintegrated the loaf into our wardrobes. Restructured the classic slip-on so they can fit into anyone's closet.
They do everything from tennis ball-material loafers to bold cheetah print and a classically elevated horse bit. And you look fresh as hell whether in a pair of sweats to the bodega or sporting them with a tux for a wedding — the duality is real.
Beyond B&W, Chris also started Academy by Chris Echevarria and is the guest Creative Director of Sperry.
To say he has his hands full would be an understatement, and he remains one of the most humble and knowledgeable people in the game.
Beyond his success with loafers, Echevarria's clothing brand, Academy, is quickly gaining traction. From the Oxford button-down shirts to the practice jersey T-shirts, it’s all a source of inspiration from Echevarria's days at school. It’s an avenue where he plans to tell many stories through capsules released throughout the year.
We enjoyed chatting with Chris about the J.Crew Liquor Store days, Scott Sternberg's inspiration, his dream collabs, how to develop good taste, why retail is the highest art form, and more.
PS—
Huge thank you to my guy Chris Fenimore (featuring Chris and products) and to Freddie L Rankin II (the retail space at the end) for the incredible photos. Please credit them if you repost.
What’s the Chris Echevarria story?
I started my career on the shop floor, most notably at the J. Crew Liquor Store, which gave way to scouting third-party products for the brand.
That led to a relatively short-lived career in trend forecasting before I moved on to brand development and, along with a group of good friends, worked with Stone Island to relaunch the brand in the Americas.
That work opened my eyes to the possibilities in the market, and shortly after my time there came to a close, I started working on Blackstock and Weber.
You’ve played a big role in shifting how people express themselves stylistically through footwear beyond just flexing in sneakers. How did we get here?
One thing I knew is I wanted to change the stigma around wearing proper shoes. So, we started doing things in ways that shoe companies never did. But, I never wanted anyone to talk about B&W as if it were a shoe company.
As a result, our lookbooks focused on the stories we wanted to tell and the looks we wanted to display. We wanted to show guys that they could wear a loafer casually and look cool, and through that, we reinvigorated a category.
Tell us how the Sperry partnership came about.
They reached out, and we explored various iterations of a potential partnership. Ultimately, we decided that launching my own line and appointing me as Creative Director was the best fit.
Given my long history with the shoe, it was an obvious choice. I’ve always worn Top-Siders, so from the first call — I was thrilled about the opportunity to work with the brand. I recall when Band of Outsiders collaborated with Sperry and thought I’d love to do something similar one day.
Ten years later, that dream has come true.
You often credit Scott Sternberg for being a huge inspiration behind your work…
Yeah, he’s one of the guys who showed me the way I thought about clothing was valid. Most fashion ads were very look at the camera like a fucking schmuck type of shit.
Scott made fashion fun — he photographed people he knew with Polaroids and handed out cookies at the shows. He threw the best NYFW parties and never took himself too seriously.
He just did what he loved.
A Ferrari inspired the Air Jordan 14. Has Porsche inspired any of your loafers? What are your dream collabs?
Our shape is inspired by AMG vehicles.
While no particular car influenced a specific colorway, certain cars evoke distinct moods, and that's reflected in our work. This connection to cars is why I have so many of them. Designing a car is a dream of mine.
The exciting part of my current position is the freedom to explore various creative fields. Whether furniture, automotive, electronics, or hotels, my dream is to express myself through different mediums, not just fashion.
Who were some of your early style inspirations? How do they inform the brands you’re building?
The first that comes to mind is an older gentleman I used to caddy for at the golf course. He had an effortless sense of style, always looking good without seeming to try too hard.
Skating also played a big role for me. In that world, "well worn" equaled cool — signifying effort and time spent skating. The more ripped up your shoes were, the more time you spent skating. Growing up in the suburbs of New Jersey further reinforced these influences.
Tell us more about ACADEMY; what’s the long-term vision?
The first iteration of ACADEMY is tied loosely to my prep school days.
More than anything, it’s tied to those days from the perspective of a place where my style started to gel. With that, I think the brand can go anywhere. I’d love to tell many stories through capsules released throughout the year.
I have a design degree and great taste, but designing and shopping isn’t the same as manufacturing. I have a lot to learn about making clothes, so I’m leaning into that process.
There’s so much bad advice out there, and how you develop good taste is personal. What do you think about developing personal taste and style?
I think that starts with being self-aware. What makes you happy? What doesn’t? What fits you? Ultimately, the world is full of shit you can integrate into your life, right?
How that fits into your life and set of ideals is what creates someone with good taste. I think it all starts with deciding who you are, not just finding the most popular or obscure thing and masking it as tasteful.
The brand has been around since 2017, and you’re opening a store (242 Mulberry) this year. Why now?
A few reasons. It felt like it was time. I’ve been looking for space for about two years. As I looked, I felt like nothing was perfect enough until I found a spot across the street from my friend Miles’ barbershop, Tuft.
Coming up, Miles was the only person I knew who owned a shop, so I never really wanted to be too far away from him when I decided to open up shop. So when a spot opened up directly across the street from him, I dove head-first into something I didn’t know anything about. I felt like life gave me what I asked for and presented the challenge, and I had to accept it.
Walk us through the shop vibes. How do you want people to feel when they walk in?
I want people to feel comfortable coming and hanging out, learning something, and maybe leaving with something they love.
No elitist shit, not making people feel like they don’t belong. 242 is for everybody, especially those who want to get put on to something new in a comfortable and well-designed environment. Isn’t that what we all want?
I believe retail is the highest form of the art. We’ve done a good job with what we have, but our ultimate goal has always been establishing a retail presence to showcase our vision.
There’s a lot of thought, effort, and craft put into everything we put our hands on. Sometimes, the connection is only made when you can enter that world. Just as a 911 is impressive to look at but exhilarating to drive, retail allows us to offer an immersive experience.
It’s about putting people in the driver’s seat and letting them fully engage with what we do. That’s how I see it.
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