L.L. Bean's Japan collection, your new favorite tennis brand, & the best retail stores

What's in my brain this month.

Spring shopping guides are here

Next week, we are rolling out our seasonal shopping guides! If you’re new to Sprezza, we curate seasonal shopping guides for you in every category, rounding up the best items we think you’ll appreciate.

We’ll cover:

• Light outerwear

• Shirting

• Pants + shorts

• Footwear

• Accessories

Shorts edition is gonna be particularly fire, because we certainly need to free those pasty white thighs as soon as possible (speaking for myself, of course).

The goal of these guides isn’t to force you into buying more, it’s to get you to focus on investing in the right pieces, whether they’re lifelong or seasonal ones.

Note: our shopping guides are paywalled, so if you’d like to get access to them, you can become a paid sub here:

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We need a permanent L.L. Bean x Japan collection

For the first time ever, last week, L.L. Bean brought its Japan collection to the states, offering select styles to people in the US, sold exclusively at their pop-up shops in NYC and Los Angeles.

The collection had staples from the Japanese division of L.L.Bean, which opened its first store in Tokyo in 1992 (the first Bean store outside of Maine).

The store had 20+ styles and colorways, and the collection pays homage to the oversized silhouettes, rich textures, natural earthtones we love from Japan’s interprettion of L.L.Bean’s heritage.

Personally, we need to petition the brand and ask that they make this a permanent thing, because it’s clear the Japanese line is much more interesting (shock) than the original stuff itself, if we’re being honest.

The Japense just have a way of perfecting the craftsmanship of brands and products in a way no one else can.

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New (ish) retail stores you should check out

Pick Store London

I met one of the co-founders in London this month, and while I haven’t been to the space (they were recently broken into – so support them online!), it’s set on a perfect little street in Shoreditch.

One of the things I appreciate about Pick Store is how careful they are about what they curate, but not in a pretentious way.

All their stuff is the best of Japanese-focused products, which is refreshing to see shops stick to a particular niche when they could cast a wide net.

Bode Paris

The Bode flagship store in Paris is the type of place you treat like a mecca trip. It’s always fun seeing a brand thoughtfully invest in its retail footprint. They’ve only got stores in NYC, LA, and now Paris, but and each shop has a unique backdrop, design POV, and feels in some ways like it’s local to that market.

Definitely worth the visit if you happen to be in Paris (or live there!).

Notre Chicago (vintage)

If you know about streetwear and contemporary clothing, you know what a staple Notre has been to the US, much less within the Chicago community.

They recently launched this beautiful space to curate vintage Americana, military, and more. All the pieces are sourced and curated through Michael Lee of Wesley Supply Co.

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American Trench

Okay, this is more of a favor, but I wanted to say that our friends at American Trench have some extra inventory from their line of Camber-made hoodies. They need to get rid of some stock and have allowed Sprezza reader the chance to.

Jacob from American Trench has always invested in making and sourcing products from around the United States (as much as he can), so it’s important to show some love.

Plus, getting Camber stuff at 40% off is a rare thing.

They’ve graciously made some of their best sweats available, so take advantage.

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Your new favorite tennis brand is here

Every once in a while, you come across a brand that feels so dialed in, you just know they’re on an upward trajectory.

In a consumer landscape that’s crowded and noisy, there’s always room for someone who really nails it — not by trying to be everything to everyone, but by being crystal clear about who they are and who they’re for.

That’s exactly how we feel about Spence.

They’re a new player in the racquet sports space, and they’re stepping into a wide-open lane.

For years, I’ve said tennis is the most untapped of all the individual sports — a category that’s overdue for a brand to bridge lifestyle and performance in a way that feels fresh, modern, and aspirational. Running has its players.

Golf has been booming with lifestyle brands. But tennis? Still up for grabs.

Spence is making an early case to claim that territory.
From product design to storytelling to art direction, every detail feels intentional. But what really sets them apart is their creative direction — they’re taking it seriously.

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