It’s more than safe to say that we’re all overdosed on content and brands and products right now.
There is simply too much sh*t out there, and I expect over the coming months and years we’ll see a consolidation of all 3, and/or an acknowledgment that you (as the brand) don’t need to reach everyone to find success.
And as a patron, you don’t need to consume everything, either.
I’m on the fence about what we’re living through creatively. Because on the one hand, I’ve never been happier and more bullish about creativity and the ability for anyone to birth an idea, build it, and share that thing with the world.
On the other hand, though, the accessibility that lets anyone launch anything at any time to anyone has lowered the barrier to entry and tanked the quality of those things.
And as a result, I think it’s given way to a lot more terrible stuff out there, and it’s made you (the consumer) smarter, because you’re able to weed through what’s good vs. what’s trash.
We’re in the business of trying to surface and share the best that’s possible out there. And we hope you keep us accountable with that on the content side, because all we want to do is share great brands, products, and stories that help you develop better taste and personal style.
Anyway, here are few things that have caught my eye lately.
Works & Days is putting respect on office uniform’s name
You have likely heard about Another Aspect, the minimal, sustainable Copenhagen-based brand. But it’s less likely you’ve heard about Works & Days, the younger (but equally as good) independent label designing clothes for the modern man.
I’ve known Raff Godrey for years, mostly via Instagram DMs, and we’ve been slowly watching his progress. He’s a certified one-man team, but I love how approachable these pieces feel for wearing to the office. Not that that’s his intention, but I think it feels a clear gap in the market.
Everything feels right, the draping, the shape and silhouette, and the balance of making casual clothing that somehow feels elevated.
Respect to Works & Days.
Note: they drop their AW26 products next week, and below is a teaser.
Please support the homies when it releases! Follow them here.
Spence is restoring the feeling
It’s been a while since we’ve plugged the good folks over at Spence, but we’re due for another re-introduction. The yung tennis brand has undoubtedly made their mark by injecting fun into sport with their playful art direction.
But their recent launch of Spence Labs is refreshing in its own way.
Taking their own core products like the simple, beloved crewneck, Spence teamed up with the legendary Dos Needles, and embroidery connessour, to do 1-of-1 custom stiching on the front chest.
Over Soon - new fragrance brand
Our good friend, Gustav, recently put us on to this phenomenal brand called Over Soon. The Danish fragrance company recently launched, aiming to create unique fragrances in limited batches that will never be reproduced for new customers.
When they launch a new scent, they only create 1,000 bottles in total.
And when it sells out, it’s gone.
I really appreciate this way of thinking, and it reminds me of the approach that luxury eyewear brand Jacques Marie Mage has taken in building its products.
If you’re unfamiliar, JMM produces roughly 450 pairs of eyewear per style, and once they’re gone, you can never get the same pair twice.
I think more brands should lean into this type of scarcity with their products, because ultimately it restores the honor of creating something that feels unique rather than mass-produced.
For the love of clothing tags
Too many large brands are getting lazy with their clothing labels and shirting tags, but if there’s one cohort of brands that are putting the proverbial team on their back and producing interesting ones, it’s the smaller independents. Here’s a recent roundup of clothing tags from brands I love, namely:
Service Works
Fera GB
William Ellery
Manresa
I hope we continue to invest in little design details like this, because it creates a stronger connection to the product and the story that a brand has to tell, especially about the product’s origins.
Gramicci continues to bring us back to Mother Nature
Gramicci are really leaning into the rawness of the outdoors and juxtaposing their climbing heritage with the multi-functionality of their gear.
Their AW26 collection is here, and the accompanying lookbook has us wanting to get the wind in our hair and the chalk under our fingernails.
Over the last several seasons, their content has shifted towards showcasing an authentic experience, portraying the seasonal offering as something meant to be lived in, not just worn.
A lot of brands have turned away from Gorpcore’s cinematic, high-level production that brought outerwear into the studios and off the peaks. But meanwhile, Gramicci is a perfect example of a brand returning to its source and not one that is just part of a trend cycle.
Long live Gramicci.
spence 🔥