Finding Enlightenment

Avoiding the darkness of e-commerce armageddon and 24+ small brands to support.

I saw a sign on a store here in Paris that just said Black Week, and that about summed it up for me. It feels like these sales have taken a turn towards the dark side. I’m here to tell you that it’s ok if you don’t buy anything for the next few weeks. Or if you do, let’s think about things differently.

Perhaps we take this time to reflect on what buying something means to a company and also how it makes you feel. If you are like me, these wide-scale sale periods are unsettling. Sure, I like a lot of these things, but I don’t really need most of them. I feel overwhelmed by the sales and the emails. I don’t need an email a week out about how a sale is going to work and when they’re happening. This is all just weird and unhinged behavior from zombie e-commerce people. Maybe we should revisit our priorities. A few thoughts for navigating the most wonderful time of the year.

1. Write it out. Make a shopping list of needs and instead of spending time browsing, dedicate that energy to thinking of what you are looking for specifically. This will prevent going down rabbit holes for things you don’t need. Even better, start a “buy list” where instead of buying things, you write them down and give it some time to consider before buying. If you come back and really want an item, then at that point you can release it from the list. I do this with Amazon by saving things for later in my cart, which generally saves me from buying them on impulse.

2. Work efficiently. Everyone is seeing prices go up, and it’s not fun. Sure, discounts help with things we actually need. There’s no shame in getting more for your money. Let’s have a game plan, though. If you are really shopping for the holidays, then actually buy gifts while they are on sale and then get yourself out of there. If you need some new winter clothes, go for it. If you focus on purchasing well-made and high-quality things, that helps. Buy with purpose and intention. If you miss something, the sale will probably be on a bigger discount next year anyway.

3. Think about the brands you are supporting. There are a lot of small companies out there that your support makes a huge difference. These are little brands that pack their own orders, and every sale actually matters to them. It could almost be a cliché at this point, but supporting small brands matters now more than ever. I personally try to buy from places where my order actually means something to them.

This is a good moment to reconsider our habits. What do we want to do with our money, and how can it help promote a world we want to see?

Ghiaia — Ghiaia is one of the inspiring brands (and people) I know. I love everything Davide Baroncini touches. This is a great brand to support — to either buy as a gift or to give to yourself. If you are near Pasadena, make a point to stop by the little shop in San Marino.

Warren — Founded by Peter Holoien, Warren is a relatively new brand that makes a few very nice items, all made entirely in New England. I have the Six Season Flannel, and it is excellent — I highly recommend it.

Oxford Pennant — The pride of Buffalo! Oxford Pennant is potentially the most creative company I know. Everything is made in-house and there’s so much fun stuff here.

Soft Goods — Detroit-based manufacturer is making fleece and other casual wear right in Detroit. Where can you find high-quality, USA-made thermals at a fair price?

Viberg — A third-generation Canadian bootmaker, Viberg has continued to evolve and produce the finest-quality leather footwear at its own factory in Victoria, British Columbia.

Billykirk — Brothers Chris and Kirk Bray have been making bags and leather accessories for over 25 years. Billykirk was one of the first movers in the resurgence of craft leather goods in the US. Before there was ACL or any of the hundreds of small leather goods brands, there was Billykirk.

Lowland — A relatively under-the-radar (which should be more on the radar of people) brand from Christophe Hascoat. Back in the early days of ACL, Christophe had an awesome little brand called Taylor Supply, which was making a lot of great clothes in the US. I came to love his sensibility and have followed his career closely. Lowland is purely his own vision and I wear pieces from his line every week. Every order means a lot to him and I know

Adsum — People who know Adsum really, really love it. I just think more people need to know how great this brand is. The new outerwear is especially good, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Adsum isn’t some massive brand in a few years.

American Trench — I’ve never met anyone more committed to making clothing in the US than American Trench founder Jacob Hurwitz. What started as a single item has grown into a full collection, all overseen by Jacob. Everything that carries the American Trench label is well-made, but more importantly, has soul.

August Special — An upstart footwear brand with only a handful of different styles that are all handmade in Italy. To me, it feels like the brand is taking the best elements of different beloved footwear brands and putting its own impression on classic styling. This is a good brand worth supporting.

Pinebury – An entirely made in USA line of wool adventure and cycling gear. Pinebury has advocated for merino wool and really made some amazing things from one of the most underrated clothing materials. I love this line and have so much respect for Kyle Rancourt who is building it entirely on his own.

Rose & Co — This is my favorite eyewear brand for sun and optical. I love the shapes and the quality of these frames. A lot of eyewear brands get really hung up on building their brand around manufacturing in one specific place, and that defines everything they do. Rose & Co. makes specific frames in different places depending on the experience with the materials or the factory. This helps to set up the best possible price-to-quality ratio.

Rivay — If you’ve been reading here, you know them. Based in Bedford, New York, Rivay is one of the brands I wear the most. I love the entire collection and the founders Jon and Katie are great people making really lovely things. This brand looks big but it’s really a small family operation at this point. One day, when Rivay has 250 stores, we will say we remember when it was just two people!

Quiet Golf — A great new-ish golf brand based in Costa Mesa. Quiet is balancing traditional golf clothing with a modern approach to golf and it’s working. This stuff is great and this brand is going to be huge. Mark my words.

Original Madras Trading Company — You might know OMTC from the shirts we have made together (we have some new styles coming in about a week). Or perhaps you know it for being a lovely maker of Indian handloom cloth. The brand does make some great heavier garments that work well for the colder months. Whenever I wear OMTC I get a lot of compliments — and I’ll take all I can get!

Tellason — If you buy a pair of jeans from Tellason, chances are one of the founders, Tony Patella and Pete Searson, will call you to make sure the sizing is right to ensure a good fit. This is the hands-on approach you get from a little brand. Tellason is a deliberately simple business that is focused on all the right things.

Rancourt — When you need Penny Loafers, Ranger Mocs, Blucher Mocs this is the handsewn maker of choice. The Rancourt Family are experts in the tradition of American hand-sewn shoes and continues to design and manufacture in Lewiston, Maine.

Wythe — Sometimes, when a brand is really good at making clothes, you forget that they are small. This is the situation with Wythe. It has a great store, the collection is well done and it feels very complete.

Auter — A brand new outerwear brand that just launched this season. Everything is made in Italy from materials that look (and feel) amazing. This topcoat and my current trip to Paris have me feeling very strongly about this topcoat.

J. Mueser — The tailor we all know and love, but people might not realize that J. Mueser makes a lovely collection of sportswear as well. While the brand seems big, it’s still very much a personal operation, and Jake is highly involved (and in the shop most days). I think it’s easy to overlook companies like this, but I’m here to remind you that these are the places we need in the world.

Manresa — Recently, Manresa shifted all of its manufacturing back to the US and has completely rethought its model for making clothes. The styling of this line is great and the approach is simple. If you want a good, solid pair of pants or a hoodie, then this is the place for you.

Tailor’s Keep — These guys are insane in the best possible way – making bespoke tailored clothing right in San Francisco. I just worked with them on a sport coat and I’ve never experienced anything like it. When I took delivery, I didn’t take that thing off for 3 days! This is a really special company doing things at the highest levels.

Corridor — I met the Corridor Founder, Dan, in his early days and remain a huge fan of what he has built. Corridor’s clothing has so much great texture and uniqueness, I love the world they have built, and every time I stop in a shop I find 4 things I want to buy.