A Brief Introduction to Your New Favorite Brands

2014 has been the year of "let's start a 'high-end streetwear' brand!" And there is certainly no shortage of them. The upside to so many people entering the market is that it forces designers to think outside the box with designs and distribution in order to put themselves at the forefront of a saturated arena. On the other end, us consumers have to trudge our way through the mess like a hoarder trying to find a penny in their slop.

There are a handful of brands who have popped up recently or rebranded themselves for the better that have continuously caught the eye of people in-the-know, but are still on the path to an elevated presence. Instead of talking about them to try and convince you, we've given these brands' designers and owners a chance to introduce themselves and give you a unique perspective into what they have to offer, because who can sell their product better than them? Heed their message as they give you A Brief Introduction to Your New Favorite Brands.

For the guy who…wants the cozy basics with just the right amount of flair

The brand was pretty much born out of a sublimated T-shirt and has really thrived off of the ultra-popular Terry Tee, but your loungewear collection is quite extensive and continues to grow. It's obvious that quality is top of mind, so what plans do you and your team have to keep evolving?

Davin Gentry, co-founder: Our mission is really just to continue pushing the envelope and not only put out quality pieces but introduce essential items to people who might not be familiar with this culture.

When we first released the Terry Tee, a lot of customers had never spent more than $10 to $20 on a basic tee, let alone $60. But once they purchased the shirts, and inspected the fabric and fit, they understood the price point. Now we can continue warming them up to an elevated level of quality as they've seen its well worth it.

That being said, as the brand grows, we're always implementing new fabrics and details to classic pieces, like the Neoprene Bomber jacket, or the Boucle Wool Lounge Pants lined in French Terry. Still sticking to the basics but making them not so basic. That's the plan.

For the guy who…likes to experiment with different silhouettes and materials but doesn't want to deviate away from the dark

You like to explore unique silhouettes with dark palettes; a powerful movement the menswear industry is moving in currently. How do you differentiate Chapter from other brands in the category?

Devin Carlson, co-designer: We strive for a collection that engages our consumers on several levels; through the garments, of course, but also through digital installations, graphic artwork, creative imagery…we have a story behind every piece in the collection and we look to those stories as inspiration not only for our design team, but for our customers.

The clothes are certainly a key piece of the Chapter story, but as a brand, we are always looking beyond that as well. I also think our approach to honest, simple design is unique. All of our pieces, our fabrics, our designs are subtle but unique at the same time. Unique in their simplicity. We might evolve that notion from one season to the next, but you will always see a common thread of honest, clean design in all our work.

For the guy who…refuses to give up high-end, high-quality streetwear, but is willing to get a little more buttoned up

Daily Paper Clothing definitely tries to cover the spectrum of a streetwear consumer's closet, ranging from logo tees and five panels to high-quality varsity jackets and flannel shirts. What's the main philosophy you try to uphold as a designer to make sure you aren't falling into the same category as other streetwear brands trying to do something similar?

Hussein Suleiman, co-founder: For our designs we try to stay close to ourselves. We felt the need to connect contemporary menswear and African culture, since that was never done before correctly.

For us this was a challenge and we decided to translate African heritage into pieces that guys can wear on a daily basis, instead of making exact copies of African elements. So the patterns you see in our collections are not copies of African style aspects, but a reflection of our interpretation of them. By doing so we take away some of the "folklore" and make African culture more accessible and contemporary, so it’s easier for men to match the items with their existing wardrobe.

We try to remain authentic by having the African heritage as a constant factor, but to stay relevant it’s also very important to cater to a wide audience. By balancing European and African style elements, resulting in a blend of wearable unique clothes, we attract a broad target group. The combination of western silhouettes and African inspired prints and color has proven to be a winning team.

For inspiration we look at African culture in general, from architecture to engravings on traditional Malian cutlery and Moroccan tiles. Currently, we are working on a collection inspired by the Imazighen people of North Africa.

As icing on the cake we shoot our look books on the continent that serves as our main source of inspiration. For our Spring/Summer 14 collection we flew to Marrakech and eventually drove 12 hours south to reach the gates of the Sahara where the shoot took place. All in order to get our philosophy across and differentiate ourselves from the numerous brands out there.

For the guy who…loves luxurious staples that include the perfect amount of differentiating details

How has your work in the womenswear industry shaped your view on the changing landscape of menswear and how does it directly effect your design work with Pyer Moss?

Kerby Jean-Raymond, designer: My first foray into fashion was working under Kay Unger on women’s evening and RTW. Without question, this helped lay the groundwork for my career as a menswear designer by exposing me to fabrics and finishes that I may not have utilized otherwise. I remember shopping for silks and viscose knits for women's evening wear and thinking—man, this stuff would make a great t-shirt. Had I only worked in menswear, I wouldn't have had the insight to develop some of the fabrication methods I use when I’m creating Pyer Moss.

For the guy who…tends to steer towards classic menswear, but doesn't mind a tweak to a cut or a pop of color

Everyone knows of your work with Brooklyn We Go Hard and how the focus there was truly on streetwear with some menswear flair. Describe the difference in Harmony Paris and what made you go with direction?

David Obadia, designer: The main difference between BWGH and Harmony is reflected in the fact that Harmony is much more personal and it’s more of a personal journey. It was what I want to wear and what I want girls to wear daily: clothes that are super simple, simply beautiful, ultra minimal, elegant and monochromatic. I cannot deny I come from streetwear but Harmony is simply my personal evolution and what it is what I want in my life right now.

For the guy who…wants the high-end streetwear look the youth are absolutely dominating right now

As a young business owner, you've got a pretty fresh perspective on how high-end streetwear has evolved and you're working to establish your brand as a contender in the category. What are the things you concentrate on as you try to climb atop a niche that has new brands popping up all the time?

George Heaton, creative director: Everything comes with experience. Establishing the brand is something that comes with time, commitment and passion for what we produce.

As I’m at the age of my own target market, a concentration for me is to make sure every single product we create is something I’d feel comfortable wearing, whilst maintaining a unique look. We’re constantly developing and testing amazing fabrics from all over the world. And this year will show such a step up in our 2015 Collections within the high-end street category.

New brands popping up here, there, and everywhere doesn’t affect us at all because we’re constantly developing a stronger and stronger following since day one with organic growth.

For the guy who…wants high-end designs with little details to seal the deal

How has your father, a co-founder of the brand, shaped your understanding of the industry? And how has this mutual understanding help create the aesthetic you guys are aiming for with Lease on Life Society?

Everard Best, co-founder: The way my dad has shaped my understanding of the industry is by broadening my horizons when it comes to doing new projects. Whatever it is that's new that the brand wants to do, he gives his input and the next week we're in production. Essentially, he's teaching me that there are no limits but the ones that you create, if you want to get something done, you will do it.

We're building an aesthetic, and I'm not too sure it can be properly explained right now but it's getting to the point where it needs to be. It's progression.

For the guy who…loves the L.A. culture and wants to get the best menswear pieces that have come out of it

Explain how you've mixed the Los Angeles culture into your menswear collections. Especially when Los Angeles has largely been more of a hub for streetwear with a shift, as of late, to more contemporary menswear?

Alejandro Rodriguez, owner: Mixing it in is the easy part, it's holding back enough that is a little more difficult. Menswear is all based on points of reference. Whether it’s military, sports, workwear, etc. The trick to designing is pulling out enough of those elements to keep it fresh, but holding back enough so it doesn’t look like a costume. My points of reference have always been what I’ve seen growing up: Los Angeles.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in one of the best cities in the world, within one of the best parts of it. When I say best, I don’t mean wealthy or safe or anything like that. I mean best as the most culturally diverse, fun, creative, and just cool places. The Westside. Venice, Culver City, Santa Monica.

On top of that, I believe I grew up in kind of a Golden Age for LA. The late '80s and '90s had so many stylish subcultures going on that we never get credit for. The Venice Beach punk rock scene, the gang culture, lowrider culture, the Hollywood rock 'n roll culture. And those are just a few. It's funny now when I see blogs talking about “reverse cholo zippers,” like it's some fashion trend, but for me and all the other kids growing up in LA, that’s what we saw. Wifebeaters with flannels for the cholos, flipped up trucker hats and leather jackets for the punks. They made statements with their style, not necessarily a printed T-shirt or hoodie.

That’s what I always saw. That’s what drew me to style. That’s why I believe I’ve chosen a menswear lane in this ocean of streetwear. It's been a battle. Its been tough, but I’ve always kind of done things a little differently.

Without getting too much off-topic, I guess I just do what I know. I’m not going to sit here and lie like I’ve worn vintage boots and leather jackets all my life. Of course I went through my awkward stage of jeans five sizes too big and fitted hats. But now I just incorporate all the things that gave me the best memories growing up in LA. If I grew up in another place, I’m sure my collection would be completely different.