Local manufacturing in the name of fashion

Yesterday I saw a post on Product Hunt for a denim company, which seemed odd on the tech-focused blog, but not out of the ordinary considering there have also been postings for book releases and food (and if you have not yet checked out Product Hunt, go spend some time nerding out, browsing the postings). Hiut Denim Company is a startup based in the small Welsh town of Cardigan, only 4,000 strong, that used to be home to a denim factory that employed 10% of the town and churned out 35,000 pairs of jeans a week. Then the factory closed, “but all that skill and knowhow remained,” though few outside the town would know.

Hiut Denim was founded to restart the factory, utilize the existing skills, and bring economic vitality back to the town. The brand prides itself on a singular focus: “We make jeans. That’s it. Nothing else. No distractions… No kidding ourselves that we can be good at everything.” They also strongly advocate a no wash policy for the first six months, the factory can only make 100 pairs a week,  and they currently only work with stockists in Europe, but the restrictions give it a clubby, in-the-know feeling. Though the company has been around for a few years, will be interested to follow their progress now (and the blog!).

Hiut reminds me of another startup, Satya Twena hats, which started with a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to restart operations at a New York hat factory that she had been using for her business. I participated in the campaign, got my custom made hat, and have been following their progress since – several of the hats were even featured in Bill Cunningham’s “On the Street” weekly piece. Twena’s efforts are part of a larger push to bring fashion manufacturing back to New York, and with two successful Kickstarter campaigns and a slew of press, I hope the millinery will be part of the movement for a while. 

Wired UK

Have really enjoyed working for such a dynamic company, and love seeing the CEO on the cover – inspiring to see a (Columbia!) MBA fashion world outsider become so successful:

“To achieve this Marchetti has done something that, in the year 2000, appeared unlikely: he has succeeded in persuading executives in the luxury good industry, many of whom were initially skeptical toward online retail, that e-commerce can complement their traditional activities by providing them with a global sales platform and new ways of marketing their products through responsive, elegant websites.”

Ligurian Coast

This past weekend I decided to make like the Milanese and head for the coast. For some reason, I had always wanted to go to Portofino, enthralled with the jet set reputation. Therefore, I bought a train ticket, booked an Airbnb, packed up the Goyard, and left early Saturday morning. Though the weather was dismal on the way there, we literally came out of a tunnel and lo and behold, the coast was perfectly sunny. The old woman sitting across from me did a little cheer, and started telling me about how the weather can be so different between the coast and the city. I managed to catch every few words.

The train actually stops in nearby Santa Margherita, another gem of a resort town, with a well-established strip along the coast and a decent sized harbor with sailboats and occasional motor boat. For just 6 euros one can take a small ferry from Santa Margherita to Portofino, a ten minute ride with beautiful views, not least arriving into tiny Portofino. It really was much smaller than I expected, consisting of shops and restaurants ringing the harbor, and two other lanes with a handful of negozi. Though the word “shop” might not apply given they were boutiques for Louis Vuitton, Loro Piana, and Hermes. Then there’s Spinnaker and Mingo, both started in Portofino decades ago, and serving up additional designer goods and Italian leather shoes. It was beautiful, and peaceful, to be in such a secluded town on the water, but as a solo traveler, only so much time can be spent wandering three streets and one hiking trail (which I tried in patent leather flats). I’ve decided that if and when I return, it will be on my own boat, no ferries allowed.

 Then it was off to Genova for the night, a beautiful port city that gets a bad rep in Italy. The old town area is full of winding alleys, grandiose palazzi, and restaurants spilling out onto the streets. Genova is also the birthplace of pesto, thus I felt obliged to order a traditional pesto pasta for dinner. That, along with curry and orange mussels and local wine, at the lovely Pintori. When I ordered the wine the waitress asked “just one glass?” as if that was a ridiculous thing to do. I went along with the half bottle, and did not regret it.

Un Posto a Milano

Last Friday I tagged along to a birthday party for a South African industrial designer who has been living in Milan for the past few years. A short cab ride from Navigli to Cascina Cuccagna, the venue was everything you would look for on a Friday night in the city - house prosecco, aperitivo snacks, plentiful outdoor space, and lawn chairs in the grass. The crowd at the restaurant was slightly older, and the birthday party was decidedly international. South African, German, American, Spanish, Swiss, Italian, most hailing from SPD, the Scuola Politecnica di Design. One conversation with an Italian architect focused on the American films from the 1960's, while a relocated Swiss tried to argue against our claims Switzerland was more beautiful than Italy. I really enjoy meeting interesting, ambitious, people who have found something unique to pursue and you can tell are going to be successful, in their own way. New York is chock full of this type of person, but I am mostly surrounded by the business type at school, and have loved meeting more the artsy and creative while here.

Semis on the river

For the World Cup, Adidas has set up quite the scene along the Naviglio, on the canal next to mine. There are several outdoor viewing screens, a small floating area with lawn chairs and a private screen, and a floating mini football field. I met up with my German friend and coworker, and we set out for the screen at the southern end of the action. A BYOB crowd had already formed, so we asked the closest restaurant if it was possible to order a drink to go - and this being lovely Italy - it was! Two panaches (beer + sprite) in plastic cups, and we were set for the game. Such a fun atmosphere, even though Italy wasn't playing.

Arrivo a Milano

Last week I arrived in Milan for the summer, settling in for an internship in between my first and second year at business school. I am working in fashion tech, specifically luxury, and couldn't be more excited to experience the Italian way of life at work and around the city. Though I have traveled extensively (23 countries), I had yet to work abroad for more than a month, having previously worked with a NGO in Panama for a few weeks. 

This weekend, fine settimana, was my first opportunity to really explore the neighborhood, and take in the atmosphere of the city. Coming from New York, I liken it to the East Village. Restaurants and small shops line the two canals, with nightly aperitivo offering up a drink and full buffet for a mere 8 - 10 euros. A lovely way to start, and continue, the night.

The picture above is of my (nuova) friend Sonja, from Frankfurt, who works at my company and just started in PR. Her apartment is absolutely adorable, the greenery is almost too perfect, so had to snap this picture.