sprezza

Friends and family, hopefully you’re staying hydrated with the A/C on, or those oscillating fans plugged in, because we’re in another heatwave. Today, we’ve got a shorts shopping guide. Whether you’re showing off those pale thighs in a 5-inch inseam, rocking the classic 7-inchers, or wearing a pair that hangs well below the knee and grazes your calves, t…

In fashion, as in life, brand identities tend to ebb and flow. Maybe a label spends a season chasing trends or drops a collaboration that doesn’t land. It happens. But the product itself shouldn’t have to suffer because of it. One brand that’s managed to stay consistent is Earth\Studies. Based in Portland, Oregon, the label began in 2017 when founder Rob Darmour started it as a hiking club. In 2018, it evolved into a clothing brand called it Vanishes before rebranding to Earth\Studies in 2021.

Note: This piece is in partnership with G.H.Bass, but the framing in this article, along with the title and POV are mine; nothing was dictated by the brand. Last week we were in Paris for Men’s Fashion Week, where we were lucky enough to partner with G.H. Bass and deliver one of the better brand activations I’ve seen in a while. To celebrate their 150th anniversary, they transformed La Patate Douce into The Penny Shoe Store, an installation designed to feel like a traditional American shoe shop.

Friends and family, we’re in the thick of summer (for those in the northern hemisphere) and today we’ve got another shopping guide for a topic that’s near to our hearts: open-toed shoes. More specifically, the no-sock footwear includes sandals, slippers, flip-flops, and slides.

Everything Horatio touches turns to gold. Young London brand, and what Nick and Billy are building is seriously impressive, especially for being fully bootstrapped. I spent some time with them at their Soho store last month and they’re standup guys doing it the right way, no shortcuts. The knitwear is where it clicks for me: they’re remixing the classics, but with a restraint most brands miss. The rollback sweater has quietly worked its way into my rotation.

When I think of Detroit, I think of a city of makers. From J Dilla crafting Donuts and Berry Gordy producing some of Motown’s greatest hits at Hitsville U.S.A., to Carhartt’s double-knee work pants and Ford’s lasting imprint on the automotive industry, Detroit has always been a place where things get made. Their Heavyweight Tee feels like the T-shirt equivalent of Red Wing’s ubiquitous Moc Toe boot—substantial, dependable, and somehow better every time you wear it.

It’s ten years now since I started making coffee at home. I started with no knowledge other than knowing I liked coffee. As soon as I started to share coffee bits on Instagram stories people straight away told me I was doing it wrong. Now, that can come across as helpful and genuine or I can come across as darn right rude and elitist.

Big thanks to my guy Mariano for this phenomenal design! We’ll be in Paris next week for the men’s fashion circuit, covering (once again) the next wave of brands, the products they’re making, and catching up with designers and creatives alike.

5 years ago, I sat across from Andrew Chen in the back of 3sixteen’s store in Nolita and showed him a hoodie sample I’d been working on; it was a mix of vintage Navy sweaters and something you’d see from Number (N)ine. He gave me some advice on sizing, production & sampling, and on how to commit to and chase that dream. I never ended up making any of those sweaters.

Sprezza editor, Leon, with the legendary Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard Patagonia continues to fascinate me. From its early fleece innovations with Polartec to its unimpeachable staples like the Patagonia Baggies, Stand Up Shorts, Retro-X, Synchilla, and Nano Puff series. And while the brand intentionally avoids ballooning its SKU count season after season, it’s constantly trying to shrink something else: its environmental footprint.