The Holiday Grind

Holidays usually mean a time of relaxation and reflection, to catch up with family and take a breather from the stress of work. Well, when you run your own business, unfortunately that stress never goes away. So, while everyone was enjoying their eggnog and such, I was on the grind out in Vegas (work and pleasure for sure, ha!) and in LA, shopping the new Spring Line and trying to open accounts. The biggest obstacle while I was out West was my lack of a vehicle. LA and Vegas aren't exactly known for their public transportation.....

While I was out in the City of Sin, I had to see Fruition, which has gotten a whole bunch of press for it's celebrity clientele (namely Mr. West). The spot was super fresh, and Samantha, the owner/partner, and her sales crew were really cool and kind enough to chop it up with me for a minute about what they're trying to do on the hip-hop-inspired vintage tip. With all the homages in the street scene to 80's and early 90's hip-hop, it was refreshing to see someone out there actively finding and curating an entire vintage collection from these eras. Sometimes old can be new, ya dig? I felt that there were a lot parallels in what they were doing in terms of bring back items that were authentic and old-school to what we are trying to do with the old-school production style that we have been trying to cultivate.



Also I gotta give some shouts to Cyndy and Rico over at Cloth and Canvas for the love they showed to me and the line. I wish them the best of luck as their store continues to grow.





When I made it back to LA, I got to see the fam and enjoy the non-frigid weather of sunny Southern Cal, but stayed on the grind, where I spent two days on the road dropping off line sheets and showing samples. I got to sit down with Corey who owns a small boutique called Rescue out in Silverlake, which is an emerging area near Los Angeles (think an LA version of Williamsburg or the LES as the artists and hipsters started to occupy the area and you get the idea of what's happening there.) Luxury spots will be soon to follow, promise. One thing I definitely don't miss about LA is the commuting, the endless driving back and forth all over the damn place. I couldn't wait just to jump in the street and hail a cab or grab a train to dinner. But, the best part was that I made all my sales calls middle-school style, as my moms drove me from place to place since I no longer have a vehicle or any insurance (thanks Ma!).

But all in all, the trip was definitely positive, as I learned a bunch and got to meet some super cool boutique owners, and peep the fashion and street scene emerging in Silverlake and Vegas, where cats are definitely doing their thing. But, no rest now, this is just a sliver of the work still to be done and places needed to visit. Next up, Boston, DC, and Philly!