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One Man Operation with Derick Cano
144 Plays1 month ago
This week, an issue near and dear to your hosts and even producer: clothes for short people. We interview Deric Cano, all around radiant, Californian, someone who loves/tries to support his home community, and founder of the brand Art Cano. We chat about the struggles of getting a clothing brand off the ground, learning things on the fly, breaking gender norms, a deep love of vintage garments, stigmas around country of origin, buzzword designing, ethical manufacturing, and so much more!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:01
Conor Fowler
Good afternoon. i am Connor Flower, one of your hosts. This is Apocalypse Duds.
00:00:06
matt
and i And I am Matt Smith, your other host.
00:00:10
Conor Fowler
Sorry, Matt. Yeah. ah And we have Derek Cano in the studio, ah the brand Art Cano.
00:00:13
Derick
Thank
00:00:19
Conor Fowler
and i think... We have a pretty exciting show today. it's it's It's not often that we get to talk to somebody in the position that you are in a fledgling brand. um And so Matt and I have been talking about this all week.
00:00:34
Conor Fowler
I mean, I think it'll be really interesting to sort of pick your brain and vice versa about, um because as as you know, we are a fledgling podcast, so it's kind
00:00:43
Derick
Right,
Brand Inspiration and Origins
00:00:44
Derick
right. I've looked at a lot of ah your content. Like I've seen your thing with Derek Guy and a few of the other guys. I'm like, wow, this is actually pretty incredible. You guys match people.
00:00:44
Conor Fowler
of in a similar
00:00:51
Conor Fowler
hey Well, we've made it all out of nothing.
00:00:52
matt
ah
00:00:55
Conor Fowler
We've made it out of whole cloth.
00:00:55
Derick
Yeah.
00:00:56
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:00:56
Conor Fowler
so
00:00:56
matt
We just, you know, it's...
00:00:57
Derick
I think I'd be stuck in the inbox, you know, just just sitting there.
00:01:01
matt
It's fun, like, just talking to whoever. Like, you know, we've we've had a variety of guests on the show.
00:01:04
Derick
Right.
00:01:06
matt
Like, you know, not everybody's a clothing person, but, we you know, everyone wears clothing, so I guess we're all technically clothing people.
00:01:13
Derick
Exactly. I guess everybody's a building person, you know?
00:01:15
matt
But yeah. Yeah. Well, ah welcome, Derek.
00:01:17
Derick
Yeah.
00:01:18
Conor Fowler
and And that's an important point.
00:01:20
matt
Yeah.
00:01:20
Derick
Yeah.
00:01:21
Derick
Thank you very much.
00:01:21
matt
So um to get started, ah where are you from and where are you now?
00:01:26
Derick
Well, I'm ah from Modesto, California. It's a really small like Central Valley town. i don't know if you guys know anything about California, but we live here in the Central Valley.
00:01:33
matt
Yeah.
00:01:33
Derick
It's like really agricultural based. There's not too much like on terms of the fashion scene. There's not a whole lot of stuff out here. You know, there's a lot stylish people, but like it's not so much as like, let's say you go to a major city like Los Angeles or San Francisco, somewhere like that.
00:01:40
matt
right
00:01:47
Derick
You'll see a lot more like, you know, exorbitant fashion and more interesting things. But a lot of people out here like to dress more like alternative, i' would say. There's a big alternative community in scene.
00:01:56
matt
Oh, that's sick. Yeah.
00:01:57
Conor Fowler
It shows, it really shows, I think like the, um, for our people who have not yet checked out the website, I mean, the website itself is very, uh, aesthetically pleasant.
00:01:58
Derick
Yeah.
00:02:08
Derick
Yeah.
Creative Process and Challenges
00:02:09
Conor Fowler
I assume that you did, we're going to get into this like in a little bit, but I assume you did most of the like creative for that. Um, or you and your.
00:02:16
Derick
I did pretty much everything i've that's brand related is just done by me or.
00:02:22
Conor Fowler
So that's exactly our kind of thing.
00:02:22
Derick
Yeah.
00:02:24
Conor Fowler
That's awesome, dude.
00:02:25
Derick
Yeah.
00:02:26
Conor Fowler
Cause it's really good looking.
00:02:26
Derick
called i Yeah.
00:02:27
Conor Fowler
It's so cohesive and like it, it tells a story, right? Which is like what everybody says is important.
00:02:32
Derick
Right.
00:02:33
Conor Fowler
So.
00:02:34
Derick
Yeah. But I, I will give a lot of credit to my friends. I have quite a few friends that have helped me out. You know, a lot of my models are just friends. So they're not like people that I've like, you know, recruited specifically. I don't have that kind of like a social capital or money or anything like that.
00:02:47
Derick
You know, I'm just, I'm just he a 20 year old guy.
00:02:48
matt
Right, right.
00:02:50
Derick
You know, I go to like a community college. It's nothing. I'm not some brand.
00:02:52
matt
Wait, you're twenty you're only 20?
00:02:54
Derick
I'm 20 years old. Yeah.
00:02:56
matt
Fuck, that's awesome, man.
00:02:57
Derick
Yeah.
00:02:57
Conor Fowler
That's crazy, dude, because we've got an age limit on this show.
00:02:58
Derick
Thank you very Yeah.
00:03:00
Conor Fowler
ah but you snuck in. That's incredible because the brand is very like I said fledgling, but it's like more fleshed out than that, I would say.
00:03:11
Conor Fowler
Good.
00:03:11
Derick
Yeah. I mean, like I said, I don't really come from a business background. My parents aren't business people. You know, we're we're just simple people. We're from the Central Valley. We're not, I'm not a rich kid. I'm sorry. I'm just not. And otherwise, you know, my brand would be a lot bigger, hopefully, you know, and
00:03:22
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:03:24
matt
Right.
00:03:25
Derick
But things are coming along. You know, it's been really difficult, truth be told. ah This summer, we didn't sell very many clothes. And I was like, i don't even I don't even think I have enough money. And then we dropped our corduroys, and those did incredibly well.
00:03:37
Derick
And yeah.
00:03:38
matt
yeah Yeah, that's a that's a really cool style.
00:03:38
Conor Fowler
yeah yeah dude every person I have shown it to has talked about the corduroy that's the first thing they talk about uh and this is a this is a wide swath of people um so I think that there's really as you know there's real uh interest in that like kind of unisex I guess
00:03:40
Derick
Thank you very much. Yeah.
00:03:56
Derick
Right.
00:03:59
Derick
It's very unisex, I would say overall. You know, certain things look better on men and women. I know that's probably a controversial thing, but like, you know, certain things just do look better. But I feel like the clothes I make are purposely
Fashion Philosophy and Cultural Perceptions
00:04:12
Derick
unisex.
00:04:12
Derick
That is one thing that I've tried to do because like my girlfriend, for example, she wears a lot of my clothing.
00:04:13
matt
Hell
00:04:17
Derick
Like she's probably wearing my jeans right now because she she wears to work, right? So because she works at a belly counter, she likes wearing my jeans.
00:04:22
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:04:24
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:04:24
Derick
or she will wear the corduroys, you know, to keep her warm. And I don't think it necessarily has a sex, you know, or gender assigned to just the clothing itself. I mean, it's just a shirt. It's just a pair of pants, you know?
00:04:34
Conor Fowler
Yeah. Yeah.
00:04:34
Derick
So...
00:04:35
Conor Fowler
And that is a good, that is a good way to move forward, I think, definitely.
00:04:39
Derick
Yeah, and a lot of guys will limit themselves on like what they'll wear. You know, I'm sure you guys are like more like experimentative than like a normal guy. Like you guys might wear like a bag or something, right? But like so many guys I know, or like just online, I'm sure you guys have seen this, that they'll be like, that guy's wearing a bag.
00:04:57
Derick
He's gay.
00:04:58
matt
Right, right.
00:04:58
Derick
It's like, well, yeah.
00:04:58
Conor Fowler
Right, right. Or he's worse, he's European.
00:05:02
Derick
Yeah, he's like, he's European.
00:05:02
Conor Fowler
ah and so
00:05:04
Derick
Yeah, he's European. That's the worst, you know?
00:05:06
Conor Fowler
Well, dude, yeah, that it's like, I carry a bag every single day. I think Matt does also. um it's not a, it's, it's, it is a bizarrely gendered thing.
00:05:11
Derick
Right.
00:05:16
Conor Fowler
Like we have made it, we have made it something like it's unmanly to have a bag, to not carry things in your pockets.
00:05:16
Derick
Right.
00:05:22
Derick
Right.
00:05:23
Conor Fowler
And that's something that we talk about on the show.
00:05:23
matt
Right.
00:05:25
Conor Fowler
It's like, what the, I mean, what, what is, what is it about the pocket that is so, uh, manly,
00:05:31
Derick
Right, right.
00:05:31
Conor Fowler
um
00:05:32
Derick
It's like you want to just stuff all your stuff in your in your pockets and it's got to be bulging out and stuff.
00:05:32
matt
Right.
00:05:36
Conor Fowler
Exactly. it it's It destroys the line of your garments.
00:05:37
Derick
Right. Just get a duffel bag, man. just get a like ah like I just bought a yeah Romanian military shoulder bag from Americana Pipe Dream, and I really love it. It's beautiful. It's canvas.
00:05:48
Derick
I don't know exactly what year it's quite from, but i mean I love it. I put all my notebooks and stuff. I go to class, take it. There's nothing wrong with that. i don't know what this There's like a weird obsession with like gayness in fashion. and I know that's that's probably like a controversial thing and whatever, but...
00:06:03
Derick
Like they always just feel like, first of all, I mean, a lot of fashion people like the top, right?
00:06:03
matt
Yeah. Right.
00:06:05
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:06:08
Derick
Like, let's say a lot of designers are gay, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's like, that's just what they happen to be. I don't know why straight guys make a huge deal out of it. It's like, I don't understand. I really don't get it.
00:06:19
Derick
And it doesn't really bother me. So it's like, you know, or like, they'll so like i so there's this one guy on Instagram. He like will like crop his shirts or something, and you'll just see like flood of dudes just being like, that's gay, that's feminine, that's this, that's that. and it's like, dude, it's just a shirt.
00:06:34
matt
Right, right. Also, who gives a shit?
00:06:35
Derick
What's asking you much about a shirt?
00:06:36
Conor Fowler
Well, but, it is more than a shirt.
00:06:37
Derick
Right.
00:06:40
Conor Fowler
It's a cultural subversion.
00:06:40
Derick
right
00:06:42
Derick
Right.
00:06:43
Conor Fowler
You know, it's like a fuck you.
00:06:43
Derick
But still, the basis is... Right. But the basis is that they're trying to so assign like a sexuality or like gender to the shirt.
00:06:47
Conor Fowler
And
00:06:51
Derick
And it's just like... I mean, it's a beautiful shirt, and maybe they're trying to say something with it, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they're this or that. And i don't know why so many dudes get caught up in thinking, is this going to make me look like a woman or this or that?
00:07:04
Derick
It's like, dude, just just relax, man. Just wear what you want to wear. is not a big deal It's really not a big deal.
00:07:08
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:07:08
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:07:10
Derick
Or even I'll get...
00:07:10
matt
it's not that
00:07:10
Conor Fowler
Well,
00:07:11
matt
It's not that serious.
00:07:11
Derick
Yeah. It's not that serious.
00:07:14
Conor Fowler
and Matt tells me that all the time, which is sage advice, I would say. Like, it's not that serious because it's really not that serious because people are not thinking about you that much.
00:07:22
Derick
it's not.
00:07:25
Conor Fowler
And if they are thinking about you that much, there's something seriously wrong with them.
00:07:29
Derick
Right.
00:07:31
matt
Yeah.
00:07:31
Derick
We got bigger things to worry about.
00:07:33
Conor Fowler
Exactly.
00:07:33
Derick
this
00:07:34
Conor Fowler
if I am, if I am the object of your concern,
00:07:34
matt
Right.
00:07:39
Conor Fowler
that's a big problem for you.
00:07:40
Derick
Right. Exactly.
Online Selling Challenges
00:07:42
Derick
So like I even get a lot of complaints like, Hey, your shirts are too short. Or like I tried on your shirt and it was too short. And it's like, well, I mean, it's cro clearly in the description, you know, it's a cropped shirt, you know, I don't know what you expected, you know, and I have the full measurement list and everything on my website too.
00:07:52
Conor Fowler
Right, size up.
00:07:53
matt
Right.
00:07:58
Derick
And it's like, well, you should have checked, you know, and I'll i'll accept returns. I accept returns all the time. but it's like, you paid, you got what you ordered and then you complain about it. I don't, I don't really get the behind it.
00:08:10
Derick
You know, i don't really understand. Yeah.
00:08:11
matt
Yeah. Well, so selling clothes online is across the board frustrating. i don't care who it is, you know,
00:08:16
Derick
Right, it's difficult. But, yeah, go ahead.
00:08:20
matt
Oh, I was going to say, like, I sell vintage and, you know, do a lot on eBay.
00:08:23
Derick
Oh.
00:08:24
matt
um
00:08:24
Derick
You know, so you know.
00:08:25
matt
And yeah, oh, yeah, yeah. And like, you know, I know, or i have a lot of friends that are, um you know, in the industry in various ways and like, you know, do their own thing.
00:08:27
Derick
Yeah.
00:08:36
matt
It's like them, you know, them alone or them with like a team of five people.
00:08:36
Derick
Right.
00:08:39
matt
And it's like, we're not fucking Barneys, you know, like we we we're not Amazon.
00:08:42
Derick
Yeah. hu Yeah.
00:08:44
Conor Fowler
with even stilth Which even still is a small operation, right?
00:08:44
matt
We can't just eat.
00:08:45
Derick
Right.
00:08:48
matt
Yeah, yeah. I mean, for sure. But like, we're not Amazon. and We can't just eat the cost of of these various things.
00:08:52
Conor Fowler
Yeah, right.
00:08:53
Derick
Right, exactly.
00:08:54
Conor Fowler
Nice.
00:08:55
Derick
Like, you know, it's very expensive to ship back and restock and then repost it and all the marketing goes into it.
00:08:59
matt
Right, right.
00:09:00
Derick
It's just a pain. It really is a pain.
00:09:01
matt
Yeah, totally. Totally. So, ah Derek, can you give us, you know, kind of a brief history of Arkano?
00:09:10
Derick
Uh, well, there is only a brief history because we we've only been in business for about a ah year, I'd say like I started my company on, uh, October 18th, I think, but that's no, no products or anything.
00:09:13
Conor Fowler
ah nice
00:09:18
matt
Okay.
00:09:23
Derick
That was just like when I went to my lawyer, who's a friend of mine's dad. Um, so very lucky on, very lucky on that. I've had so many wonderful and helpful people along the way to, uh, get to my brand.
00:09:34
matt
That's great.
00:09:36
Derick
And I'm really,
00:09:36
Conor Fowler
You seem like you seem like at the very least a humble person and that will do you well, I'm sure as you've discovered
00:09:43
Derick
yeah i mean like i said i've come from pretty humble uh beginnings humble place you know so there's not much uh to it but other than that i don't know a big part of the reason why i wanted to start it was just because a lot of clothing doesn't particularly fit me and i just couldn't find good clothes i didn't really know where to go after i'm sorry i'm five foot seven i'm pretty small oh yeah okay so you know the struggle
00:10:01
Conor Fowler
How tall are you? How tall are you? that's That's my that's exactly how tall I am too. Yeah. No, so I get it. Yeah, exactly.
00:10:10
Derick
You know the struggle, 100%.
00:10:11
Conor Fowler
Exactly. it's a pain.
00:10:13
Derick
That's perfect.
Designing for Niche Markets
00:10:14
Derick
That's wonderful. Because, you know, as a shorter guy, it's hard to find good clothes. It really is. Because most of the clothes nowadays, as you know, are just like overly slim fitting or like really long, you know, or really big.
00:10:19
Conor Fowler
Oh, yeah.
00:10:27
Derick
So like.
00:10:27
Conor Fowler
It's going to be, there's going to be a built in tailoring cost, at least whatever it is.
00:10:27
matt
Right,
00:10:31
Derick
Right, right. So like I've seen like a lot of short men brands and they'll they'll definitely tax on because they know that we got nowhere else to run, you know.
00:10:39
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:10:40
matt
right.
00:10:40
Derick
I wouldn't say that my brand is necessarily catered to short men as like the brand focus, but it's definitely, you know, my sizing is definitely skewed to like being a smaller guy.
00:10:40
matt
right
00:10:49
Derick
Cause I make the reference garments all size medium. Cause I would say I'm a true to size medium because you guys probably can't see it, but I have like relatively broad shoulders.
00:10:58
Conor Fowler
big you I would have figured you were like 5'10 or something.
00:11:01
Derick
No, no, I was supposed to be five, 10. I under eight as a kid, but it's okay.
00:11:04
Conor Fowler
me
00:11:05
matt
You didn't drink it enough milk.
00:11:06
Conor Fowler
realize
00:11:07
Derick
Yeah. I didn't get a film.
00:11:07
Conor Fowler
I drank too much milk, but I smoked too many cigarettes. And I think that's what happened to me.
00:11:10
Derick
Oh, yeah, that's that's what drags you down.
00:11:12
Conor Fowler
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:13
Derick
Yeah, I know. But yeah, so being a short guy, it's definitely hard to shop for clothing. And like I said, I wouldn't necessarily say that the clothing is short, you know, catered, but...
00:11:26
Derick
If it's me, then it probably will skew towards shorter men. So like the inseams on our clothing tends to be around 30. That's what my standardized inseam is going to be. Cause I found that most men are around a 30.
00:11:34
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:11:37
Derick
And then also, like I said, women, a lot of women wear my clothing as well and they're tend to be shorter on average. Right. So that's what I think is best. Cause I had too many complaints.
00:11:47
Derick
Like when I made my jeans as like 32 inseams, They were like, Hey, these are way too long. I love them, but they're way too long. Can you make them a shorter time next time? And I'm like, Hey, you know, I'll give you like 10 bucks and you can take it to your local Taylor.
00:11:57
Derick
That's one thing I like to do when a lot of people were like, Hey, this is a little too big.
00:11:58
matt
totally.
00:12:01
Derick
Um, can I return it? I say, Hey, let me just send you a return credit, go support your local Taylor. get your clothes fixed. And that works out for everybody. Because like you said, we have to eat the cost of the return versus, hey, they support a local business, they help out people in the community, and they get the clothes that they want.
00:12:17
Derick
You know, it's a win-win for everybody. So I think that's really the
00:12:19
Conor Fowler
Yeah, no, that's a good, that's a good arrangement.
00:12:23
matt
Yeah, and that seems like, you know, just from looking at your your clothing and kind of reading, you know, the info on the on the website, like, I feel like what you just said plays into the fact that, like, you you try to be, you know, you try to be, like, ah an ethical and, like, forward-thinking type of operations.
00:12:33
Conor Fowler
Thank
00:12:42
Derick
Right. Right. I mean, like I said, I'm just a 20 year old guy. I have no prior business experience. It's just kind of like, I'm just trying to use my logic. Right. Like what would, what would a normal clothing brand owner do? What would I do if I was just like a shopkeeper, like back in the day?
00:12:55
Derick
Right. Just keep it simple.
00:12:56
matt
Right.
00:12:57
Derick
Right. Like I, you know, I don't don't want to eat the cost of it. How about we compromise, you get what you wanted and you get to support somebody else and I give you some money.
00:13:04
matt
Totally.
00:13:05
Derick
So it's like, it's a win-win for everybody. I think it's a great system. And a lot of people do tend to choose that over the returns.
00:13:11
matt
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
00:13:11
Conor Fowler
Yeah, well, I would. I mean, so no one's ever offered me that before, but I feel like if anyone did, then I'd be like, yeah, probably. Why not? I mean, if we could make this work for me, then why not?
00:13:22
Derick
Right. It's like, exactly. I mean, you wanted the piece of clothing. A lot of these people are bummed out that they couldn't fit in it. So it's like, oh, we compromise, you know?
00:13:27
Conor Fowler
What?
00:13:29
matt
Right, right. and And I feel like that's a good way as someone that has you know worked in various parts of retail my whole adult life. like That's a good way to probably create a return customer.
00:13:41
matt
Like, hey, this person this person treated me right.
00:13:41
Derick
Right.
00:13:42
Conor Fowler
for sure for sure
00:13:45
matt
you know I dig what they're doing. I'm glad that I can make this work. And they helped me do that. So
00:13:52
Derick
Right. And I do get a lot of people like telling me, Hey, you know, you're awesome. I love that you guys have great customer service. They don't know. It's just to me. Just a lot of people yeah reach out to me.
00:14:00
Conor Fowler
that's so funny dude
00:14:00
matt
Oh, yeah, totally. Totally.
00:14:02
Derick
They're like, you guys are great and all this stuff. it's like, well, that's really sweet. You know, but I think that it's kind of cool that people think that I have like a big team or at least a team behind me, which is really cool, which I do to an extent, but it's like all like the behind the scenes work is most.
00:14:14
Conor Fowler
done officially, yeah.
00:14:16
Derick
Yeah. So it's, it's very nice to see that people are very kind. And i would say there's more like, good people than bad people that are like commenting. Like there's no weird people like commenting under my pages and stuff like that.
00:14:28
Derick
You know, you get a few every now and then.
00:14:30
Conor Fowler
We hate short people.
00:14:31
Derick
We hit short people get this short. That was one of the comments on the Corduroy advertisement. They were like, why do you only have 30 inseam? How come you don't have 32?
00:14:39
matt
Right.
00:14:40
Derick
thirty two This ran is for midget.
00:14:43
matt
It's always going to be the thing that you just changed because you've got complaints about it that you get the opposite complaints now.
00:14:46
Derick
Right, right.
00:14:50
Derick
The way I figure though, there's less complaints about not having a 32 than having a 32. So it's like, yeah, because most, most men like range between like, I'd say like five, eight to like six, one and 30 fits pretty much all of them.
00:14:55
matt
Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:15:03
Derick
So even yeah.
00:15:03
matt
Yeah, yeah. I'm 5'9". Like, that's, you know.
00:15:05
Derick
Okay. So you fit probably like 30, right. Or 32. Gotcha. Gotcha.
00:15:08
matt
my I have short legs and a longer torso. I think my my actual inseam is like 28 and a half.
00:15:11
Derick
ah
00:15:15
matt
like if i If I'm being pedantic about it.
00:15:15
Derick
gotcha
00:15:17
matt
but yeah like
00:15:17
Derick
Right.
00:15:18
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:15:18
Derick
i understand the thingco
00:15:19
matt
I also cut off or roll most of my pants anyway. so
00:15:22
Derick
Gotcha. Gotcha. Like him the the hems on the corridors, is I think they're, want to say four centimeters, about one and a half inches.
00:15:24
matt
Yeah.
00:15:31
Derick
So you can actually let it out. So like, if you wanted to go to your tailor, you could probably let out the hem and then resell it.
00:15:36
matt
Oh yeah, totally.
00:15:36
Derick
So just to add a little extra length, you could do that always, but you know, it's kind of difficult, but you could. So,
00:15:43
Conor Fowler
So can I ask you what is the first garment that you started with?
00:15:43
matt
Certainly.
00:15:49
Conor Fowler
Like that you, that you first, the first thing you made, I guess,
00:15:53
Derick
It was this.
00:15:56
Derick
The cardigan.
00:15:56
Conor Fowler
So how did you how did you go? like Could you walk us through a little bit like the process, the design process of that? like how you came to Why did you choose those colors? Why did you choose that fabric?
00:16:08
Derick
Well, the whole story starts that I could not get a vintage cardigan.
00:16:14
Conor Fowler
Yeah. Well, they're pricey as shit now.
00:16:15
Derick
there was just Yeah. So there was this beautiful vintage cardigan that I really liked and I saw it on Depop. Depop is also a huge source of inspiration for me. So like, I just love looking at vintage garments.
00:16:25
Derick
There's a vintage clothing store that ah I'm now selling in as well here locally.
00:16:29
matt
Oh shit.
00:16:29
Derick
It's Nostalgia. Yeah. So Chasing Nostalgia, it's in Modesto, California.
00:16:31
matt
What's it called?
00:16:34
matt
It's chasing the Sancho. Cool.
00:16:35
Derick
Yeah. It's really awesome. We just opened up a booth a couple weeks ago there. So now I don't really have much stock to put out there. i just have a couple of summer shirts, but
00:16:42
Conor Fowler
Dude, you're on your way.
00:16:44
Derick
Yeah, I'm on my way. But um the design process was that I offered this guy some money and it was pretty overpriced for what it was, but I just thought it was so awesome. I don't have the pictures of it anymore, but it looks similar.
00:16:55
Conor Fowler
No, no, no, no, no. I'm not, we're not quizzing you. I just want to know roughly what, how do you got from not having a cardigan to having a cardigan?
00:16:58
Derick
Yeah.
00:17:04
Derick
Yeah, and funny enough, I have never owned a cardigan up to this point. the
Originality and Vintage Influences
00:17:09
Derick
The truth is that I used...
00:17:10
Conor Fowler
They're a weird garment, but they're cool.
00:17:12
Derick
Yeah, but I used the hoodie for the for the measurements to like figure out the measurements of the cardigan.
00:17:16
Conor Fowler
I see.
00:17:17
Derick
Because, like I said, I've never owned a cardigan my entire life. This is the only cardigan I've ever owned. So, anyway, so the pattern comes from that. it was actually like a cube. It was kind of like a cubic...
00:17:29
Derick
orange brown and cream it's not quite the same it looks a lot different but it's like that's the inspiration and also that's that also goes into another thing that i really disagree with people nowadays especially like artists are so concerned with being like i have to be 100 original and it's like there's almost a zero percent chance that you're goingnna create anything
00:17:50
Conor Fowler
yeah it's a sort of a myth so
00:17:50
matt
Yeah, yeah, especially with clothing. Like, literally nothing is original.
00:17:53
Derick
right
00:17:55
matt
Like, you know, especially not, you know, menswear is definitely more, you know, tunnel vision.
00:18:00
Derick
redundant maybe. Right.
00:18:01
matt
Like, yeah, and like, you know, there's not, it's not like Ralph Lauren when he was getting started was like, you know, doing these super intense drawings. No, he was finding shit.
00:18:12
matt
He was finding stuff that gave him inspiration and, you know, what we, what one might call ripping it off, which is not really But it's like, hey, I have this thing. i want to make another version of this thing.
00:18:26
matt
And like that's kind of it. you You build the pattern off that.
00:18:29
Derick
Right, you create your own iteration.
00:18:29
Conor Fowler
there's There's a fine line, right, of originality. And like both Matt and I both
00:18:34
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:37
Conor Fowler
peep the sweater, right? We immediately were like, oh, that's the sweater from the website, right?
00:18:42
Derick
Yeah.
00:18:42
Conor Fowler
Because it says it is a strong piece. Like it's an identifiable object.
00:18:44
matt
Yeah.
00:18:44
Derick
Right.
00:18:47
Conor Fowler
So I think you're definitely on the right track. You're definitely on the right track with that.
00:18:50
matt
Yeah, like it's got it's got that 60s vibe.
00:18:50
Derick
Right. It's very much inspired. It's inspired.
00:18:56
matt
is that Sorry.
00:18:56
Derick
Yep.
00:18:57
matt
is Okay, nice, nice.
00:18:58
Conor Fowler
Yeah, that's it.
00:18:58
matt
Yeah.
00:18:59
Conor Fowler
You both said it.
00:19:00
Derick
yes
00:19:00
matt
I picked up on that ah ah like immediately and was like, oh shit, this you know this could have been made in 1967 and would have been right at home with what was happening.
00:19:10
Derick
Right. And so like i said,
00:19:11
Conor Fowler
Cause it has that like end of mad men type, which I don't know how acquainted with that show you are, but like.
00:19:14
Derick
yeah.
00:19:18
Derick
I've watched a couple episodes of Mad Men, yeah. I know what it's about.
00:19:20
matt
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:21
Conor Fowler
Right. So, I mean, they just re released it for a new generation,
00:19:22
Derick
But yeah.
00:19:27
Derick
Yep. But I definitely do like that like late 60s, early 70s style.
00:19:29
Conor Fowler
but
00:19:32
Derick
And this spring is going to be just something that I just completely made up. But the summertime is I want to do a collection based on. So like I'm a big fan of The Doors, which is like 60s rock band, right?
00:19:45
Derick
And if you see some of their old pictures, they have such an incredible style.
00:19:45
Conor Fowler
sure
00:19:49
Derick
And they're not even trying to. i don't even know if they stylish whatever, but a lot of people back there.
00:19:52
Conor Fowler
oh i would not i would not think so
00:19:54
Derick
Yeah. Because the clothing back then was just so much better. You could almost put on just about anything and look great, right? Because the clothing quality used to be much better. And that is something that I try to do here with my brand.
00:20:05
Derick
I try to meticulously. So like my friend, he's a local tailor, Avery Thompson.
00:20:08
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:20:09
Derick
he I've been going to him for years to get my clothes tailored because you know the struggle of being a short guy, you know getting clothes tailored. And he would always give wonderful, wonderful rates because he was just a wonderful guy. He still helps me, him and his mom.
00:20:21
Derick
and his partner they're all wonderful wonderful people and i want to give them a huge shout because they've been a huge help to me right so i want to credit where it's due right i bring my garments i have them double check everything that i'm making i'll say hey you know am i missing like a bar tech here and do i need to reinforce this
00:20:37
Conor Fowler
So you're sewing stuff, right?
00:20:42
Derick
no i'm not sewing the stuff in my and my home
00:20:44
Conor Fowler
No, not, ah but you know what I mean? Like you ah you are, at least for the patterns, like your're you're sewing stuff, right?
00:20:53
Derick
No, I don't do the patterns myself. I usually outsource the patterns. I don't have time to do every single thing because it would just, in a car because like I said, I go to school and then I have to manage this full time and it's, it would just be way too much on top of like family stuff.
00:20:58
Conor Fowler
I see. Yeah, no, that would be way too much.
00:21:08
Derick
Right. So, yeah.
00:21:08
Conor Fowler
No, this is not a purity quest.
00:21:08
matt
Right.
00:21:10
Conor Fowler
I just like, I'm, uh, I'm fascinated by the entire enterprise.
00:21:13
Derick
Yeah.
00:21:14
Conor Fowler
So I want to know, ah the whole, the whole incident out of it really.
00:21:19
Derick
And I think there is almost like an expectation that's like put on like a designer to be like, Hey, you're not a designer because you don't make your own sewing patterns or you don't make this or that. And you can call me whatever you want. i don't really care.
00:21:28
Conor Fowler
but that's bullshit.
00:21:29
Derick
Ultimately I'm making the clothes, you know, and that's what I really care about.
00:21:30
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:21:32
Derick
I don't really care about what people think of like, you're not legit because you don't make your own sewing patterns or you don't do this or that. It's whatever, you know, I, I make the clothes at the end of the day, they, they come to fruition. They couldn't without me.
00:21:43
matt
Exactly.
00:21:43
Derick
I don't care.
00:21:43
Conor Fowler
Yeah. The rag trade.
00:21:43
Derick
creator You can call me whatever you want. I create them. So.
00:21:46
matt
I think a lot of people would be like, just have their mind blown if they really understood the ins and outs of like the clothing business as a whole.
00:21:55
matt
And like what, what goes into something, you know, like, like most people are not out here, you know, hand drafting like drawings of, you know, unless they're, unless they're a super high end guy, fashion person, you know, like,
00:21:55
Derick
Yeah.
00:21:56
Conor Fowler
rag trade
00:21:58
Derick
Right.
00:22:05
Derick
Right.
00:22:08
Derick
Big respect to them. I will say huge respect, huge amount of respect.
00:22:11
matt
Yeah, totally. Totally.
00:22:12
Derick
Right.
00:22:12
matt
But like, you know, Raf Simmons is doing that kind of shit.
00:22:13
Derick
Yeah.
00:22:16
matt
Like Hedy Slomayne doing that.
00:22:18
Derick
Yeah.
00:22:19
matt
Rick Owens, these people. But like most, you know, most every other part of the clothing industry is not that at all.
00:22:27
Derick
Yeah. And keep in mind, like I have no background in any of clothing stuff, you know, like out of high school, I became a real estate agent out of high school and that's what I used.
00:22:33
matt
Right.
00:22:36
matt
Oh, wow.
00:22:38
Derick
I only sold one house. I'm going be a completely honest. But I mean, hey, that's pretty impressive for an 18 year old, I would say.
00:22:42
Conor Fowler
that's funny yeah
00:22:44
matt
Man, yeah.
00:22:45
Derick
it's
00:22:45
matt
And I got to say, like real estate agents, from my perspective as a person that knows a few, they're in the fucking trenches, man.
00:22:45
Derick
and
00:22:54
matt
So...
00:22:54
Conor Fowler
oh yeah that's hard rewardless work
00:22:54
Derick
Yeah, it's difficult. And I just didn't want to do that anymore. was like, I don't want to be making these phone calls. i don't want to be chasing people. I don't like being a salesperson. And there's nothing wrong with that. Right. I think it's very like it's difficult.
00:23:05
Derick
It's very difficult.
00:23:06
Conor Fowler
It's a different kind of sales, definitely.
00:23:07
Derick
Exactly. Exactly. You have to be you have to be one of those people who's just like a hound. And I'm I'm not like that. I'm sorry. I just don't have.
00:23:13
Conor Fowler
No, man.
00:23:14
Derick
So but it's a very good job. a lot of people put disrespect on real estate agents, but, you know, a lot of them are wonderful, wonderful people. And I still love.
00:23:21
matt
Totally.
00:23:21
Derick
So.
00:23:22
Conor Fowler
Dude, you're good. Like people are not, I don't think people are taking you the that way.
00:23:23
Derick
Yeah.
00:23:26
Conor Fowler
Like, you don't seem like you have a lot of malice inside you.
00:23:30
Derick
No, I don't have a lot of contempt. I'm not a very like hateful person. you know I don't have enough room.
00:23:34
Conor Fowler
Yeah, no. So that that really that i have really shows. I think that really shows. I think that shows in the brand. Like it's, I mean, I'm such like an old fuck ah that I am bothered by words.
00:23:48
Conor Fowler
But so people have have taken whimsical and whimsy. That's like a meme word now. But there is a whimsy to the brand.
00:23:54
Derick
Yeah.
00:23:57
Derick
Right.
00:23:57
Conor Fowler
Like there's a youthfulness.
00:23:57
Derick
Right.
00:23:59
Conor Fowler
There is a whimsy. There is a like sort of just setting out on a grand adventure.
00:24:04
Derick
I just try to have fun because like I said, I don't really know what I'm doing. That's the truth. I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm not a businessman.
00:24:11
Conor Fowler
Thank you.
00:24:11
Derick
I'm not some genius. Right. There are geniuses, but I'm not one of them, but I'm just doing my best. And that's all I really can do at the end of the day. Right. Like I'm just doing my best. And I think I'm doing that. So.
00:24:21
matt
Yeah, I would agree. um Where are you making the stuff? If you don't mind me asking.
00:24:26
Derick
Uh, so it's pretty, it's pretty varied. So like I, yeah, like the exact locations I'm, I can't really like pull them all up because yeah i don't really know what the address is, but, uh,
00:24:29
matt
Okay.
00:24:35
matt
Yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure. For sure.
00:24:36
Derick
different
00:24:36
matt
But just kind of a generalities.
00:24:38
Derick
predominantly made in China, but I am trying to move my denim manufacturing, uh, to Los
00:24:41
matt
Okay.
Sourcing and Manufacturing Challenges
00:24:45
Derick
Angeles.
00:24:45
Derick
So I'm going to be going down there in about a week or two when I get some fabric, cause I'm getting a specialty fabric that I have to import from China because it's a very rare fabric.
00:24:56
Derick
And I've shopped with them before my jeans are made out of this, um, 80% cotton and 20% linen fabric. And here in the United States, I found one difficulty is like sourcing stuff. Cause like I said, I don't live anywhere near like a major manufacturing hub, like Los Angeles.
00:25:12
matt
Yeah, totally.
00:25:12
Derick
ah And it's like very hard for me to get my hands on stuff rather than me just looking it up and grabbing it online and then shipping it back to me. So, and I know it's like a trustworthy fabric. And there is also like a huge stigma around like shopping for garments made in China that people are worried about like, hey, like what am I wearing?
00:25:27
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:25:28
Derick
Because everything gets associated with made in China. that's like good or bad because the the truth is almost everything's made in China, right? So it's like, of course there's going to be some good, there's going to be some bad, but I don't think it's inherently bad that ah something says made in China.
00:25:43
Derick
Ralph Lauren's purple label is made in China.
00:25:43
matt
No, absolutely.
00:25:45
Derick
And, you know, and I'm serious, you can you can fact check me on this. is i just went
00:25:49
matt
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:50
Derick
I just went to one of their outlet stores and I looked picked up a $1,800 cashmere sweater and it was, check the tag. because Sometimes I'll let go to stores and I'll be like, hey, how does my clothing square up against Ralph Lauren, that's kind of like a gold standard, right?
00:26:03
Derick
When you say so, it's like a very like good baseline to see how you're doing. And it's like, you know, my clothes are pretty on par with this, if not better.
00:26:08
Conor Fowler
Mm-hmm.
00:26:11
matt
Right.
00:26:12
Derick
get to say it, but like, we're pretty close. I mean, especially when you consider factor in price and I don't know, I'm pretty good. I'm pretty good doing pretty good. So, but there is a huge stigma around China and I think it doesn't necessarily.
00:26:23
matt
ah something That's something we've tried to dispel on the show like for a while now.
00:26:25
Derick
you
00:26:27
Derick
yeah
00:26:28
matt
you know It's not like like there's unethically made shit in the U.S. There's ethically made stuff in basically every country.
00:26:37
Derick
right right and it's not like people are less competent in china than the united states or like italy or whatever right yeah
00:26:44
Conor Fowler
Yeah, well, what it is, is a little racist, right?
00:26:45
matt
Right.
00:26:47
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:26:48
Conor Fowler
It's like it is anti-Eastern,
00:26:50
matt
I mean, oh also, like, as someone that has seen a lot of U.S. factories in my time, like, the people that are making most things in the United States or Italy are not, like, American or not your stereotypical white person from that country.
00:27:04
Conor Fowler
Thank you.
00:27:07
Derick
Right, right. They're just not. And that's the truth. You know, ah it's probably like, you know, you feel like you're stepping on eggshells, but no, that's the truth.
00:27:10
matt
Yeah.
00:27:14
Derick
It just is.
00:27:14
matt
Yeah, and, like, there's nothing wrong with it.
00:27:15
Derick
Right.
00:27:16
matt
I mean, you know, like...
00:27:16
Derick
Right. it's a
00:27:18
matt
You being into vintage stuff, think about how big, you know, how many times have you seen Mongolian cashmere on like a vintage overcoat or something?
00:27:30
matt
Like there's a, there's a reason why cashmere stuff is produced very well in China.
00:27:30
Derick
right
00:27:34
matt
It's because they've been doing it for fucking ever.
00:27:36
Derick
Yeah. And it's like, I believe the Kashmir goats are only grown in Inner Mongolia and it sounds like it would be Mongolia, but Inner Mongolia is actually ah China is actually a China.
00:27:47
matt
Right, right.
00:27:48
Derick
know
00:27:48
Conor Fowler
Man, so look at that, dude. You fucking earned your stripes. like That's excellent. That's excellent knowledge.
00:27:54
Derick
I try to know as much as I can, you know?
00:27:56
Conor Fowler
Yeah, that's very, very, very good knowledge.
00:27:59
Derick
Yeah. I don't know everything, but that's one thing I do know about the Kashmir. So, and like our world,
00:28:03
Conor Fowler
Well, and in general, in general like what people can't eat you people can't even wrap their heads around the size of China.
00:28:12
Derick
Oh yeah, it's a big, it's about the size of the United States.
00:28:12
Conor Fowler
you know
00:28:14
Derick
A little smaller, I think.
00:28:15
Conor Fowler
Exactly. Exactly.
00:28:16
Derick
But I don't think, I don't think even Americans understand how big our country is.
00:28:16
Conor Fowler
and
00:28:19
Conor Fowler
No a clue.
00:28:20
Derick
Yeah.
00:28:21
Conor Fowler
The size of like the size of a Alaska is just not...
00:28:21
Derick
Because like,
00:28:26
Conor Fowler
Because all of the maps are misrepresented.
00:28:28
Derick
Right, right. They're all like skewed and, you know, warped, but it's like, United States is a huge, huge place, you know, especially comparatively to like somewhere like Europe, where it's relatively like, you know, dense.
00:28:33
matt
Oh, yeah.
00:28:39
Derick
It's because it's so many countries in such a small space. It's probably around the size of the United States in total landmass, right? But it's like, think about how many countries there are in Europe and they're all squished into this place.
00:28:49
Derick
And then it makes you think like, man, a lot of these countries are literally like the size of like California or like even smaller, you know, like
00:28:50
matt
Right.
00:28:57
Conor Fowler
When it fucks me how large California is sometimes like
00:29:00
Derick
Yeah, California is pretty big. I haven't even been to all of California.
00:29:02
matt
Oh, I... I've driven through it, like, from north to south. It's fucking massive.
00:29:08
Derick
ah Yeah.
00:29:10
Conor Fowler
Well, it's like the third highest GDP on earth, right?
00:29:13
Derick
Yeah. It's somewhere, I think it's like fourth or fifth. I think it just got knocked down by India or something like that because I saw that on the news.
00:29:20
Conor Fowler
which it's Which India has a fuck ton of people, you know?
00:29:22
Derick
Yeah, i a lot of people.
00:29:23
matt
Right, right.
00:29:24
Conor Fowler
it's So it's like just a matter of time for that to happen. But California has had their kind of crown for um some time.
00:29:30
Derick
Right.
00:29:31
Conor Fowler
So all of that stuff is like, and all of this is incorporated into clothing. right We're still talking about the same subject, but we are talking about it in Yeah.
00:29:41
Derick
Yeah. talking about like geography and geopolitics, whatever, but yeah, it's like all that ultimately leads down to the clothing and whatnot.
00:29:47
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:29:51
Derick
So... But yeah, so bottom line was there's ah too big of a stigma like made in China versus like made here or made here. And I'm not gonna dispute that maybe they might be made better in some high-end factory in Italy, but like the price point that I wanna set at and the manufacturing capabilities that the Chinese have are usually very good.
00:30:12
Derick
that comparatively to like what they would think otherwise right they think it's lower quality a lot of it is just that companies don't want to spend extra money so they go to a cheaper factory they'll spend less money on the good fabrics right and it's like what do you expect you would do the same thing here in the united states if i chose a cheap fabric cheap thread and cheap manufacturer you're going to get the exact same result
00:30:15
Conor Fowler
So
00:30:24
matt
Right.
Passion Over Profit
00:30:34
Derick
it's like that's not a that's not a fault of the country or its manufacturing capabilities that's literally just a fault of the customer you are the one who's it's like you know
00:30:34
matt
Yeah, cheap.
00:30:44
Conor Fowler
so Did you always want to start a brand? I mean, I know you said you began as a real estate agent, but like you seem to have a command of things that is at least a few years beyond your actual age.
00:31:00
Derick
No, i like I said, I really don't have any background at all. i
00:31:03
Conor Fowler
You just have done, you just are doing this shit because like, like that's awesome, dude.
00:31:07
Derick
just because Just because I like clothing, really.
00:31:10
Conor Fowler
That's like, it really tickles me.
00:31:12
Derick
I just remember sitting over there on there's my ah my ah home computer over there and i was just watching, ah I think it was Will Lazzari. He does like clothing, sourcing, manufacturing, all that stuff.
00:31:22
Conor Fowler
you.
00:31:23
Derick
He like does YouTube videos and he he like shows different manufacturers, right? And I was like, is it really that easy to make clothes? That was my real thought. I was like, is it really that easy to make clothes? You just go to these people and and you share with them technical details. And obviously my first tech pack took so long to put together because I have no idea what I'm doing.
00:31:42
Derick
My tailor recommended me get a book and then I read the book and then I like, I still have all those like pictures from the book on my tech packs that like show the measurements and whatnot, you know?
00:31:50
matt
you
00:31:51
Conor Fowler
Is it it' is it it like a technical manual? Is it like a... Wow, dude.
00:31:55
Derick
i forgot the exact book name. It's it's over here. I'll be right back.
00:31:59
Conor Fowler
This is wild.
00:31:59
Derick
you don need Let me go.
00:32:01
Conor Fowler
Wow. dude this is wild
00:32:05
Derick
Yeah, so actually here's the ah here's also the first iteration of a Cardian. This is not the manufacturer that I ended up going with because I didn't think their quality was quite as good as the other one that I did end up manufacturing with. And as you can tell, it's probably, you know, you can tell the collar is a little flimsy.
00:32:21
Derick
And I ended up doing a ribbed collar actually for the final one. So like this is ribbed. <unk>t know if you guys can see that but it's the ribbing stops right here around the neck and it what it does is it shapes around your neck instead of like just like having that little flimsy little ride that bacon neck yeah like it hasn't really been worn but like obviously it has that bacon neck and it's just not quite as good and there's like some stitching inconsistencies that i was not a big fan of like right here you can don't you guys can see that but like very difficult to see but like
00:32:35
Conor Fowler
That bacon neck, a call. Isn't that right? Yeah, dude.
00:32:44
matt
Right.
00:32:50
matt
Yeah.
00:32:50
Conor Fowler
Yeah. So you're in your studio right now, right?
00:32:54
Derick
Yeah, this is my this is just my so my my living room, to be honest.
00:32:54
Conor Fowler
I mean,
00:32:58
Derick
But my like let me use it so for my for my use.
00:32:58
Conor Fowler
We're yes. Wow, dude.
00:33:01
Derick
So I'm really grateful to them for that. But they're awesome, so... That being said, um oh, here was the the book.
00:33:12
Derick
Here's some fabric swatches too, like various fabric swatches that I've like looked at. I've gone to textiles to see all these and meet wonderful people.
00:33:17
matt
Hell yeah.
00:33:21
Derick
And most of the people are very kind, even though they they're like, hey, you know this is like, because I think I went there last year and I was what, like 19 years old.
00:33:22
Conor Fowler
wow dear
00:33:29
Derick
So I think people are very gracious to entertain 19-year-old. I was like, I look like a kid to them. And I'm just like, hey, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like talking to these people who work with brands like Levi's or like, you know, Buckmate and Taylor Stitch.
00:33:41
Conor Fowler
fish
00:33:43
Derick
And I'm like, wow, I can't believe this guy just has like, because I've been gone to their offices and stuff too. And I'm like, I can't believe I'm sitting here like next to this.
00:33:50
Conor Fowler
you're likable dude you just are a likable character it's like i want yeah i want you to win here you know like
00:33:52
matt
Yeah.
00:33:53
Derick
Yeah.
00:33:55
Derick
Yeah. But it is shocking, right?
00:33:57
matt
Also, but that if they you know, if they've been doing ah that kind of sales for a while, i'm I can almost guarantee that it's very refreshing for them to like see someone that's, you know, on the younger side of things and like not a 75 year old shop owner that's the biggest prick on the planet.
00:34:04
Derick
Yeah.
00:34:08
Conor Fowler
Well,
00:34:11
Derick
Yeah.
00:34:15
Derick
Right, right. Yeah. And there were surprising a lot of like kids. Well, I wouldn't say kids. I'm assuming they were like fashion students because they're around my age, but they were very well dressed.
00:34:27
Derick
I will say they were very well dressed. I'm assuming they, you know, probably live in Los Angeles or like go to school around there. And those are the real like future huge designers, right? Those are like the top, those are the top sports, you know?
00:34:37
matt
Totally.
00:34:38
Conor Fowler
well
00:34:38
Conor Fowler
Well, well, I mean, is that even though, is that even a time forward story though?
00:34:41
matt
I mean, don't... Yeah,
00:34:44
Conor Fowler
Like, I feel like all of the, at least like the, uh, what do they say? the terrible infants of old fashion, like they all had kind of non-traditional rises to fame.
00:34:51
Derick
Yeah.
00:34:58
Conor Fowler
yeah.
00:34:58
Derick
Right.
00:34:59
matt
yeah yeah. Don't sell yourself short, man.
00:35:01
Derick
Yeah.
00:35:01
matt
Like, you can, you know, like, you could build something that's really fucking rad and, like, it's, you know... Just from our interaction so far, it seems like that's the goal and that's what you're doing.
00:35:06
Derick
I think so.
00:35:10
matt
so
00:35:11
Derick
I don't necessarily want to be this like huge famous celebrity designer though. I think I just want to make clothes for just regular people.
00:35:19
Conor Fowler
You can be famous and still not be like annoying, right?
00:35:20
Derick
And that's,
00:35:23
Derick
A douchebag. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:35:23
Conor Fowler
Yeah. I mean, i think that in that,
00:35:25
Derick
So, but that's, that is what I wanted do. Just very simple, you know?
00:35:31
Conor Fowler
which it is,
00:35:32
Derick
Yeah.
00:35:33
Conor Fowler
you have that right now i mean i think um how many pieces are there approximately like yeah so that's so i mean sort to my like layman understanding of things is that that is a manageable amount um because once you start getting into like 80 things like that's a lot of things
00:35:38
Derick
I'd say like 15 to 16. can't really...
00:35:55
Derick
Yeah, it's a lot of stuff to manage. And I have like, ah I'm working on eight designs right now for because I'm planning out for spring and summer. And so like, I have my jackets on the way, which are Oh, by the way, this is look just real quick.
00:36:10
Derick
This was just it was like vendor, the vendor compliance handbook. So that was the one that was recommended to me.
00:36:14
Conor Fowler
Jesus. Man, see, and you ate that shit up, didn't you?
00:36:16
Derick
And it's Yeah, and it just has a lot of information on like, how do
00:36:20
Conor Fowler
that's like, that's like a technical manual.
00:36:23
Derick
Yeah, and obviously I don't really retain everything, but it's just like, it's good.
00:36:26
Conor Fowler
Seems like you've retained a fair amount of it, my friend. I mean,
00:36:29
Derick
A fair amount of it. So, but yeah.
00:36:32
Conor Fowler
So what's ah so what's in the pipeline? I mean,
00:36:37
Derick
So springtime is going to be kind of like fishing, I guess, a little bit of fishing. Countryside, but not like too like country.
00:36:49
Derick
You know, i'm not talking like flannels or anything like that.
00:36:49
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:36:51
Derick
I'm thinking more like my idealized romanticized version of like fishing and countryside. Cause I I've gone fishing a lot since I was younger. Right. So since I was young, that's a big thing here in California, especially the central Valley is like sport fishing.
00:37:00
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:37:06
Conor Fowler
Nice.
00:37:07
Derick
So this isn't really what you would think of for fishing, but it's just something you could wear, you know? So like, this is a a chore jacket.
00:37:13
Conor Fowler
nice
00:37:15
Derick
it
00:37:16
matt
Oh,
00:37:16
Derick
So it's not a traditional chore jacket. Like it's made out of cotton twirl, 16 ounce cotton twirl. It's not like moleskin. Right. So like, Shore jackets are traditionally like French, right? And they're traditionally blue moleskin or black moleskin, depending on your job. I think it was job based.
00:37:31
Derick
This is just my iteration of what I think would be cool. So it's like a good dark olive. These buttons are going to be my own custom buttons, the same ones as the as the cardigan.
00:37:37
Conor Fowler
Mm-hmm.
00:37:40
Derick
It's got a flannel inside. So it's a very like soft and warm inner. It's got an inner pocket as well. I wear the heck out of this jacket, even though it's just like a sample piece. Because it's so convenient, you know? And I wouldn't say it's traditional workwear. I wouldn't probably wear this to work if I was like a blue collar worker.
00:37:57
Derick
But um very beautiful. And I would say for most people that are just like city people, are you're not really going to be beating the crap out of this thing. It's going to do wonders. And it's held up in...
00:38:07
Conor Fowler
Unless you're Matt.
00:38:09
matt
Yeah, unless you're me.
00:38:09
Derick
Huh?
00:38:09
Conor Fowler
who
00:38:10
Derick
Yeah.
00:38:10
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:38:11
Derick
Yeah, but...
00:38:11
matt
Yeah, if you ever need a clothing tester like for for strength, send me send it my way, man. I'll put it through its faces.
00:38:19
Conor Fowler
It's really unbelievable. Matt can break mac and break a stainless steel metal string with Matt's knuckle.
00:38:20
Derick
For sure.
00:38:25
Derick
I think that'd be pretty cool to see because I honestly haven't really had any of my garments fail on me. That's like a ah true thing. I've just never had it happen to me. I've had a button pop off on a pair of pants, but I think...
00:38:36
matt
Oh, yeah, that's that's going to happen.
00:38:38
Derick
I've kind of smoothed out that issue. It's just like, it could be quality control, but it's like, if it happens one every like a hundred, it's what a 1% chance if it happens one every 50. So, you know, so it's very, very slim chances.
00:38:47
matt
Right, yeah.
00:38:50
Derick
It's what it's like, you know I don't think that inherently makes the garments any less valuable, you know, and I just take those out of circulation. You I just say, Hey, you know, I'll just keep this one. I'll give it as a gift. I'll fix, I'll repair the button myself and then give it as a gift.
00:39:02
Derick
You know, I kind don't want to just put that out there because I feel like it's kind of detrimental to my brand.
00:39:02
matt
Right, right.
00:39:07
Derick
Also, this was really difficult to.
00:39:09
Conor Fowler
I don't think that that will see this is the point, right? That's what happens with like thread and button and repeated stress.
00:39:17
Derick
Right, right.
00:39:18
Conor Fowler
It's not you. it just is what it is. if you know exactly. Yeah. Yeah.
00:39:23
Derick
Life happens.
00:39:24
Conor Fowler
exactly
00:39:24
matt
Yeah, totally.
00:39:25
Derick
yeah But so like this one, I really love the Corduroy. I'm a huge fan of like
Signature Designs and Brand Identity
00:39:30
Derick
wide Corduroy. This is four and a half whale Corduroy. So I don't know if you guys can really see, but it's very, very thick compared to like normal Corduroy.
00:39:36
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:39:37
matt
Yeah.
00:39:38
Derick
So I think that's like a very central part, maybe something I want to do with my brand from now on, where it's like, hey, that's the brand with the big Corduroy, you know? That was the original name of, and like I said, this jacket is way more interesting in person.
00:39:45
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:39:45
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:39:50
Derick
Just take my word for it. You guys will see it very soon. There's some small changes to it though.
00:39:52
Conor Fowler
It looks cool. I mean, that green that green is a nice is like a nice, vibrant... will. will. green is the best color
00:39:58
Derick
right i love green it's a wonderful color
00:40:01
Conor Fowler
and so
00:40:01
matt
Yeah, yeah, especially of the olive variety. This is the best color.
00:40:04
Derick
right and i'm gonna pair it with uh tan pants so it's like like i was talking to jamal about this i wish he was here but um if you're gonna watch this later but um we were discussing because i have i do polls now on my story for my instagram and i want to see what people like
00:40:04
Conor Fowler
yeah
00:40:25
Derick
So I'll be like, hey, do you guys want to see cream colored pants? who Do you guys want to see tan colored pants? And people said tan. And I want to tan, too. I don't rig the poles. One of my friends was like, hey, can you rig the poles or something? He's like, how come like how come you always get like what you're thinking of? And I'm like, I don't know. I probably just have like a general mass opinion.
00:40:43
Derick
right like I don't have a specific opinion.
00:40:44
matt
yeah
00:40:45
Derick
And I give people the options that I already think are going to be good. so there's not really much that can go wrong, right? And so I give people the power to like, be like, yeah, this is the one I want though.
00:40:57
Derick
You know, so it helps me understand what people want and I can deliver people what they want because it's hard to get what you want, right?
00:41:05
Conor Fowler
Yeah, dude, you have a very, you have like an eerie sense of the way that things work.
00:41:05
matt
totally
00:41:11
Derick
Yeah.
00:41:11
Conor Fowler
ah It's like, you should make many more fuck-ups, but you probably are not going to.
00:41:16
Derick
Right.
00:41:18
Conor Fowler
So like, good for you.
00:41:20
Derick
Yeah. And um there will be mistakes. I've made many mistakes, you know, but
00:41:23
Conor Fowler
sure, sure sure
00:41:24
Derick
But it's like trying to minimize what I don't know is going to do good or what is going to do good and letting people say, you know, I want a part in this. I want to choose what you're going to make.
00:41:32
Conor Fowler
Thank
00:41:34
Derick
And it's like, I would love to do that. You know, I just want to people have a better closet and I don't really make them any clothes.
00:41:36
matt
Yeah.
00:41:40
Derick
I could probably just put out a ton of slop, but it's like I can make like, you know, it's like every other brand does and just like make like buzzwords. That's one thing I really do not like.
00:41:51
Derick
like because you know i'm not like a huge hater but one thing i don't like is like because like even though i said you know brands don't have to necessarily be like 100 original it's different when you're just straight up just ripping off the same exact thing over and over again it's like just you're just beating the dead horse so like like i've seen like
00:42:07
matt
Oh, yeah.
00:42:10
Derick
Not even joking. I've seen at least 30 brands doing the exact same baggy selvage denim. And a lot of it is just because they will work with the same manufacturer and they're just drop shipped.
00:42:22
Derick
Right. So like have the exact same product with white labeling, they'll do white labeling.
00:42:22
matt
Right.
00:42:26
Derick
So it's like, they'll just put their own tag on it and just say, or they'll make like a their little different pocket. And they'll like hey this is our, this is our brand's completely original design. It's like, well, you didn't really change anything about it. It's little bit boring.
00:42:36
matt
Right, right. This goes back to what I was saying about like people not understanding the fashion industry in a lot of ways.
00:42:41
Derick
Right. And white labeling is really, i don't know, it just seems a little lazy. So.
00:42:49
Conor Fowler
that's one way That's one way to describe it, which is not.
00:42:50
matt
Yeah. Well, I mean, it's it's also always been a thing. Like even like, you know,
00:42:55
Derick
Right. No, it absolutely has.
00:42:57
matt
yeah Like union made work where, um you know, back in the days, like most of those companies like Sears or JCPenney, they might tweak something here and there, but a lot of it was like going to, you know, go into a factory that solely makes this thing and then slap in your label on it.
00:42:57
Derick
Yeah.
00:43:14
matt
And then, you know, like uniform programs and things of that nature.
00:43:14
Derick
Right.
00:43:17
matt
Like that's, that's what spawned a lot of the shit that we all love.
00:43:18
Derick
Right. Exactly.
00:43:22
matt
You know, the the U S military is great at designing.
00:43:23
Derick
Right.
00:43:24
matt
Well, I wouldn't say great, but, you know, like that's an actual process like they do. You know, they like whoever does it comes up with specific ideas about what they want out of this garment.
00:43:36
Derick
Right.
00:43:37
matt
And then they do, you know, three or four or however many tests runs. And it's like, OK, cool. That's you know, that's not what most even big brands do at this point.
00:43:48
Derick
Yeah, but white labeling has always been a thing. Like you said, like you said I have a shirt because I saw the exact same shirt I have on Depop. And I was like, it has and it it has a completely different brand on it. It's just the tag. The only difference is the tag.
00:44:00
Derick
And I was like, reach out to the guy to tell him about it. And then he eat kind of talked to me for a little bit about that. And I was like, that's really cool. It's like mine's like CPO by campus. I forgot what his was, but it's the exact same shirt.
00:44:10
matt
Right.
00:44:11
Derick
It's not like, oh, that kind of looks like the same shirt. No, it is the exact same shirt.
00:44:14
matt
Yeah, it's the exact same shirt. Yeah.
00:44:15
Derick
exact same
Economic Reflections and Fast Fashion Critique
00:44:16
Derick
shirt. Right. So I'm like, so it's always happened. It's a 60 shirts pool. And I'm like, it's always been a thing. And even across industries, it's not like, you know, like water bottle companies do the same thing.
00:44:26
Derick
It's the same water, but toss in a couple of different minerals.
00:44:26
matt
but Right, right.
00:44:28
Derick
So it tastes a little different, the exact same bottle, same facility, same water. Ultimately.
00:44:33
matt
Totally.
00:44:34
Derick
It's like, it's just an example, right?
00:44:35
Conor Fowler
Well, it is a problem with our economic system
00:44:35
Derick
Yeah. Yeah.
00:44:40
Conor Fowler
you could say, i mean, it's baked in It's like that type of non-competition is baked into capitalism, I think, because of this idea that there is competition, which is like not really quite true.
00:44:42
Derick
yeah
00:44:48
Derick
Right.
00:45:00
Conor Fowler
It's like we have competition, but it's artificial. It's artificially like assisted, right?
00:45:03
Derick
Right. Right. Inflated. Yeah. To look like it is.
00:45:06
Conor Fowler
In certain ways.
00:45:07
Derick
Maybe it's, you know, it's probably a lot more like centralized monopolized than we think, or at least that we perceive.
00:45:07
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:45:12
Conor Fowler
then we Then we know, I guess like they do, they sure do have all the money.
00:45:14
Derick
Right. Right.
00:45:18
Derick
Yep. Yep, so... um But going back to like white labeling, I do think it's pretty lazy. And I think that I don't, yeah, it is soulless.
00:45:25
matt
It's solvice.
00:45:27
Derick
And it's just like, i so if you interact, like next time you see an advertisement for like, let's say like Baggy Selvage or like the fireman class, like I did a whole story about that, like on on my Instagram story.
00:45:37
Conor Fowler
you.
00:45:38
Derick
I was like, I really don't like how I just seen like a thousand brands pushing out the exact same jacket. It is so lazy. And like, I don't have anything against necessarily the fireman clasp jacket itself but it's just like I so literally saw like at least 10 brands in one day doing the exact same jacket I don't want to say necessarily they white labeled it but it's like
00:45:56
matt
Yeah.
00:46:00
Derick
Even if they didn't, it looks identical. So it it doesn't really matter. They're just doing the exact same thing. They're just like put together buzzwords. They're like, okay, what's popular right now? Fireman clasp, raw salvage denim, boxy crop fit.
00:46:10
matt
Right.
00:46:15
Derick
Let's just mash it all together and make a piece of clothing. And it's like and it'll sell because it's just a bunch of like, it's all the TikTok words. And it's like,
00:46:22
Conor Fowler
Well, that was h and m like
00:46:22
matt
Right.
00:46:25
Conor Fowler
10 or 15 years ago. Like that's what they were up to. They were like ripping off very specific elements of runway fashion and then copy and pasting them like limitlessly.
00:46:39
Derick
I did not know that that's actually pretty interesting.
00:46:41
Conor Fowler
Well, they were kind of one of the, one they were kind of one of the people that started it.
00:46:41
matt
I mean, H
00:46:45
Conor Fowler
That idea of fast fashion, that idea of disposable clothing.
00:46:50
Derick
Like the OG fashion.
00:46:51
Conor Fowler
Yeah. Yeah.
00:46:52
Derick
Yeah.
00:46:53
matt
yeah. And like Zara also was a big culprit of that. Like, I i don't remember.
00:46:58
Conor Fowler
But I think that H&M preceded and eclipsed them in terms of, ah because it's like almost every mall in America by now has an H&M in it.
00:47:04
matt
Probably.
00:47:09
matt
Right.
00:47:09
Derick
Yeah. Right.
00:47:10
Conor Fowler
Zara is in like high-end malls, like Zara is like in ritzy places. Zara is not if it everywhere, certainly. But I think that like H&M and Forever 21 are that level of fast fashion, that enormous spread of plastic.
00:47:18
matt
No, it's definitely not.
00:47:27
matt
And Forever 21 was not always that way, which sucks.
00:47:30
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:47:30
matt
But.
00:47:30
Conor Fowler
They used to have men's. They used to have men's, ah like a robust men's line.
00:47:34
matt
Well, I mean, they started in the 90s and they made like, you know, solid stuff. A lot of it made in L.A. And then, you know, they blew up in, I guess,
00:47:43
Conor Fowler
Hmm.
00:47:46
matt
what, 2004 or 5-ish is when they started, like, taking over the, you know, the mall landscape, and yeah. But they, you know, like many brands, they were one of those, like, I guess came out of the grunge era, and like, you know, kind of like Gadsukes and that shit, but Yeah.
00:48:06
matt
I just remember so i remember Zara, like I don't know, I guess it was like 2017 maybe, but like there was a big, like a breaking news, you know fashion news thing about Zara, and it was like a runway piece that they had basically copied and gotten to the sales for in like 90 days.
00:48:06
Derick
That's pretty interesting. Yeah.
00:48:09
Conor Fowler
now,
00:48:27
Derick
Yeah. Oh, it's way less than that, especially like with companies like Shein or whatever. It's like,
00:48:30
matt
yeah Oh, yeah.
00:48:31
Conor Fowler
ah now by now
00:48:31
matt
it's it's it's just not the x It's gotten exponentially faster and worse.
00:48:35
Derick
yeah. Yeah. I don't know how they're able to do it. The capabilities are just insane, but also a lot of is obviously exploitation and you can
00:48:39
matt
Yeah.
00:48:42
matt
Any Sheehan garment that I touch in person kind of makes me dry heat a little bit. Like, you immediately touch...
00:48:46
Derick
probably. Right.
00:48:47
Conor Fowler
Right.
00:48:47
Derick
i
00:48:48
matt
I touch it on a rack at a thrift store, i'm like, oh, sh-ha-ha-ha.
00:48:51
Derick
Exactly. And that's another thing, like I was just about to mention that I've only really, I've never purchased from them, but I've seen their garments just hanging on the racks at my local Goodwill. Right. And I'm like, wow, this is like,
00:49:03
Derick
pretty shitty, you know?
00:49:04
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:49:04
Derick
And it's like, I understand there's, there's also an argument where people are like, Hey, I can't afford good clothing. So I have to buy fast fashion. It's like, well, you buy a lot of awful, lot of fast fashion. It's like, maybe you could have just like one or two pieces or even just gone to your thrift store.
00:49:14
matt
Right.
00:49:18
Derick
I, I found Merino wool sweaters. I found cashmere sweaters, not like super high quality cashmere, but it's like very soft and not itchy or anything.
00:49:25
matt
Oh yeah, totally.
00:49:26
Derick
I've seen wonderful garments. I thrift all the time and I get like,
00:49:29
Conor Fowler
Oh yeah.
00:49:30
Derick
I got a friend of mine, a Wilson's leather jacket, beautiful, beautiful black motorcycle wilson from Wilson for $10. I got a pair of like nice jeans for my brother for like six.
00:49:37
matt
Yeah.
00:49:41
Derick
So I don't think that it's necessarily like, and this is all like one day. And I bought myself a beautiful seventies corduroy blazer. I'll see if I can bring that out later. And I love it. I wear it to class and stuff. It's awesome. um But I got that for also like, well, like six or seven bucks.
00:49:57
Derick
So it's like like impossible.
00:49:58
Conor Fowler
we got to go to your thrift store, man.
00:49:59
matt
Yeah.
00:49:59
Conor Fowler
I mean,
00:50:00
Derick
Yeah. but So it's not like possible to find.
00:50:01
matt
Right.
00:50:02
Derick
And it's like definitely going to have to sift through it. And most of the stuff in there is not good.
00:50:06
matt
Yeah.
00:50:07
Derick
But you got to look for it, you know. And look, I got all that stuff for like, well, maybe less than $30. And i so I don't know what Sheen's prices are, but i I'm assuming it can't be much worse.
00:50:15
Conor Fowler
you can buy it.
00:50:16
Derick
$2.
00:50:16
Conor Fowler
No, dude. I think I don't know really either, I guess, but like, I just, my understanding that like, Time was you could get a t-shirt at H&M for like $2.
00:50:29
Conor Fowler
Now I think at Shein, you could probably buy like a pair of shoes for eight bucks.
00:50:29
Derick
two dollarss
00:50:36
Derick
$8. Let's actually look at the prices. I'm super curious.
00:50:38
Conor Fowler
I think we should, yeah, pull it up please.
00:50:39
matt
Yeah, i've never I've never actually looked. like I can just tell based on you know but quality and like how fast...
00:50:43
Derick
Yeah.
00:50:46
Conor Fowler
The plastic content.
00:50:47
Derick
Well, here's like the landing page.
00:50:48
matt
Yeah, looked.
00:50:49
Derick
i don't know. Oh, it's asking me about cookies.
00:50:50
Conor Fowler
It's a cookies, yeah.
00:50:51
Derick
Yeah, cookies. And then they do a lot of this like very like, i don't know if you guys can see or if it's mirrored, but it says like 65% off, no minimum buy, site-wide coupon capped at $12, time limited.
00:50:58
Conor Fowler
Oh, right.
00:51:01
Derick
Yeah.
00:51:03
Conor Fowler
It's like gambling, like flashing lights on like...
00:51:04
Derick
yeah It's very like overstimulating. now Now, after I close out that one, it says register and get 30% off free returns, conditions apply. But it's like, i don't know, that already seems like pretty like, they're really trying to hound you, you know, right on the right as soon as you really get there.
00:51:17
Conor Fowler
Oh my god, yeah.
00:51:18
matt
Oh yeah, yeah.
00:51:20
Derick
Yeah, like I'm not honestly even seeing anything that's like, I would say significantly more affordable than just going to like the thrift store. So like, look at this. i don't know if you guys can see this pink sweater. It's $23. So again, I'm assuming the composition is not very good.
00:51:34
Derick
And also, I think Shein was also found to have a lot of like lead in their clothing.
00:51:38
matt
Yeah, yeah.
00:51:38
Conor Fowler
oh my god yeah lead and definite child production
00:51:39
Derick
humble up I think it has to do with the guy. Yeah. So a lot of their facilities will be like, you know, in places that are more exploited. So like Bangladesh, for example, that's just one of them that I've seen from like just looking into what I've seen.
00:51:53
Derick
And there's just their business practices are horrible. They just basically do extortion. And, ah but I don't want to speak too much on it because I don't know enough. I'm not an expert on it, but that's what I've seen, you know?
00:52:04
Conor Fowler
No, we're not going to stop shitting on Sheen.
00:52:05
Derick
So.
00:52:07
Conor Fowler
So... shitting on sheen
00:52:08
Derick
Yeah.
00:52:09
Conor Fowler
so
00:52:09
Derick
Yeah. Yeah, but bottom line is yeah something like this is not more affordable, I would say, than something that's you know from the thrift store.
00:52:19
Conor Fowler
Oh, dude, and we didn't need to look that up. Matt and I are all-time thrifters. I think there's something even more insidious at hand.
00:52:35
Conor Fowler
Because people know that it's bad.
00:52:39
Derick
Yeah.
00:52:41
Conor Fowler
People know that it's cheap. People know that it feels bad. People know that it's made out of bad stuff. They don't want to go to the thrift store.
00:52:51
Derick
Yeah, I think that they have this apprehension on buying used clothes or like maybe they enjoy the thrill of buying new clothes. So it could be one of the it could be either of those.
00:53:00
Conor Fowler
Nothing nice about getting something in the mail, yes.
00:53:02
Derick
Yeah.
00:53:03
Conor Fowler
But it still is like...
00:53:05
matt
Yeah, there's, I don't totally, i don't totally subscribe to the buy less, buy better mentality.
00:53:07
Conor Fowler
Think about Earth, brothers and sisters.
00:53:12
matt
Like, obviously there are certain things, like if you buy a nice pair of boots, you know, you save up and spend like 300 bucks for a very well-made good pair boots.
00:53:22
matt
They're certainly going to last you longer than like a pair from Walmart, you know?
00:53:26
Conor Fowler
Or an $8 pair of fiend boots.
00:53:28
Derick
If you know, like, I feel like have to know where to look too.
00:53:29
matt
Yeah. Or an eight hour, you know, whatever. But, uh,
00:53:33
Derick
So like, I personally purchased a pair of Swiss military boots for $37 from Coleman.
00:53:40
matt
Yeah.
00:53:41
Derick
And they're wonderful. I just wore yesterday. I would be wearing them if I wasn't inside the house and, you know, just trying to let myself relax. But they're wonderful. They're well-made. They're 100% leather, right? And the soles are still very good condition. Everything's wonderful about them. I really have zero complaints about it.
00:53:56
Derick
And I got it for 37 bucks.
00:53:58
matt
Yeah.
00:53:59
Derick
is not And those are good boots. I i can already tell they're not going fall apart anytime soon. So that's another one to look at, like Military Street Plus. Because usually...
00:54:06
matt
Yeah, totally, totally.
00:54:07
Derick
Yeah.
00:54:07
Conor Fowler
And that's a great point.
00:54:08
Derick
Yeah.
00:54:08
matt
and ah you know And a lot of people like don't...
00:54:09
Derick
it's made
00:54:12
matt
ah You might have said this a couple of minutes ago, but like they don't know where to look. um Which you know is is something that...
00:54:16
Derick
yeah
00:54:19
matt
like if you're If you're into clothing... A lot of times, like you know you you're you're constantly figuring shit out. Like, oh, I can go to the surplus store and get this.
00:54:29
matt
I can go, you know these people have like you know great cotton socks for for not very much money or whatever.
00:54:33
Conor Fowler
Thank
00:54:37
matt
And it's like most people that don't actually care about clothes are just like, oh, this is the easiest way to do it. Or like you know the people that just go buy their whole wardrobe at at Target or something. It's like,
00:54:50
matt
this is all This is all that I can put into it and that I need to put into it.
00:54:54
Derick
Yeah, even honestly, I'm not going to speak too much on the business practices of like Target or Walmart because I know they're not the best or even with their clothing production.
00:55:00
matt
Yeah, totally, totally.
00:55:01
Conor Fowler
you
00:55:04
Derick
But I've gone to Target and I've gone to Walmart ah recently in the last few months. Like I just bought a couple shirts from Target just because, you know, they're just cotton shirts, 100% cotton shirts, and they're not bad.
00:55:13
matt
Yeah, no.
00:55:14
Derick
They're not the best quality. Like they start falling apart, like in terms of the column. and I'm just, I'm chilling at the house. It doesn't like this one. I got this shirt from my dad. It was just an old shirt that he had. And I don't think it's like some fancy or anything. I think it's just from like Kohl's or something that my mom probably bought her own.
00:55:28
Derick
But you can get like 100% cotton. You can get these like at least good fabrics, you know, at a very minimum just by going to Target and spending $7 on the t-shirt.
00:55:33
matt
Certainly.
00:55:34
Conor Fowler
Okay.
00:55:38
Derick
I think that's how much they were or like 10, but it's still relatively affordable to buy. If you're only looking for like fabric and not like cut and all this stuff, You know, you you get a pretty good shirt and like I have drifted like a Walmart shirt.
00:55:48
matt
Yeah.
00:55:49
Derick
It's 93% Pima cotton, which is a better quality cotton. You know, it's a long, long staple fiber, which means it's a little cooler, a little more breathable. And seven, the other 7% was like polyester, but it's a wonderful shirt.
00:55:58
matt
Right.
00:56:00
Derick
I i wear it to sleep all the time. So like, and a afford, you know, and this like slightly, it's a step up from like Shein, at least you're probably not step up.
00:56:08
matt
Oh, totally. Totally.
00:56:10
Derick
Yeah.
00:56:10
matt
I don't mean to shit talk
DEI Strategies and Shopping Experience
00:56:11
matt
it. I just mostly meant it because it's readily available for like...
00:56:14
Derick
I'm not like digging at you either just for like bringing up target. And i'm not like saying I support target. You should go shop at target. I'm just saying it's possible to get at least decent clothes, you know?
00:56:21
matt
Yeah. Yeah.
00:56:25
Conor Fowler
I'm off those motherfuckers though. I'm off target. I think that they, they just didn't, I mean, how could you do the fucking DEI thing? it was happening like a ah year ago, almost now, like they could have just said no
00:56:45
Derick
Well, I don't know what what it's all about. I don't
00:56:47
Conor Fowler
basically what was happening was that they were under fire from the Trump administration for basically employing DEI strategies, right?
00:56:59
Conor Fowler
um Like diversity and inclusion strategies. And they didn't, they they just said, okay, we're we're gonna not do this anymore.
00:57:11
Derick
know. I don't know.
00:57:12
Conor Fowler
And so I think that's very bad.
00:57:12
matt
I mostly, I mostly hate Target for the Goodfellow brand because they do, I will say, some of their shit has really good fabric.
00:57:12
Derick
It's like... I really...
00:57:17
Conor Fowler
Right. Very good impersonation.
00:57:23
matt
It's the same with like old Banana Republic to me. Like I'll see, you know, like a herringbone twill olive drab and I'm like, fuck yeah. And then I get there and I'm like, God damn it. It's Goodfellow.
00:57:34
Derick
Yeah. Like, I don't know.
00:57:34
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:57:34
Derick
I don't really know anything about that. So like I said, I don't, I don't really want to talk too much about stuff. I don't know, but that's really, I had no idea about this or like that, but I just know that, Hey, if you need a hundred percent cotton shirt, you don't have a lot to blow.
00:57:39
matt
Oh yeah.
00:57:40
Conor Fowler
oh No, no.
00:57:40
matt
Yeah. It, it,
00:57:47
Derick
Just go get, just go get it, you know?
00:57:48
matt
Totally. Yeah.
00:57:49
Derick
So it's just a shirt.
00:57:51
Conor Fowler
Certainly one of the, certainly the remaining, like, because Walmart is, is quite a canceled brand, I think.
00:57:51
Derick
So.
00:57:59
Conor Fowler
Uh, just, in well, just in terms of their, in terms of their, like, dogged destruction of mom and pop operations, like Walmart is not a very nice, they're not, the Walton family is not your friend.
00:57:59
Derick
Is it, like I said, you guys probably know more about
00:58:08
Derick
it.
00:58:13
Conor Fowler
They like, don't want you to be happy.
00:58:13
Derick
Oh yeah, no, for sure, for sure. That part I do know. That Walmart is going to say, yeah.
00:58:16
Conor Fowler
Right, right.
00:58:17
matt
Yeah.
00:58:18
Derick
But I'm saying is
00:58:19
matt
People should buy things from you and not from Walmart.
00:58:22
Conor Fowler
That's what I'm saying, right?
00:58:22
Derick
it's...
00:58:23
matt
We'll leave it at that.
00:58:23
Conor Fowler
Because, ah yeah, exactly.
00:58:25
Derick
I do think that boutique or like smaller brands should get more love because a lot of times they'll put more effort and care into their garments.
00:58:34
Conor Fowler
When you can tell.
00:58:34
Derick
And yeah.
00:58:35
Conor Fowler
I'm going buy some shit from you as soon as this program is over, probably.
00:58:38
Derick
Yeah.
00:58:39
Conor Fowler
Because I need to buy something. And I haven't bought anything for the entire year. 20 days of it, I mean.
00:58:46
Derick
Yeah. Yeah.
00:58:47
Conor Fowler
Which for me would for me is a big stretch.
00:58:49
Derick
it's
00:58:50
Conor Fowler
and I got buy something and I feel like I should buy something that is like a local brand that is like a boutique operation that is made by a person, you know?
00:59:03
Derick
I have some pretty cool stuff coming up, so it's more suited to the seasons.
00:59:03
Conor Fowler
know
00:59:07
Derick
like how You guys are from Maryland, right? Like Baltimore? Atlanta,
00:59:10
matt
I'm from Atlanta. Connor's in Baltimore.
00:59:11
Conor Fowler
and But I'm from Baltimore, yeah.
00:59:13
Derick
Baltimore. How's the weather over there? like I'm assuming Baltimore little colder.
00:59:16
Conor Fowler
It's fucking cold today. Yeah. It's like 20 degrees.
00:59:18
matt
it's cold It's cold as shit here today.
Weather and Versatile Garments
00:59:20
matt
it's not quite that cold, but it's in like the high thirty s i think.
00:59:24
Conor Fowler
Yeah, let's
00:59:24
Derick
20 degrees, man. That's mind-blowing to me because you know Central Valley. Right now, it's actually 49. That's because we've had this weird fog going on.
00:59:32
Conor Fowler
that's a little colder than usual, right?
00:59:32
Derick
It's cold. Yeah, but like Los Angeles right now is probably like 60. So honestly, you go to the coast where the temperature stays a little more stable, it's going to be around there. Except SF is notoriously like windy, cloudy, muggy.
00:59:42
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
00:59:45
matt
Yeah.
00:59:45
Conor Fowler
Chili. Yeah.
00:59:46
Derick
Yeah, so but like you go to SoCal, the weather's fantastic. So.
00:59:52
Conor Fowler
But you're in the middle.
00:59:52
matt
ah been in sanfor I've been in San Francisco one time, my old man played a show in July, and it was it was one of the coldest days i have ever had in my life.
00:59:57
Conor Fowler
Thank
00:59:58
Derick
Mm hmm.
01:00:02
Derick
Yeah, it's a very cold, very cold city across the board. Even in, ah I swear to God, I was i was there last week and ah it was warmer when I went in the middle of January than it was like when I went last like June.
01:00:15
matt
Yeah.
01:00:16
Derick
yeah and it's It's so unpredictable in terms of
01:00:16
matt
Yeah. And, and none of us like we were on so our, you know, on our summer tour and I think I might've had a hoodie, but that was like, it it was like a hoodie and jeans and that was all I had to protect myself.
01:00:29
Derick
Yeah. And actually, the funny enough, the green jacket right here that i was originally the name was supposed to be the Francisco jacket because I wanted something that was lightweight. it was supposed to be like San Francisco, like usable.
01:00:42
Derick
So was supposed to be like lightweight, breathable, warm, but not too warm.
01:00:42
matt
Right.
01:00:46
Derick
You know what I mean? So if you had like a full lining or something like that, it'd just be too hot to wear overall.
01:00:47
Conor Fowler
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:00:51
Conor Fowler
Yeah.
01:00:51
Derick
So it's very like, it's like thick, but also like relatively light and thin. So you can.
01:00:55
Conor Fowler
Well, it's a good it's good for layering in that way, right? Like you can put stuff under it.
01:00:58
Derick
Right, right. Exactly. So you can layer underneath. So like, I'll put my cardigan. It's like a a few months ago i was there and I put my cardigan underneath the jacket and then I put my jacket over. So the jacket kind of acts as like a windbreaker and then the cardigans, the actual insulation. Oh my God. It's wonderful.
01:01:13
Conor Fowler
need be set.
01:01:14
matt
Yeah, yeah.
01:01:15
Derick
Yeah. look
01:01:15
matt
I love good three to four season garment. Like, those are the best.
01:01:18
Derick
Yeah. Exactly. It's very versatile. It's got enough room. It's like relatively slim through the, through the body. Cause a lot of my clothes are meant to be as flattering as possible. That's one thing I really emphasize.
01:01:29
Derick
Um, I find a big difficulty as somebody with like wider shoulders to find stuff that will accommodate you in the shoulders without being too long. So like if I buy an XL,
01:01:40
Conor Fowler
and to And too broad...
01:01:42
Derick
Right. It's just like, you you have to like find a good compromise. And I think that's one thing vintage garments did really well was they fit supremely better than like modern clothes.
01:01:54
Derick
And I don't know why that is necessarily, maybe it's because people's body types are changing, whatever, but they just fit much better.
01:01:54
matt
Yeah.
01:02:00
Derick
If you try on something for adventure store, not a hundred percent, that'll be better fit, but it probably will, you know? um
01:02:06
Conor Fowler
Because they weren't trying to make every garment for the lowest common denominator out of plastic.
01:02:06
Derick
So that's. Yeah.
01:02:12
Derick
Yeah, exactly. So like, they'll try to just fit as many people and like, not everybody can fit in my clothes. Not that's not a hundred percent my fault. Like people have a lot of people are telling me, Hey, you don't have size 40.
01:02:23
Derick
You don't have size 42. What's up? Like, are you guys like, you know, can you guys make more sizes? And I'm like, it's not because of me. It's because of the size and constraints. If I only make like a hundred garments, there's only so many sizes I can make.
01:02:35
Derick
Yeah.
01:02:35
matt
Right.
01:02:36
Derick
because when you dilute it, let's say like I have like five like standard sizes, it's like, it's only like, obviously depending on the distribution that i want to do. So like, let's say 30 is a popular size. So like 32 is a popular size.
01:02:48
Derick
I want to shift more towards that versus there may not be that many like 40s or 42s. So it's like, how much do I want to like put into like one size versus another, you know? And also it comes with like,
01:02:57
Conor Fowler
Oh yeah, I understand. It's a very like, and then you're, if you, you, if you make a bunch of size 42 or whatever, you have to sell a bunch of size 42.
01:03:06
Derick
right yeah and a lot of manufacturers aren't necessarily going to be like super flexible and like hey i want like a i want like only like 530 inseams then i want like 532 inseams because it's a lot more work for them to like measure out repattern it and stuff it's like it's like i'm not a big enough company to be doing that yet so i i understand the company
01:03:06
Conor Fowler
So I understand it totally.
01:03:19
matt
Right.
01:03:24
Conor Fowler
was gonna say yet.
01:03:25
Derick
Yeah, yet. So like one of my best friends, he is like size like 42 and he can't really fit into um my clothes just yet.
01:03:34
Conor Fowler
Me too.
01:03:35
Derick
Just yet. You're a 42?
01:03:36
Conor Fowler
I'm a 46.
01:03:38
Derick
Wow. Pretty cool. But yeah, I will try to get that sizing underway. It's just like, that's just not.
01:03:44
Conor Fowler
We believe you. we believe you. And if you build it, they will come. I mean, I think it's i think that's definitely true.
01:03:48
Derick
Right.
01:03:50
Conor Fowler
so
01:03:51
Derick
But yeah, I am trying to just cater to more sizes. you know Even some people have said, you know can you make smaller? or like Can you make like 28? And I'm like, I'll try. you know I'll try my best. so But as of right now, my production capabilities is only the most common sizes, which tends to be around 30 to 38.
Upcoming Designs and Future Plans
01:04:08
Derick
so And I only do like half sizes like or like by increments of two. Because like I said, I just can't make a 31. I can't make like a 33. It's just like 30, 32. And hey, if if you're in between sizes, it just size up.
01:04:19
Derick
You know, so that's kind of the way I do it. And ah yeah, I mean, just a lot of cool, awesome garments on the way. so like the jacket's one of them. I have some herringbone pants coming out. And the summer, yeah, they're cotton herringbone.
01:04:30
matt
Oh, nice. that That might be a purchase for me.
01:04:34
Derick
They're not wool herringbone.
01:04:36
matt
No, yeah.
01:04:37
Derick
I am looking to make a wool herringbone. I spent so many hours last night actually trying to source wool herringbone. I'm getting some swashes sent to me. Um, so I think during the winter fall, I'll be able to make like a brown wool, herringbone pants and they're going be beautiful.
01:04:47
Conor Fowler
Well,
01:04:55
matt
Hell yeah.
01:04:55
Derick
Yeah. Yeah. And that's another thing. If you guys like just looking at fabric, sometimes we'll give you the best ideas for designing clothing. Just looking at
01:05:03
matt
Totally.
01:05:04
Derick
You'll be like, Hey, I can see this as like a pair of pants. I can see this as like a jacket. You know, I can see that as like a sweater, this yarn is a sweater. And it's like, that's one great way to like start designing clothes.
01:05:15
Conor Fowler
well ah Unfortunately, I mean, I think we'll have to have you back for that. But I would like to do that. I mean, we wrote up questions as we do on this show and we didn't get to them all.
01:05:27
Conor Fowler
I think it would be fascinating to talk about how you got where you are still, like I said.
01:05:33
Derick
Like we can also talk about like production and stuff like that if you guys want to. So I can explain like how the garments come to life. Like what do I consider like when making the clothing? Because I do have like a pretty rigid process like that goes through my head when I make each piece of clothing, you know?
01:05:48
Derick
So if you guys want to discuss that another time, that'd be cool.
01:05:51
Conor Fowler
Oh, definitely.
01:05:51
matt
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
01:05:52
Derick
Because I think people want to hear about that too.
01:05:52
matt
Totally.
01:05:54
Conor Fowler
People do, people do. And people do want to hear it about your stuff in particular. So.
01:05:57
Derick
Right. They want to know like what actually goes into it Because a lot of little details mean so much to me. Because they do make all the difference in ah in a piece of clothing that separates something like a Walmart t-shirt versus like, hey, like this guy really put a lot of work.
01:06:10
Derick
You know?
01:06:10
Conor Fowler
See, and there, that's a clip.
01:06:10
matt
totally
01:06:12
Conor Fowler
That's a clip right there.
01:06:13
Derick
Right.
01:06:14
Conor Fowler
Very good.
01:06:14
Derick
So, but yeah, I'd love to discuss that with you guys. You guys are awesome. So.
01:06:19
matt
Fuck him.
01:06:19
Conor Fowler
Yeah, man, you too.
01:06:19
matt
And but yeah, mutual admiration from our side as well.
01:06:20
Conor Fowler
Right back at you.
01:06:23
Derick
Yeah.
01:06:24
matt
um So yeah.
01:06:25
Derick
Do you guys have any other questions or anything that you guys want to just like get out of the way just real quick before we...
01:06:25
matt
so
01:06:32
matt
No, I think, I think you've, you know, done a damn good job of like kind of showing what, what you and your brand are about. And that was the whole, that was the whole goal with the show today.
01:06:43
Derick
Yeah.
01:06:44
matt
yeah.
01:06:44
Conor Fowler
Yeah, I was feeling good about it.
01:06:44
Derick
Well...
01:06:45
Conor Fowler
Like, I was feeling good about the brand, and now I'm like, holy shit.
01:06:48
matt
Yeah, totally.
01:06:48
Derick
Yeah.
01:06:49
matt
totally but ah yeah tell Tell people where they can find you and your fucking awesome clothing.
01:06:49
Conor Fowler
So...
01:06:50
Derick
I'm not
01:06:56
Derick
Yeah, thank you very much. And like I said, this is my first podcast. that I didn't really know what to expect.
01:07:00
matt
Nice.
01:07:00
Derick
and You guys have been incredibly welcoming and kind. And like i said, I'm very, very honest person.
01:07:05
matt
Thank you.
01:07:06
Derick
I would say I wouldn't tell you if that was not the truth. So I really appreciate that you guys were kind enough and flexible enough to have me on. I feel like honored that you guys are reaching out to me.
01:07:14
Conor Fowler
Great feedback, dude.
01:07:15
matt
Fuck yeah.
01:07:16
Derick
was like, man, this is incredible. So
01:07:19
matt
Fuck yeah. Well, hopefully it's the first podcast of many.
01:07:22
Derick
yeah, of many.
01:07:22
Conor Fowler
For sure.
01:07:23
Derick
Yes, I'm hoping to be a returning guest. Yeah.
01:07:31
matt
Yeah. So, um, to yeah. Shout out your ah Instagram and your website and everything.
01:07:35
Derick
Oh yeah. So my Instagram is art cano.store. So it's a R T C A N O dot store. And then the website, the same thing. It's just art cano.store or you can put in www.art cano.store.
01:07:48
Derick
And we said, we don't really have a lot right now because we're kind of sold out on most of our garments, but, um,
01:07:48
matt
Nice.
01:07:49
Conor Fowler
Thank
01:07:54
Derick
We do have some summer clothes, but because we kind of overstocked on those, but they're going pretty fast. Like the jeans are still selling funny enough, even though even though it's their summer oriented jeans, cause they're made out of linen, but they're still selling.
01:08:01
matt
I
01:08:06
Derick
Like I gotta go drop some packages off after this, but it's.
01:08:08
matt
i mean, it it was 70 degrees in Atlanta on Christmas. So, like, we're, worse a lot of the country, I think, is just now hitting winter.
01:08:11
Derick
Oh man. Yeah.
01:08:17
Derick
Right. I don't know. it It feels like the seasons are kind of getting pushed like back, you know?
01:08:21
matt
Yeah, yeah. But ah yeah, yeah, there's great visuals on the website as well. Yeah, i really lots of good information about the you know the ethos behind the story, I'll say.
01:08:36
matt
But yeah.
01:08:37
Derick
Right. but Yeah. Thank you very much.
01:08:38
matt
Well, yeah, man, thank you for coming on.
01:08:39
Derick
i really appreciate it.
01:08:41
matt
Everyone, thank you for listening. ah We are at ApocalypseDuds on Instagram, ApocalypseDuds at gmail.com. um I am Matt Smith at RebelsRogues.
01:08:53
Conor Fowler
And I'm Connor Flower at Connor Flower.
01:08:56
matt
And we will.
01:08:56
Derick
And I'm Derek from Arcano.
01:08:58
Derick
Okay.
01:08:58
matt
Fuck yeah. We will see y'all next Wednesday.
01:09:02
Derick
Take care guys.