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NY Market Week SS 2024 - Red Wing, Stan Ray, Heimat, and More

The first part of our biannual coverage of what's coming from our favorite new and familiar brands at this season's NY Market Week.

Todd Cooke

Welcome to our coverage of 2024 New York Market Week. This year, we hit two different shows: Welcome Edition and Man/Woman. This represents our Day 1 coverage of Welcome Edition, the newer trade show.

If you’re new to our Market Week coverage, allow me quickly set the scene. Scores of brands, ranging from two-year-old upstarts to hundred-year-old stalwarts curate booths in a large, open-concept showroom. Everyone is selling products for two seasons (i.e. one year) in the future. It sort of feels like a loose office party where everyone comes eager to make an impression despite the total lack of a dress code.

The dearth of guidance results in a chaotic technicolored dream coat of stylistic influence, where the streetwear aficionados don Supreme, the fashion people wear Prada, the workwear enthusiasts stomp around in Red Wings, and the independents rep their own creations.

Everyone is collectively competing for eyeballs, impressions, and (hopefully) orders without outwardly appearing to do so. You run into old friends (I ran into my buddy Clynton), and meet new ones, all while liquor, food, and coffee brand activations draft off the chaos.

With that, let’s dive into our coverage.

Drake’s

What we know them for: classic haberdashery staples; Indian- and British-inspired neckwear, pocket-squares, and scarfs; wide, 8”-lapeled suits that nod toward the tried-and-true aesthetic philosophy of Saville Row.

What’s coming: modern madras; 3/4 raglan sleeve baseball; cotton-linen jackets and suited separates; branded, crested, and monogramed ball caps; 1980s variegated stripes; light chambray western-wear; off-duty smocks

Brand Notes: Drake’s is a brand that has always puzzled me in that it somehow succeeds in being both and neither fashion-forward, yet fashion-averse; raffish, but refined; stuffy, but street-smart.

When I think of Drakes’ I can’t help but think of that scene in The Holdovers, when Paul Giamatti’s character takes a student under his care to a regional art museum to show him that ancient greeks were drawing what basically amounts to porn all over the vases that we’re now celebrating as exemplary of cultural achievement.

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This might seem like a stretch, but I find similarity in the air of erudite and wry didacticism: the purpose, in either case, is to show us that whatever we might register to us as new in the world has always come before.

This season, we’re seeing a mix of summer ready staples ripped from the pages of Take Ivy, when the line between structured and unstructured dressing began to dissolve on college campuses. We’ve got some western wear, baseball-inspired color-blocked raglans and dugout caps, suited separates in easy-breezy linens, and a lot of beautiful Indian Madras that look like they belong in the sun-faded pages of a 1970s magazine.

Stan Ray

What you know them for: Your go-to painters’ pants/carpenters’ pants; Made-in-America durable stalwarts of workwear

What’s coming: More painters’ pants in classic silhouettes with a smattering of printed tees riffing on 50s through 90s Americana, think Olive Garden and Big Boy-inspired graphics.

Brand Notes: In the era of rampant capitalization on the surging popularity of American workwear, there’s something quietly respectable about a brand like Stan Ray that has continued to present a relatively unmodified assortment of product throughout the fickle ebbs and flows of the fashion cycle.

The brand’s bread-and-butter is without a doubt their painters pant, which comes in the three colorways (indigo, natural canvas, and hickory stripe) and two silhouettes (Original and the slightly less billowy, high-waisted 80s cut). I don’t remember when it became in-the-know consensus among the urbanite fashion crowd that Stan Ray’s were the painter pant to own, but once you come to that realization, it’s more likely than not you’ll find yourself to be a convert for life.

And yet, Stan Ray never really made much of a push to capitalize on the newfound popularity of their core product, and that’s part of the appeal. You can contrast Stan Ray’s philosophy of quiet humility with Carhartt WIP, the Swiss-owned streetwear iteration of Carhartt which uses the clout of its namesake but spins its heritage Americana pedigree into something that often times feels like it borders on cosplay, especially by indulging in way too many collaborations with the likes of Commes des Garcons and Vetements etc.

It’s not that I’m opposed to a legacy brand adapting to the times in order to appeal to new markets but I do have a sensitivity to that problematic word “authenticity.” And while arguing about what is “authentic” — whether you’re discussing Mexican tacos or San Marzano tomatoes — is rarely a productive use of anyone’s time, it does matter. And to quote Justice Stewart Potter’s famous non-definition of obscenity, “I know it when I see it.”

All that’s to say is that: what I love about Stan Ray’s is their broad, democratic appeal. There’s something great about going to a trade show where, generally speaking, everyone is focused on showing off what’s new, and a brand like Stan Ray defiantly showing you what’s enduring. (However, they do have some new post-modern Americana-inflected t-shirts if that’s your jam.)

Whether you’re a metropolitan hipster, a new dad or mom, or someone actually painting houses, these pants will serve you well for decades to come.

COF

What you know them for: mid-weight, quality denim that doesn’t require a break-in period made in Portugal from Japanese-sourced textiles

What’s coming: new colorways and stone-washed finishes; seersucker dress shirts and suited separates; vintage-inspired chore jackets; worn, pre-loved tees.

Brand Notes: Circle of Friends (COF) is such a great name for a denim brand, especially since the denim community has always felt like the island of misfit toys. The founder, Per Fredriksson, appears to understand that as a veteran of the denim industry with more than four decades of experience.

COF’s point of view represents something of a departure from other denim brands we often write about here; a zig from where others have zagged. When many began to lean heavily (I mean really heavily) into the notion that well-loved jeans take work, Fredriksson appears to have issued a simple, respectable reply, “But they don’t have to…”

The brand’s proposition is crafting unfussy, everyday jeans that feel great right off the shelf; in other words, jeans you don’t have to wait to fall in love with. It’s the opposite approach to a brand like Samurai, with its assortment of 16oz and 21oz heavy-weight denim. All of C.O.F.’s jeans come it at around 13oz and are cut in six silhouettes (M1, M2, M3, M5, M7, M8) ranging from slim to roomy.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t think it was possible to love a pair of pre-fatigued, non-vintage denim, but Fredriksson has somehow mastered fades that feel natural, as opposed to forced. It helps that the brand starts with good ingredients: rope-dyed Kuroki selvedge denim from Okayama, Japan, before manufacturing and finishing the pieces in Portugal.

On deck, C.O.F. has expanded their core collection to include new stonewashed jeans, chore jackets, unstructured blazers, t-shirts, and casual shirts in a lightweight seersucker that are tailor-made for the next summer heatwave.

Snow Peak

What you know them for: Japanese-designed minimalist camping gear; GORP-core without stuffiness

What’s coming: mid-weight rain gear; light-quilted down jackets; urban vests with (too-)many pockets to misplace your everyday carry

Brand Notes: I’ve always loved Snow Peak despite never owning any of their product. It’s the kind of brand that makes me want to drop thousands of dollars in order to live out a fantasy of living off-grid in the snowy reaches of Hokkaido or Niigata in a vintage Jeep or Land Rover, with a YETI cooler, Stanley mug, and requisite Snow Peak camping tent.

For those that are living that fantasy, or some version of it, Snow Peak is the brand for you. For the rest of us, a well-crafted article from Snow Peak provides either a temporary feeling of escape from the gridlock of city life, or an incipient inspiration to pick up that fishing pole gathering dust in your garage and head to your nearest creek (because you’ll just look so good doing it).

I like to describe Snow Peak as representing a Japanese point-of-view on Patagonia, combing Muji-inflected minimalism with a vaguely Shinto-ist philosophy. It’s thanks to Japanese brands, like Snow Peak, that naturalistic concepts like shinrinroku (i.e. forest bathing) have entered into the sportswear vernacular.

Their upcoming collection doesn’t veer too far from their tried-and-true product line. They have a good assortment of mid-weight rain gear and light-quilted jackets, which honestly didn’t wow me, but represent a welcome foil to the seemingly unstoppable cult of Arc’Teryx.

They do have some great vests in the line-up that look great over a t-shirt and Stan Rays (which is how I saw them styled by the Snow Peak brand rep) that will serve you well as a more organized alternative to the all-to-ubiquitous canvas tote you can’t seem to find anything in.

Red Wing

What you know them for: six-inch Moc-Toe boots; heritage American workwear; 8111 Iron Rangers; 100-year old OG workwear

What’s coming: fashion-forward dusty blue and lavender suede colorways; an entirely redesigned weekender chukka built around a new last

Brand Notes: You know Red Wing, you love Red Wing. You probably own a pair of Moc-Toes or Iron Rangers. For a brand founded on timeless durability, the question of how to continue to innovate is always a challenge. As colleague Reed Nelson observed in last year’s market week round-up, what makes Red Wing great is that they remain steadfast in their commitment to doing what they do best.

That said, lately, Red Wing has been leaning into some more trendy suede colorways—dusty lavender and dusty blue—that inject a dose of newness to the brand, that will make you look and maybe think twice. While the new colors would look out of context on any factory floor, they’d have no problem getting the job done. These seem tailor-made for an influencer ceramicist or DIY’er who still wants to look chic while getting their hands dirty for an audience.

They’ve also totally redesigned their weekend chukka boot around a new last, for greater comfort and laidback, put-your-feet up applications. This seems smart because, let’s face it, Red Wing boots aren’t (really) made for walking in the 90-plus-degree heat waves we’ve been experiencing, not to mention the premium being put on comfort after the pandemic.

I think it’s fair to say some of us haven’t been lacing up our Moc-Toes with quite the same frequency as we used to. But whenever you’re ready to reach for them, it’s good to know that they’ll still be there.

Earth/Studies

What you know them for: Pacific Northwest GORP-core; ripstop pants with specialized pockets for mushroom foragers and other outdoorsy applications; versatile, multifunctional pieces equally suitable for walking under the urban canopy or along the forest floor

What’s coming: staples of their relatively limited collection in beautiful contemporary colorways, such as washed chartreuse and sunfaded sherbert

Brand Notes: Earth/Studies was, without a doubt, one of my favorite booths at Welcome Edition. The founder, Rob Darmour, and his co-partner Brandon Scott Herrell were both incredibly gracious and welcoming, which is quite laudable when you’ve been tirelessly promoting your brand to strangers for eight hours straight. After bonding over our shared love of Upstate New York – not to mention my favorite retailer, Meridian, who first introduced me to Earth/Studies – we dove into discussing their upcoming seasonal release.

As a relatively new brand, initially founded in 2018 as an outdoorsman’s club, the assortment on offer is pretty tight; but every single piece is so just well-considered to complement the others in the collection, you’ll want to kit yourself out head-to-toe.

The brand’s creative director, Rob Darmour, grew up in the Pacific Northwest, a stones throw from Mount Hood, before getting involved in the apparel industry. It shows. Growing up, he experienced little separation between the city and nature. “The culture I grew up with was really focused on being outside in a way that’s not like the magazine covers. It was about a trip to the local hiking spot,” Darmour explains. “You didn’t think of it as ‘outdoor,’ like an ‘outdoor trip.’ It was just Saturday.”

Eschewing the isolationist, back-to-nature philosophy, Earth/Studies designs its pieces around a more accessible, quotidian notion of the outdoors: less Ansel Adams, more concrete jungle. Earth/Studies endeavors to broaden our notion of the natural environment to include overlooked features of our daily commute, whether it be a public park or an urban hiking trail. This recontextualization is subtle, but important; it’s a reminder that it’s generally a short drive to your local nature preserve and that you don’t have to pack it in and buy pick-up in order to enjoy nature.

The majority of the brand’s textiles are made 100% natural fibers, another differentiator from other outdoor brands which rely heavily on petrochemical-derived synthetics. Furthermore, Earth/Studies’ Not_Waste line includes pieces that are made from 100% recycled materials as well as unused dead stock previously earmarked for the landfill.

The collection’s colorways are modern, without being loud. Washed chartreuses and dandelion yellows complement a wide range of earth tones on display, from mossy green to dusty beige.

Thoughtful and intentional accessory-based details keep the collection from feeling familiar or staid; I was a particularly big fan of the utility loop on shirt and t-shirts. The loop, which doubles as something of a brand tell for the initiated, can alternatively secure your sunglasses, a pencil, or a portable trek light, whatever your fancy.

Where other outdoors brands adopt a more is more philosophy, Earth/Studies strives for less, but better. This is especially true as far as pockets are especially concerned. Earth/Studies tailors those choices down in order to focus, with intention, on versatility.

Their trademark oversized pant pocket is perfect for urban foragers, especially if you’re on the hunt for chanterelles. Meanwhile, their collared shirts have one large pocket capacious enough for a trail map or trail mix and a smaller pocket for your phone or wallet. Most of the pants have an interior pocket as well, designed to keep your belongings snug and secure on the trail.

So whether you’re tired of pounding the concrete or a committed urbanite, I encourage you to broaden your definition of the great outdoors just wide enough to consider reaching for something from Earth/Studies.

Heimat

What you know them for: quality, hefty five-gauge German wool products; fisherman’s beanies

What’s coming: popovers; Ralph Lauren-esque playful pastels and prep staples; modified Western shirts; easy-breezy linen chambray; updated, contemporary wardrobe staples; summer-ready beanies in a cotton-linen blends; shawl-collar pullover sweaters; well-constructed fleecy raglan tees and sweats

Heimat Popover

Brand Notes: Heimat is one of those brands that you might associate with one product and one product only, wool beanies and sweaters, without realizing that they’ve been quietly perfecting every other garment they’ve endeavored to create.

I first encountered Heimat as the brand making thick-gauged, vintage-inspired, high-quality wool fisherman’s beanies, the kind your grandfather might have worn. Like American Trench, for whom the popularity of their socks allowed them to progressively branch out into other categories of apparel, Heimat quickly cornered the market on beanies and used the positive cash-flow as a springboard to dive into cardigans, turtlenecks, workshirts, belts, chore jackets, and t-shirts.

Heimat’s Christian Hofmann

Founded by German-native Christian Hofmann after an eleven-year career at Polo and RRL, Heimat is, in essence, an extension of founder’s personal wardrobe, built up around German heritage, craftmanship, and engineering.

The brand’s name comes from an untranslatable German word that describes a state of belonging not limited to a geographical place, wherever one feels the most comfortable. Heimat aspires to make garments that cultivate that same feeling of acceptance and comfort.

“I love things that are simple and made for a purpose and are stripped of any unnecessary design features,” says Hofmann. As we know, when it comes to simplicity, the devil is in the details. With no recognizable logos, Heimat prefers to quietly tip its hat as to the quality of German manufacturing with a subtle markers mark, which consists of a three-row knit pattern visible along garments’ sleeves and hem.

Of course, knitwear remains brand’s forte, with each piece made from over a kilogram of the best wool available and manufactured entirely in Germany. (NOTE: Jackets, trousers, shirts, and caps are all made in Portugal. Everything else is manufactured in Hofmann’s native Germany.)

Having worked at Ralph Lauren, Hofmann knows how to have a little bit of fun here and there. For instance, his prep-inflected work shirts are made up of mismatched fabrics that might run afoul of your type-A friend. He’s also got some new accessories in the works, including an O-ring belt with a carefully stitched H, that I read as subtle, wry dig at that garish Hermes belt buckle you see everyone in FiDi wearing.

Hofmann has also created great some soft cotton baseball raglans that almost feel almost fleecy that will be perfect for dads coaching at their kids’ minor league games; we’ve got some great modified western shirts in a lightweight chambray with considered embellishments along the snap pearl buttons and pocket flaps.

(On the topic of hardware, it’s really commendable to see a new brand commit to making its own custom buttons when it’s so easy to buy quality, off-the-shelf parts. Of particular note, are those on their shawl-collar cardigans).

Honestly, I liked pretty much everything Hoffmann showed me, and I’m headed to Berlin in a few days, so you can go ahead and call me biased.

Deus Ex Machina

What you know them for: postmodern motorcycle and biker gear; oil-soaked mechanic shop aesthetics; clothes for your inner Rebel Without a Cause who aspires to own a vintage Yamaha, BMW, or Moto Guzzi bike

What’s coming: F1- and Nascar-inspired jerseys, Japanese silk Sukajan (or ‘souvenir’) bomber jackets, old-school garage and auto repair button-ups; funky, maximalist beach and track suits with trippy, fashionably garish 1980s patterns

Brand Notes: If you prefer your denim with a splash of motor oil, the folks at Deus Ex Machina continue to have you covered. The Australian-owned brand has been perfecting 70s nostalgia for the open road and open ocean for the past eighteen years and shows no sign of stopping.

Capitalizing on the growing popularity of Nascar and F1, the brand has ventured into logo-saturated jerseys that will complement a weekend binge watch of Formula 1: Drive to Survive. If your off-duty pastimes skew more “stay in your lane,” their irreverent 80s-inspired bowling shirts will be the perfect way to standout as you try for that turkey.

Of course, for those of us that actually have a garage, not to mention a vintage car or a bike, I urge you to take a gander at their faithful recreation of 1950s auto mechanic shirts and jackets, cropped at the waist, that are just begging to be sullied over a weekend’s worth of restoration work.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Deus Ex Machina’s latest revival of the Japanese Sukajan, or souvenir jackets made of silk and rayon. It’s unclear how many different designs they have slated for release, but the one on display had all the right details.

(I know we all got really into Sukajans back when Nicholas Winding Refn released Drive in 2011, but I think we’re overdue for a revival.)

Dubbleware

What you know them for: classic American workwear; coveralls and old-school dungarees

What’s coming: rainbow weft denim; more madras plaids; striped rugby’s; select seersucker; detail-oriented Westernwear; railway denim; army olive chinos

Brand Notes: Dubbleware is one of those American heritage brands saved from extinction by a contemporary fashion conglomerate. Currently repped by Options Distribution, who also distributes Pendleton, United States Rubber Co., and Reyn Spooner among others, Dubbleware made its name as union-made garment manufacturer in the Northeast corridor.

Founded in 1918 by famed manufacturer M Hoffman in Boston Massachusetts, Dubbleware’s products were prized by farmers and factory workers for their durability. They were also among the first of the American garment brands to design cuts to accommodate female workers who had entered the labor-force in the wake of WWII.

Long coveted by Japanese collectors, most of the vintage pairs were scooped up long ago.

Today, the current iteration of the brand continues to focus on vintage Americana styles but an eye toward a slightly more fashion-minded subsection of consumer. Worthy of note is their new rainbow weft selvedge denim, which recently went viral on TikTok. In addition, the brand has brought back Jacquard-loomed Madras sourced from the Indian subcontinent.

(NOTE: If it doesn’t bear the made in America stamp, their garments are coming from Italy or Portugal.)

Sage De Cret

What’s their vibe: fashion-forward label that showcases Japan’s enduring fascination with France

What caught my eye: light, billowy silhouettes that will serve you well whether you’re in Tokyo or Toulouse; luxurious, unbranded basics cut for a variety of contemporary contexts

Brand Notes: Sage De Cret is the sister brand of Pas de Calais. Chances are if you like one, you’ll like the other. I happen to like Pas de Calais, so, perhaps unsurprisingly I fell for Sage De Cret.

The bent of the brand is Japan looking towards France (or, more accurately, Tokyo looking toward Paris). Below the belt, you’ll find light breezy trousers — white chinos, white cargo pants, etc. — in crunchy, crinkly cottons that would look great on along the Riviera or in the streets of Roppongi.

Up top, there are M65-inspired jackets, some chic, roomy button-downs in wide striped broadcloth and solid oxford fabrics, not to mention a variety of seersucker offerings. This isn’t really a brand to technically geek out on, the way you would with a pair of Momotaro jeans, but if you’re looking for an alternative to Brooks Brothers or Ralph, then they warrant your attention.

That's all for now folks, be sure to stay tuned for the second half of our coverage that includes familiar favorites like Momotaro, Corridor, and Dehen 1920.