Writing, reviews, interviews, photography.

Posts from the “Interviews” Category

Inquiries & Responses vol. 09: Little Baby’s Ice Cream Interview

Posted on August 6, 2012

If you’ve been in Philadelphia for almost any kind of event this summer, chances are you’ve heard of Little Baby’s Ice Cream. If you haven’t, but you’ve been online in the last few days, I can guarantee that someone has shown you their latest commercial, which pulled in half a million views since it was posted this week. That’s a third of the population of the City of Brotherly Love, where Pete Angevine, Jeffrey Ziga, and Martin Brown get awesome and make ice cream an experience like no other. Click below for more photos and the interview.

Categories: Inquiries & Responses, Interviews, Writeups

Inquiries & Responses vol. 8: Rogue Wave Surf Shop

Posted on June 11, 2012

Rogue Wave Surf Shop

Charleston, SC.

This is the eighth in a series of interviews with people who have a keen interest in menswear, style, design, or generally cool stuff. Most of these people are doing something of great note that you should absolutely take a look at.
In the early spring I took a trip to escape the cold and rain of Philadelphia and hit the road with my band to play some shows in the Charleston, SC. area. Not only is the area remarkably beautiful but the people are also incredibly hospitable. Charleston’s a town that, through thick and thin, has looked ahead without forgetting it’s past. I had an afternoon off and wanted some recommendations of places to check out so I sent an email to K. Cooper Ray, better known as the man behind Social Primer, asking for some hometown advice. At the top of the list was the one and only Rogue Wave Surf Shop, known for their quirky approach to peddling both surf goods, menswear, and lifestyle functions. It was a rainy afternoon so I cruised by a few shops and saved Rogue Wave for last.

 

I met with owner Rhett Boyd who was quite honestly and quite unexpectedly one of the nicest and most genuine dudes I’ve met since starting The American Classic. With basically zero knowledge of what I do or why I was there, he showed me around the two room shop on the first floor of a beautifully secluded house on the north side of the main drag through Charleston. I snapped some photos and checked out the goods while his wife and young son visited outside. The shop sells products from Baxter of California, Iron & Resin, Imogene + Willie, Gato Heroi surf boards, Penny skateboards, Yellow Rat trunks and shirts, and many more including a few pairs of selvedge denim and other accoutrements. There’s some amazing things on the horizon for Rhett and his company and we’re excited to watch it unfold. We bounced a few interview questions back and forth and this is what we wound up with. Click below to read the full article and interview and view all of the photos.
Categories: Inquiries & Responses, Interviews, Photos, Travels, Writeups

Hammarhead Industries Day Pack

Posted on April 9, 2012
–EDIT: September 12, 2013
In light of recent events regarding Hammarhead Industries’ customer service reputation, we would like to warn our readers against purchasing from them online. While their online shop is still ‘functional’ in the sense that you can still pay for an item, they have not been responsive to any customer inquiries regarding lost payments, deposits, or delivery of product. Their lack of any kind of presence is disappointing for us, as I’m sure it does for you, and we will keep our readers abreast of any information that might help them recoup their losses.–

Hammarhead Industries just released the newest addition to their line of soft goods, the HHI Day Pack. Built at the request of a Jack Pine (modified Triumph Scrambler) customer, this bomb-proof bag is made out of the toughest materials available and paired down to the absolute (modern) necessities. 15″ laptop sleeve, iPad sleeve, Kindle & passport sleeve. No key-ring, no ice-axe loops, and no headphone port for your discman. But how big is it, you ask? The HHI Day Pack is specifically designed to hold an entire bag of groceries standing up. The steaks and beer you will carry in it are kept safe from the elements by boot leather stitched onto 15oz Martexin Waxed Duck Canvas. The straps are the same that hold you into a racing harness, and the buckles are designed to attach you to a parachute. Oh yea, and it only comes in black. Matt Trigaux, Creative Director for Hammarhead Industries, invited The American Classic down for some photos and his first exclusive interview. Afterward, we chased Mason around Philadelphia on a Jack Pine to show you just how nicely this thing carries your daily necessities, be it steaks & beer, cameras & clothes, or gasoline & croissants.

Categories: Interviews, Photos, Uncategorized, Writeups

Inquiries & Responses vol. 07: Ryan Berger of Simple Threads

Posted on January 24, 2012
This is the seventh in a series of interviews with people who have a keen interest in menswear, style, design, or generally cool stuff. Most of these people are doing something of great note that you should absolutely take a look at. If you haven’t heard of Simple Threads then it’s time to expand your blogroll. Ryan’s been dishing up stellar photography paired with great anecdotes about products, travels, and brands since 2010 and has been growing within the community with each passing month. The dude can write, which is important, but what really makes Simple Threads stand out is the photography; I guarantee at some point you’ve seen his signature split-toned early-evening-sunset-soaked photos of his growing collection of great American made clothing. I spent a few hours with him and his fiancé in New York City at the Pop-Up Flea (he provided the photos for the linked post) this past fall when we decided to do this interview. He’s an all-around genuine guy who’s got some great things to say about thinking for yourself, buying American-made, and gives a nice rundown of some brands he’s very excited about. Click below to read the entire interview as well as view some great photos from Ryan.
 
Categories: Inquiries & Responses, Interviews, Photos

Inquiries & Responses vol. 06: Teppei Teranishi of Truman Handcrafted [UPDATED] Now Teranishi Handcrafted

Posted on October 10, 2011
This is the sixth in a series of interviews with people who have a keen interest in menswear, style, design, or generally cool stuff. Most of these people are doing something of great note that you should absolutely take a look at.
Somehow I managed to catch Teppei Teranishi of Truman Handcrafted and (rock group) Thrice fame when he wasn’t on the road, at a venue, or knee deep in some other variety of project. I didn’t want to pester the guy too much because he’s very busy and frankly, his work speaks for itself; extremely high-quality American-made products that are styled well and are unbelievably clean in their design. That being said this is the shortest interview done for the Inquiries & Responses series as well as the only unedited one to date.
Truman Handcrafted has this look about it and I can’t quite put my finger on it without becoming repetitive but the cleanliness of the designs really stand out to me. Nothing flashy and no ridiculous branding being shown off. The current lineup of goods includes a tote bag, iPad/laptop portfolios, an iPhone case, a variety of wallets and bracelets, and probably most impressive to me is the gorgeous journal cover. Additionally, by clicking to see the full article below you’ll get a little look at a briefcase prototype from Truman (the 1st photo). Everything’s handmade by Teppei in his home on Vashon Island, WA. where he gave us a little photo tour and answered a couple of questions. Click below to read the full interview and view the photos.
I wanted to note that Teppei has changed the name of his company to Teranishi Handcrafted. You can find his products online under that name henceforth.
Categories: Inquiries & Responses, Interviews, Photos, Writeups