I was fortunate enough to meet Dina and Frosti of Clark & Madison while at Unique Camp in Big Bear, CA. I don’t talk about my experience at Camp as much as I should but it was a fantastic weekend which introduced me to a host of new brands much like Clark & Madison. They’re kind of a menswear shop, kind of a women’s shop, kind of a bag maker, kind of a general store, and entirely a great couple with whom to hang out and drink some whiskey on a Saturday afternoon. I had been promising to stop by their Westwood, CA.-based pop-up location for months before actually getting around to it and am glad I finally did. They recently wrapped up their tenure in Westwood and are currently looking for a new location for later this year.

I’ve met many couple partners-in-crime in my time running The American Classic. All of them have a special bond, a kind of airy connectedness that transcends the fact that they’re running a for-profit business and presents itself more as an incredible duo who genuinely has fun doing their thing together. This clearly makes it’s way into the shop and the brand itself. Clark & Madison is full of adventure; new places, new faces, and new experiences while still making a gracious nod to the important things in life: fine wares, excellent booze, and the best of times.

I like Dina and Frosti a lot. I don’t write about people and brands I don’t like, hence why we take the time to write each article from scratch and generate all original content but it’s always refreshing to run across a new brand and some new friends doing things their own way. I really like the way they curate their shop, featuring a pleasant mix of eye catching items to get you in the door and beautifully crafted unique pieces to keep you around. Their bag construction is not only high quality but beautiful and unique in the leathers and fabrics they choose to line the bags with. Each piece is clearly hand crafted, not in the chunky DIY type of way, but more so in the loving care and attention to detail visibly devoted to each piece. Click here to read the full article.