It is always a pleasure when you witness earnest effort and genuine growth with a brand. It’s one thing when a brand creates something to only repeat it the following season, it’s quite another challenge when a brand takes a hard look at itself and decides to upgrade and retain its aspirational roots. It is with excitement that we at Evil Monito present to you the latest Spring ‘09 offerings of 3sixteen. Taking a much more mature approach throughout its entire programme, 3sixteen continues its full collection release from last Fall ‘08 in creating classic, well-constructed, wearable clothing.

3sixteen originally began as a basic tee and fleece company in 2003 so it’s rather fitting that they are now making a bold leap into the contemporary realm, growing with their core consumer base. It’s without a doubt that fashion brands take open cues from streetwear in not only its approach in design, but in honing in the spirit and energy that comes with garnering a keen relationship that designers nurture with their respective communities.  Founder and Creative Director, Andrew Chen is quick to note, “Our roots are in the independent street market because it was the only market that would give us a home when we started. We were untrained in fashion, broke, but passionate about a message we wanted to deliver.”

For Chen, 3sixteen was not only his first foray in clothing design, it was also his first stab in creating his own business. Prior to 3sixteen, Andrew was a consultant at a major management and IT consulting firm. After working on 3sixteen as a side project for three years alongside his day job, Andrew left his day job in January of 2007 to work on the brand in a full-time capacity. Though Andrew never received any formal education in fashion, his passion for creative message-driven graphics led him to start his own brand. It just goes to show you how far ingenuity can take you.

This latest collection thrusts 3sixteen onto a newer niche demographic, the fabric and fits are more exact. ”It took time for us to learn about what we looked for in a garment and how to execute it properly,” Chen admits, “To me, it’s less of a transition categorically and more of a transition from a graphic tshirt line to a full collection.”  

Much of the latest Spring ‘09 line is built upon flexible layering and breathable fabrics. 3sixteen approached Spring with city weather in mind, their intent was to build a collection that is versatile in both style and performance to accommodate to quickly changing temperatures; hence the use of seersuckers and lightweight cotton herringbones alongside breathable mesh linings and dual layer jerseys.  It’s such detailed approach in design that has resulted in classic timeless pieces. Of particular note is the double breasted peacoat that was constructed of a heavy khaki canvas, with seersucker accents and fully binded seams. A must have for the gentleman within all of us.

It is inevitable that American menswear takes cues from its rich heritage – whether it be from utilitarian clothing, military uniforms, or eras bygone. The innovation lies in reinterpreting these pieces and wholistically creating new garments that are relevant.  When asked about the recent awakening of American menswear with the likes of Thom Browne and Tim Hamilton, Chen replies, “I think this resurgence of interest in American menswear is fantastic. Given the state of the economy and the growing costs of doing business overseas, many designers have opted to bring their business right into their backyard instead of dealing with factories halfway around the world. When we started our collection, we were using factories overseas exclusively to achieve reasonable pricepoints… with that came high minimums and a lack of control over the entire process.”

Beginning last fall, 3sixteen have begun manufacturing their core denim collection here in the United States. Such close proximity has allowed the brand to create a product that was assembled to exact specifications and with a greater level of quality. This increased involvement, coupled with the fact of 3sixteen’s want in investing into the fabric shops, patternmakers, and sewers in their neighborhoods has caused them to move more of their production back Stateside. “I think quite a few designers have either known this all along or have gone through the same transition that we have in terms of moving manufacturing over, and it’s no secret that our economy needs it. There’s no better time to be supporting brands that are designed and manufactured here in the USA,” Chen remarks.

In its fifth year of existence, 3sixteen has now grown into a full mens collection. The line is currently sold in 50+ specialty boutiques worldwide and maintains a strong brand presence both domestically and overseas.

Thanks again to Andrew Chen and to the rest of the 3sixteen family. Much success!

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www.3sixteen.com 

Take a look behind the scenes of the 3sixteen Spring ‘09 photoshoot:

via Mr. Kim, 4 February 2009 8:39am | 18 |