design science: November 2010

There is a very rare breed of fashion item that i would term those of "extremely great value". Often an indicator of this special category results in both high end and low end retailers uniting to celebrate this find.

Value to me, means -

1. it is quality (well made)
2. a reasonable price (like no second guessing affordability)
3. a reasonably sustainable usage. (wear it for more than one season cycle)
4. great style. of course.

These items usually are those that, upon their initial creation, were not in fact considered fashionable at all. Some reasons being -

1. Sometimes it was designed by an outsider, or pioneer created it through their own volition, while not seeking fame.
2. Sometimes the item was created more functionally for a world outside of fashion and then the fashion world found it. This priority of function often explains the high quality of the item (This is what happened with Spiewak.)
3. Sometimes the american fashion world discovers something that another culture created and takes for granted and thus makes well and keeps affordable. (This explains rice paper lamp shades from Pearl River for example)

Anyway, so I present to you, Spiewak.

Yes, their coats are both sold at Urban Outfitters and Barneys.

Their history as you can read shows that the coats were originally made for dockworkers in Williamsburg, and ever since, the brand has been worn by soldiers in both world wars and is responsible for law enforcement uniforms.

clip from the "Uniform" section of their website. The brand has two versions of their own logo. One for Uniform and one for Fashion.

In the Autumn of 1904, Isaac Spiewak opened a business in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, producing handmade sheepskin vests that he sold on the streets of New York. His customers were the dockworkers on New York’s booming waterfront.

Over a century after its founding, I. Spiewak & Sons has grown into one of the premier names in uniform workwear. The authentic industrial line has been trusted by the soldiers of WWI and WWII and is currently worn with pride by thousands of police, fire and ems agencies around the globe. The authenticity and integrity of its designs has also earned Spiewak iconic status as a classic streetwear brand—considered by many to be America’s best kept secret—with a growing loyal following at cutting-edge boutiques and retailers across America and around the globe.

Coming from a tradition of innovation, our spring collection highlights the values that keep Spiewak on the cutting edge – at 106 years young.