Go West (Coast)

I think the common denominator in everything we're drawn to is this uncompromising sense of product integrity. Traditionally, West Coast menswear could be considered a bit sloppy. We wanted to bring these effortless essentials you can interchange and wear in and out of any situation. You can't go wrong with a great pair of jeans or an oxford shirt and chinos. They've made up this great American wardrobe for decades. It's not nearly as formal as the East coast where it's clearly, 'work' and 'weekend.' Here, there's a much more an easy blend of the two.

We don't really follow tradition in California. If I'm meeting a client, I'll dress up, but it's still jeans, paired with a deconstructed blazer, maybe an oxford shirt and a tie. Then I'll pair it with some beat up boots. If you look at our shoes, there's not the traditional shapes of European shoes. It's a bit of a Western shape—the toe comes up like a boot—there's a rugged, American craftsmanship to them. They're completely handmade, so there's a certain perfect imperfection to them. West coast style is not about perfection, it's about looking good but looking relaxed.

My style really revolves around classic American vintage. It's simple and easy to the point of almost being minimal. Today's a departure—nine times out of ten, I'm in blue jeans and some sort of white tee with sneakers. Growing up, my style was motivated by my interests. I was a skater and your jeans were what protected your legs. They'd get the coolest vintage-esque look because they'd be washed and scraped up from falling off your board. You'd get some holes in your knees and eventually, they became the perfect shorts for summer. When you grow up in California, there are all these different elements and influences that become part of your everyday style. You go down to Mexico and come back with a Baja hoodie and then incorporate it into your wardrobe. That's still what I do now with NSF.