The Obtainer - 8/24/22, Wednesday
↦ How the Shoe Designer Shops
Wednesday,August 24th Edition
Our guest today has some seriously impressive taste. See what Blackstock & Weber founder, Chris Echevarria, is shopping for lately and what items he cannot live without.
- Leon Hedgepeth, Shopping Editor ⋯ @leonhedgepeth
StyleStrategies
Chris Echevarria, Founder of Blackstock & Weber
One of my favorite fashion podcasts always asks their guests to describe what they're wearing from the bottom up. Chris Echevarria would no doubt agree with this approach. As the founder of Blackstock & Weber, he's on a mission to create what the brand calls the “best f#cking loafers in the world”. Echevarria has restructured the classic slip-on so it can fit into anyone's age range or wardrobe. Regular Valet. readers might also recognize him from our “Three Ways to Wear” series where he showed his appreciation for Americana and well-crafted Japanese designers.
I really appreciate that Chris is a uniform dresser— emphasizing fit, fabric and function in everything he wears. His taste level is undeniable from his shoes to his cars—you can see parallels on how that inspires his design process for stylish loafers that look great, but are also meant to be worn for a long time. From working at J.Crew back in the day to being a wholesale rep for a shoe brand, he has seen it all in the fashion industry. We caught up with him to see where he's been shopping, what brands he's watching and if there's anything he refuses to spend money on.
Describe your style in five words or less.
To me, that's a trap. Five words encompassing 35 years of learning about yourself doesn't seem like enough runway. I've lived many lives and have explored many styles as a result of my hobbies outside of fashion—whether that be golf, biking, skateboarding—and it all influences what I choose to wear every day.
What are you shopping for at the moment?
Oh man, I could go on forever. I have a few watches I'd like to own. But honestly, I've been making more space for things instead of buying at the moment. I try to be very fluid with my purchases—the journey of the purchase, or the discovery of the thing, whatever it is, has always been just as important to me.
Your style leans heavy on Americana. What made you gravitate towards it?
I've never thought about why ... a few things, I guess. I grew up in the era where Tommy, Ralph and Nautica were what my older cousins and uncles were wearing, and I naturally gravitated toward that. We weren't really a “designer” family. I didn't know about luxury houses or European fashion until I was a lot older. So I don't think it was intentional, just what I felt I understood and where I belonged.
How did you know it was time to start your own brand?
My ideas were starting to annoy me because they weren't out in the world. I needed an outlet for thought and expression and knew I'd never have the opportunity to get it all out under someone else's employ. I had to jump.
The Clásico tassel loafer,$365 by Blackstock & Weber
Who’s the Blackstock & Weber customer? How would you describe them?
I wouldn't, to be honest. We focus on making a product that's so good that anyone can f#ck with it. Everyone can watch a Scorsese film and enjoy it because it's tasteful, well-thought-out and well-executed genius. I aspire to be all those things on a large enough platform so the right people can find us and enjoy our shit.
What brands are you watching these days?
Real McCoys, RRL and Visvim. There are others like Engineered Garments, 3Sixteen and Thom Browne, but if I had to pick three labels I'd want to wear for the rest of my life it'd have to be those big three.
501 Original fit jeans, $36 by Levi's Secondhand
What’s one garment that every man needs in his closet?
A pair of well-fitting, well-worn selvedge denim. A go-to pair of jeans goes a long way.
501 Original fit jeans, $36 by Levi's Secondhand
Bedale waxed cotton jacket, $395 by Barbour
Do you have an item you’ll never part with?
My green Barbour Bedale might be one of the most worn pieces of outerwear in my closet—I'd have to go with that. If we're talking about shit I make, I have to go with the Clásico tassel loafer on Vibram in Onyx. That's the pair I will wear everywhere with anything.
How do you like to shop?
I like to touch things, so I'm mostly an in-person shopper. MR PORTER has a service where you can buy stuff, they'll drop it off at my crib and then pick up the items I don't want from the doorman. That's as deep as I go on “online shopping” with things or brands I have no prior context with.
That’s a great tip! Any other shopping hacks we should know about?
It's not a hack, but trust me ... don't wait for the sale. Buy the things you see now. No telling if it'll be around in your size in a few months. I try to get everything that I want when I see it. If that's impossible, the time between having it and not having it is usually my most obsessive about whatever it is.
LW56 pocket T-shirt, $64 by Loopwheeler
Do you ever buy things in multiples?
Grey New Balance 996s, loopwheel T-shirts, refills of facial cleanser and Jersey's favorite dog treats. It's either an item I will need on repeat forever (and I never want to get caught without a fresh replacement), or something I know is a once-in-a-lifetime buy that I'll need for the archives.
LW56 pocket T-shirt, $64 by Loopwheeler
What city has the best shopping?
Paris is my favorite city to shop in. I lean toward a lot of vintage pieces because they fit me better. Paris is also my favorite city for trend forecasting—taking in information about where the world is headed over the next year. From a creative perspective, it's always good to get away from what you are usually surrounded by even for a little while.
Necessary extravagance?
Weekly haircut, car detail and massage. Need all three to feel my best.
Vintage 18k gold President Day-Date, $18,190 by Rolex
What is something you refuse to spend a lot for?
I really don't cheap out on anything. You get what you pay for, right? And if you're not worth spending for, who is?
Vintage 18k gold President Day-Date, $18,190 by Rolex
What was the last item you bought and really loved?
Every watch I've purchased signifies a step up in my career. I recently just got a Prezzi. That was the “I made it” watch for rappers when I was coming up, so that has always been a benchmark I wanted to hit.
Drops to Watch For
Adsum is opening their archive. Unreleased goods, samples, experiments and discontinued past season collections will all be available.
Thursday, August 25th at 11 am ET
ASICS and JJJJound are kicking off their first collaboration by reinterpreting the GEL-KAYANO-14’s retro running shape. Performance capabilities are state-of-the-art with updated materials and components, while the style’s signature design elements remain true to the sneaker’s original influential 2000s aesthetic.
Friday, August 26th at 11 am ET
Nanamica teams up with Puma to rework a classic for fall. Using Puma’s suede VTG as a base, the sneaker is reimagined with Nanamica’s neutral, timeless style and technical prowess. The soft suede upper is lined with GORE-TEX for ultimate weather resistance, while tonal flat laces and matching outsole complete the minimalist, monotone design.
Saturday, August 27th
The sales and discounts our team is currently watching.
Brooklyn Tailors is having an end-of-season sample sale right now. There are a lot of goodies in the haystack. Pick up this shirt jacket to help keep you warm for all the chilly mornings ahead.
$205 / $55 by Brooklyn Tailors
Keep your body moisturized with this handsome and aromatic cedarwood and sandalwood scent.
$85 / $60 bySt. Paul's Apothecary
There are 31 days until the first official day of fall. Score yourself a trusty chore coat on sale before the cool weather sets in.
$240 / $119by Knickerbocker
The three best stories from around the web.
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The partnerships have produced thousands of products, but these 50 shoes, in particular, tell the epic story of Nike’s culture of collaboration.”
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Keep the foundation, which is yourself, in as good order as you can, because then you can wear anything. Don’t lose the architecture.”
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But in 1994 the idea of a ‘smart watch’ was anything but normal. Then came the Timex Datalink, and its capabilities were almost unfathomable for the time.”
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Thank you @thesartorialist another wonderful photo of yours to add to my album 🙏
August 18