Shop412

Streetwear Update by Alex Young

If you want to get in the game, move to further your product.

In 2011, Jake Sullivan walked into a local Pittsburgh clothing store called Timebomb. He bought powder blue Wiz Khalifa Taylor Gang Bombay Gin Cup shirts and sold them on eBay.

His enjoyment of clothing turned into a budding apparel and media company in 2015 that he operates with Steven Crump.

At the Make Sure You Have Fun Mixed Threads clothing fair in 2017, Crump and Sullivan were selling their own brand Good Sports. Even cooler, the experience came full circle because Ryan Brown, the designer of the Gin Cup shirt that Sullivan had bought years earlier, hosted the local streetwear market.  Another local apparel brand that was at the Mixed Threads market was Reviving Real.

Owners of Good Sports Jake Sullivan (left) and Steven Crump (right) | photograph by Alex Young

Owners of Good Sports Jake Sullivan (left) and Steven Crump (right) | photograph by Alex Young

[People could have] Pittsburgh clothes for the whole year if you look into it.
— Jake Sullivan of Good Sports

S.O.S.I.M.O. pushes a new T-Shirt concept seemingly every month. The brand drives demand for the product that sells out quickly as designer Ivan Rodriguez of Pittsburgh's east side, known as smoke.myth on Instagram, deals his shirts in person first and then off the Internet second. The gray SOSIMO Sluggers joint sold out in 21 hours. S.O.S. limited product only leaves the community trying to find more of it.

Now, Good Sports, Sports for short, Reviving Real, SOSIMO and more are examples of an emerging streetwear culture in the city.

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To have a brand you have to have people know the feeling. You want to make it have a meaning.
— Steven Crump of Good Sports

I asked if either of the Good Sports partners skates because that’s the feeling I got looking at their collections, like the Exordium run. Turns out, only Crump skates, but the love for culture grew from the two’s fondness of Nike SB sneakers back in seventh grade, P-ROD 2 specifically. That’s how they conceptualized “how everything ties together, the shoes, the clothes, the music,” Crump said.

Black and white monochrome tees with characters like Fidel Castro and Malcolm X's meeting in Harlem or Felix the Cat show the tone S.O.S. The archived culture is serious and familiar. The strongest of celebrated human history survives in the fabric of SOSIMO.

For Mike Caraballo, the founder of Reviving Real, his company succeeds because “a lot of us share a genuine love for what we are pursuing, as well as the culture of the city,” he said.

Sports try to support the culture too with a goal to “get more involved.” The 23-year-old Bethel Park and Wexford natives in Crump and Sullivan conduct an interview series called Pittsburgh Culture showing the energy coming out of the creative scene and “the ones behind it all.” Musician Linwood and thrift store owner and barber Zed have segments.

Caraballo noted clothing brands in Pittsburgh aim to help communities of local artists. They “are doing the most to not only serve the people with quality products but continue to help push the culture and arts here in the city,” he said.

via @Shop412 on Instagram

via @Shop412 on Instagram

Aaron and Christian Kinkela, the brothers who operate the legendary Pittsburgh lifestyle label named after the city's 412 area code, said in a 2014 interview with ITR, "A lot of what we do is supporting the local economy with anything whether it's local seamstresses or local printers. A lot of things happen right here. That's another part of giving back and doing what you can to keep the money in this town."

A local online publication and conversation series called Style412 ran an audit on Pittsburgh’s fashion scene throughout 2016 and 2017. Style412 founder Elysia Newman mentioned authenticity attracts customers to a local business.

Consumers of this generation are placing value on immediacy, practicality, authenticity and the ‘small shop’ experience.
— Elysia Newman of Style412

With each clothing collection that Reviving Real releases, a music mixtape with highlights from Steel City hip-hop, other musicians and cover art by a local visual artist accompanies the release. “We like to curate sounds from artist around the city that we see working hard and putting that time and effort into their craft,” Caraballo said. “Vol. 3” of Reviving Real’s music compilation highlights this aspect through songs by My Favorite Color or Sierra Sellers. Reviving Real's latest "Idora" T-Shirt was a collaboration with artist Dalton (@lovedullt) that celebrated the Idora amusement park roller coasters. By branching out, Reviving Real roots itself to other communities. “The artists here can see what everyone else is doing and create connections with fellow artist,” Carabllo said.

Dalton's design for Reviving Real's "Idora" Tee

Dalton's design for Reviving Real's "Idora" Tee

Additionally, people have been receptive to Sports, obviously, we love our teams, but the Good Sports kind message and general aesthetic promote quality. Crump remembers local rapper Mars Jackson being the first notable person to wear their clothes. Quentin Cuff, a.k.a. InnerviewQ, has also been seen wearing Sports. Musician Benji wears his Doc Ellis T-Shirt that celebrates the Pirates baseball legend.

Part of creating a clothing label is selling a lifestyle and that’s what Good Sports does with their Pittsburgh Culture series and that’s what Reviving Real does with their showcase mixtape. SOSIMO does the same with reverent graphics.

“We are seeing an emergence of online lifestyle brands (versus the traditional boutique), which is definitely something new to our city,” Style412’s Panda said.

Although, vintage thrift shop Senseless in East Liberty creates an atmosphere people want to shop in by curating special experiences. For instance, Senseless, along with the help of craftsman Stew Frick, will release Nike Air Force 1 with the Swoosh donned by repurposed leather from Louis Vuitton handbags on July 6. Three different velcro LV Swoosh and colorful laces come with the sneaker.

Photographs by Tyler Calpin

The Sports’ lifestyle clothing, which is sold online at www.goodsportspgh.com and once at One Up Skate Shop and Shop Zeds in Pittsburgh’s Southside, isn’t trying to be in your face with its simplistic designs.  “A lot of things are just overdone now,” Crump said. He mentioned the We’re Proud long-sleeve shirt comes from looking at old ‘80s and ‘90s Sports Illustrated. Garments like polos and quarter zips highlight the ranges. 

[Make] moves to further the product.
— Shop412 in a 2014 Interview with ITR

With limited quantities in each Sports collection, “we focus on every little detail because they all matter,” Sullivan said. Patience helps them, as the business pays no attention to typical season-by-season collections.

Down the line, Crump and Sullivan hope to grow into a brick and mortar store, much like Shop412's store on the Southside, to build a Pittsburgh foundation.

As more clothes and culture stem from Pittsburgh, especially as native designers like John Geiger, Aris Tatalovich and Makayla Wray put on for the city in big markets like New York City, it just depends on "how it all gets put together," Crump said.


Portions of this article come from an ITR article written about Good Sports on April 4, 2018, to create a more thorough conversation on the streetwear scene in Pittsburgh.

 

Shop412 Celebrates Pittsburgh's Bicentennial by Alex Young

Officially founded in 1758 and incorporated as a city in 1816, Pittsburgh celebrates its bicentennial.

A lot of the city's pride stems from what it produces and shares with the world. 200 years as a city, Pittsburgh is home to legends such as actor Gene Kelly, playwright August Wilson, Heinz ketchup, the most  bridges in the world, six Super Bowls, rappers Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa, the inspiration for D.C. Comic's Batman, and so much more.

A common quality of most people in the city is sharing success and moments, as well as flourishing together, as a community of Pittsburghers.

Pride in tact, and with the community behind it, Shop412, Pittsburgh's hometown, representative lifestyle brand, shares New Era hats in celebration of the 'Burgh's 200-year anniversary.

Via shop412 Snapchat

Via shop412 Snapchat

Using the 59/50 and 920 hat silhouettes, with 412's logo on the front, Pittsburgh's flag and seal is placed on a woven patch on the right side of the hat crossed with the American flag. The fitted, flat-bill 59/50 cap comes in black, red, and yellow colorways while the 920 dad hat comes in colors black, red, and white. Diamond Era, a lightweight, breathable tech fabric to handle Pittsburgh humidity, covers the 59/50 hat.

Created as a gift to the city, Shop412 presented several cultural influencers a run of the headwear to enjoy and display. People like Bill Peduto, the Mayor of Pittsburgh, photographer Keep Pittsburgh Dope, and musicians Mars Jackson and DJ Motor Mane of Taylor Gang support the gear.

Others can too, as 412's Pittsburgh bicentennial collaboration with New Era launches in-store today.

Shop412

420 South 27th St

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

(412) 586-7507

412 forever and always. Thank you @shop412 🙏

A photo posted by Cody Baker (@tehbakery) on

Pack of Wolves Wearing Shop412 by Alex Young

Via Shop412

Via Shop412

With a precise and valuable mission statement, agreeable visuals, and detailed archive of projects, Shop412 launches a new web experience. The Pittsburgh lifestyle brand and clothier's 'About' page reads, "412 was birthed in 2007 with the aim to create a brand that celebrated Pittsburgh's emerging generation of cultural creators and professional athletes."

The 'Burgh's proud heritage shapes Shop412's logo and is the company's source of inspiration. While the city's area code remains the prime image for 412, a wolf is used as symbolism to represent the quality and ideals of Pittsburgh's cultural community built "TOGETHER."

After recently remodeling its storefront, moving the sneaker wall to a window cavity with open shelves and lush greenery peering through, a ferocious, salivating neon wolf adorns the shop and faces customers who enter. "Hometown•Is•Hero 412 Built," encourages the sign.

Shop412

Shop412

SFOT's supportive manifesto "started out as just an idea. A feeling. Our desire to represent our city. Our family. Us. All of us. Together."

Naturally, actors in the steel city's cultural scene seek 412 wear to boast their hometown's creative and diligent spirit. Keep Pittsburgh Dope, the don of capturing popular life and style, photographed local rapper Mars Jackson during his concert at Carnegie Museum of Art in a black long-sleeve shirt printed with the brand's wolf emblem. Menswear purveyor PixburghCam shops 412, and 24/7 Pittsburgh advocate Cody Baker loves the 412 x Heinz shirt, a collaboration bringing awareness to hunger in the region and nationally. See packs of Pittsburghers cooperatively and dominantly thrive together in 412.

The new web-store welcomes supporters with a classic logo offering in black, grey, gold, and red. Officially called the '412 Hometown' collection, the wolf appears on black and white long-sleeve tees, as well as a black hoodie.

Creating "a logo for a proud town," Shop412 is a staunch reminder of the valuable content that is produced from a supportive and engaged community.

 

Shop412 x John Geiger "One City" Capsule by Alex Young

John Geiger

John Geiger

John Geiger is praised for his imagination, aestheticism and craftsmanship regarding footwear. In person and on the internet he is known to influence viewers with curated high fashion looks mixed with distinct streetwear flavors. Geiger is highly visible, spot him courtside throughout the NBA season laced in custom Air Force 1s and Mitchell & Ness cap atop his head or track him down shopping in New York, he usually has on a leather jacket and distressed denim. A look down at Geiger's feet and at his Instagram one can understand how he carves a niche in the culture: his vision for bespoke footwear.

The poster boy for Nike's Air Force 1 High silhouette, Saint Laurent and Air Jordan sneakers fill Geiger's sneaker closet. He extends his passion toward sneaker culture in his eponymous label, which creates unique re-imaginations of various AF1s, all made by The Shoe Surgeon. "Misplaced Checks" was 25 numbered pairs of classic, high white AF1s with the Swoosh replaced by 16 different "checks," like a liquid gold leather one or red pony hair one, released for the public.

Geiger's limitless creativity pushes popular culture and his Pittsburgh, Pa. roots mean it only fitting lifestyle stronghold Shop412 recruits its city mate in collaboration. On Black Friday John Geiger and Shop412 pair to release the "One City" capsule.

412, Pittsburgh's area code and, foremost, streetwear provider, works to elevate the platform at which the world views the city. 412's formula to do this is "TOGETHER," a way to present the city and everyone in it as united. #OneMillionMeals was a project by 412 and Heinz to feed families through the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

The "One City" capsule symbolizes two creative forces joining to promote their hometown. Shop412 and John Geiger offer a four-piece collection with a long sleeve T-shirt, parka, snapback and hood. Each "One City" garment takes a black colorway with black-sheen font graphics, like P 4 I 1 T 2. "One City" capsule is available on Nov. 27 at 11 am.

Shop412

420 South 27th St

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

(412) 586-7507

 

 

Welcome Pittsburgh Steelers 2015 Season Opener with Shop412 "World Champs" Collection by Alex Young

Today marks the beginning of the 2015 NFL season when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the New England Patriots. The season opener is a time of pomp and circumstance. For the Patriots, tonight is banner raising night, engraving their 2014-2015 campaign in the history books and on their fingers. Tonight is also the night Tom Brady is making his season debut; four games earlier than NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had intended as punishment following the inane proceedings of Deflategate.  But for Steelers fans, tonight is the night for the six-time World Champs to levy some pure gridiron justice onto the defending Super Bowl cheaters. 

Pittsburgh's lifestyle brand Shop412 welcomes the new season releasing its "World Champs" collection. While the Patriots certainly garner stature thanks to four Super Bowl wins spanning 2001 to 2014, their legacy to some is tainted with fraudulent actions. The Steelers prove their supremacy on the field; six Vince Lombardi Trophies in Pittsburgh means consistency, excellence, and winning tradition-- genuine characteristics that define the team's greatness. When 412 prints "World Champs" on a Coach's Jacket, t-shirt, and hoodie it is fact and an expectation held by the entire city. The garments are annotated with Shop412 branding and six stars symbolizing the team's victories. Stop down to the South Side before the game and shop the collection in store or if you are unavailable visit their online location here.

420 South 27th St

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

(412) 586-7507