Continuing to define our brand promise

The crux is one of our favorite things. The Starkweather layering system is literally centered around it. And it has become an accessory we can't live without during most months of the year. And it's getting better with age. 

We started with the premium. The most luxe interior cashmere lining we could find. And we swear by the coziness of that T-Crux original. And it's body-temp boosting powers. But the truth is we want to spread the joy. We want for more people to have access to this item of clothing that has transformed one wardrobe at a time since it's first appearance on the streets, November 2014.

So we dove back into fabric research. Feeling for the softest textiles that could counter the cashmere richness without the premium price tag. We looked from Italy, France, Japan, England, Peru..the list goes on...And we finally found it, in this awesomely textured cotton knit melange. Produced in Italy, this 100% cotton textile feels like your most loved and well worn sweatshirt with the look and longevity of a designer item. 

Isn't that what you're looking for in your closet every morning?

So what does all of this mean for you? 

The development of this crux in the new fabrics was a challenge for us in keeping with our brand promise. We will deliver best in class products that combine function and style to change the way we live and dress in relation to the weather. 

That also means that we're listening to you and to your needs. And over the last six months, meeting so many of you at our trunk shows has helped us prioritize our new product direction and how to expand on those pieces, like the T and Shawl Crux, that quickly stood out as brand-defining items. 

The crux of it

We love the crux, and we love how it makes people feel and the beautiful way it frames smiling faces. We love that it so completely embodies the promise of the Starkweather brand. And we love that moment of discovery when you pull it on and say "Ahh. I get it."

We hope that this new development will enable many more to enjoy a new way of dressing with the weather, instead of against it. And we can't wait to deliver that experience to many more Starkweather women, and men, as the seasons go on. 

WINTER Layering Best Practices

Outerwear Origin Stories : The Sleeping Bag Coat

There is history behind the phenomenon of puffy coats in cities across the US. Before the fabric technology existed, and before activewear/outdoor lifestyle began reflecting in our urban wardrobes, men and women used to dress in tailored outerwear made of natural fibers. Waxed cotton trenches or wool coats in the form of Pea Coats, Capes, Chesterfield Coats, Top Coats, Toggle Coats....But we're talking 1950s-60s. 

That all changed when fashion became more edgy and experimental, as society was also getting more openly edgy and experimental. The rules and formalities went out the window.

Fast forward to what is popular outerwear today, with streets full of Canada Goose, Moncler, North Face. These brands have all found their way down the mountain and into the city, but that road was cleared for them by a less widely known pioneer. 

The real champion of this origin story is Norma Kamali, dating back to the mid-70s. As the legend goes: 

After splitting with her husband, Mohammed (Eddie) Kamali, in the mid-1970s, she took to camping in the woods with a boyfriend. “It was cold,” she recalled, “and I was always getting up at night to go to the bathroom.” On one particularly nippy night, she threw on her sleeping bag and sprinted for the bush. “As I was running,” she said, “I was thinking, ‘I need to put sleeves in this thing.’ " - NYTimes, Ruth La Ferla May 9, 2009

It's still around today, and here's a version that we love. If you're going to wear a puffy coat, get the one that pays homage to the origin story. 

...

Starkweather is young, and this is our origin story right here. Exploring the world around us and our reason for being, which only grows stronger from learning about what else is out there and who came before us.

We hope that this knowledge and value translates through to you and your Starkweather experience.

The National Weather Service : Happy Birthday

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Today is the anniversary of the National Weather Service's founding. The service has an interesting history, and is currently one of the most important governmental organizations in planning for weather events large and small and how those natural phenomena will affect US businesses.

For a company like Starkweather, the weather is one of our reasons for being. The more we understand it, the better we can prepare our customers and the greater our products will be. So thanks, President Ulysses S. Grant for having that foresight. 

It's an interesting history that you can read about more here. But in the meantime here is a snippet:

"

The U. S. Army operated the first national weather service in 1878 — the "observing-sergeants." They were chosen because "military discipline would probably secure the greatest promptness, regularity and accuracy." When the civilian national weather service was created in 1890 it was suggested that the name be "Weather Reporting Office of the National Government (WRONG)" — honest! "You have to have an ego to forecast the weather. But, you must be a good loser, too, because you can lose 80% of the time."

"

From NWAS

What is the National Weather Service today?

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Our Mission

Provide weather, water, and climate data, forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy.

Our Vision

A Weather-Ready Nation: Society is Prepared for and Responds to Weather-Dependent Events 

Organization

The headquarters of the National Weather Service is located in Silver Spring, MD with regional headquarters located in Kansas City, Mo.; Bohemia, N.Y.; Fort Worth, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Anchorage, Alaska; and Honolulu, Hawaii. With some 5,000 employees in 122 weather forecast offices, 13 river forecast centers, 9 national centers, and other support offices around the country, NWS provides a national infrastructure to gather and process data worldwide.  Each year, NWS collects some 76 billion observations and issues approximately 1.5 million forecasts and 50,000 warnings.

"

To explore the weather of the past and the present, and projections for the near future, go to the website: National Weather Service

Show winter some love

Why do we love winter so much? 

The crispness in the air 

The inclination to curl up with a hot drink and read a good book

The abundance of Whiskey tastings

And The outerwear

Of course, the outerwear. While we have to keep warm, it's the time to play with volume, proportions, textures, and layers. It's a bit more challenging than the milder months, and that can make it tempting to throw on something easy without having to think to much.

But the benefits of making the extra effort will show in your confidence and simply through standing out in a mass of puffy black nylon.

We'd love to help you out with that.

Starkweather Men's Crux Launch

The Starkweather Crux is now for men, too. 

And this dapper style is just the first of many to come. 

Buy it here