Welcome to the first style post. First off, my name is Kristina Alvarez, sales wonder woman and men’s fashion junkie for PLSTK. I’ll be covering the Style section every now and then to give you a little perspective on my passion. For my first post I sat down with Mark Gamab and Barry Lai, the two designers for First Article, to talk about the new cap and a bit of insight on the brand.

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How did the name “ First Article” originate?

Mark: First article is actually a technical term used in the manufacturing process. Simply, the first production item to come off the line is called the first article. Since the inception of the name it’s become a brand philosophy that we strive for, and that’s to make sure we have a process to produce the best products possible.

What was the inspiration for the design?

Barry: The inspiration for the First Article cap was derived predominately from the Ebbits Field Flannel collections. Paying tribute to its historical roots of the true-form fit, this co-op between our good friends at Quintin provided a common platform via our passion for footwear and accessories. We gave this classic look a touch of our brand through additions of the shortened empire visor, solid navy melton wool, and the insignia die-cut felt applique.

How was the process for the logo design? And the insignia?

Barry: The process was quite enjoyable and in fact, instinctual. The brand needed an old-world, classic  font family to carry the appeal. Looking into the library, I knew Stag Stencil would be the perfect candidate to help execute the brand mark. The family is classified to be a Slab Serif but seen from afar, it carries the look of a well-formulated Serif with a modern interpretation – just as all three of our silhouettes in our Genesis collection does. An elaborated post of our brand logo inception can be read here.

What are the key features of the brand?

Mark: The key features of the brand are simple design aesthetics, constant strive to give our customers the best quality possible, and to maintain their experience with First Article at the highest level of acceptance.

When will we see the Collection?