Union Street Clothing Launch Party

It was back to The Wagon last night for the launch of Union Street clothing. This collaborative effort by Wagoneers Spag-Lo and Julius "Ju" Benn is the next brand on the scene looking to capture the eyes of discerning street fashion connoisseurs.

With nods to street couture and high fashion incorporated, Union Street is in tune with current street wear trends. Details like "cement" print, cheetah print, skulls and studs showcase the designers eye for juxtaposing styles, colors and patterns.  

 

The prominent wagon logo lets you know right away the brands connection to The Wagon Boutique.  The Wagon continues to be one of Brooklyn's finest sources for urban chic clothing and vintage apparel and accessories.  The store was bubbling with guests pawing over Union Street's launch items as they sipped complimentary Coco Losos from the bar.

 

Union Street is not only about the look.  They are putting as much effort into pleasing the skin as they are the eyes. The brands mission statement communicates, "...today fit and comfort is critical in men's fashion."

In between shooting....and drinking, I stopped to ask a few of the patrons what they thought of Union Street. Rob said, "I think it's really dope! I'm interested to see where they take it. The concept is pretty cool and I support anything that The Wagon carries." J-Hive answered, "Union Street is something special! It's new; it's impressive. I'm a Brooklyn ambassador, so if I wear it, then the streets will embrace it also.  Even the ladies had good things to say. Guest Ann said, "It definitely represents Brooklyn. I think it's something that the youth can relate to."

 

"True Love Never Dies" states one of the Union Street tees. True indeed. As long as there are urban streets, street fashion and the love of ever evolving styles and artistic ideas, brands like Union Street will continue to flourish. 

Fashion's Night Out: The Wagon Boutique

There were a ton of events around New York City to celebrate Fashion's Night Out.  Retailers everywhere kept their doors open much later than usual to have guests come in and socialize over hors d'oeuvres and wine, catch various celebrity appearances and, of course, shop.

I made my way out to Brooklyn after a party at Niketown to party with The Wagon Boutique.  This little shop of big dreams had a splendid event filled with beautiful people.  Sponsors La Bella Torte and Gecko Tequila provided food and drink and guests mingled to the sounds of the times.

Here are a few shots from the evening:

Joint Owner Fe Noel (above right) debuted a new piece from her Simply Intricate line.  You can find more Simply Intricate at The Wagon Boutique.  Be sure to check back here for a feature on the brand in the near future!

The Wagon 2nd Anniversary Party

Brooklyn keeps on taking it...

To the next level, that is.  

It was a red carpet affair; invite only, for The Wagon's 2nd anniversary celebration.  The store was packed wall to wall, Union street was nearly shut down and The Wagon showed all in attendance how to do it B-I-G! 

The team at The Wagon really pulled out all the stops in celebration of life, health and young Black business.  It is phenomenal to see young entrepreneurs working together to create something greater than themselves.  I was truly inspired and proud of what they have accomplished.

DJ Velocity kicked off the evening with some hits from the south and several DJ's followed throughout the night with different sounds.  As the music played, guests drank and networked.  The open bar was leaking Moet Rose like BP operates a champagne business.

The Wagon, in collaboration with Good Wood, also released their limited edition necklace for the event.  Below, Spag talks about the piece for the camera.

Check out a couple more pics from the evening and then jump over to my Flickr account for the full set.

Fe Diddy of The Wagon

Masa of Sabit Clothing

1...2...3....GallardO

 Choppin' through the block.

The Wagon

In case you didn't know. Brooklyn is it's own planet. You know when you're in Brooklyn just by looking at the people around you. If New York City is a fashion mecca, then Brooklyn is an Imam.

I made a rare trip to Brooklyn today to get up with the team at The Wagon boutique. Before heading to the store, I of course made my gratuitous stop at Junior's Cheesecake. On a serious sugar high, I sat down to talk fashion with Skely W., Fe and Spag. They are 3 of the 4 heads that put one of the finest boutiques in NY on the map. 4^th partner Ju was unavailable at the time of the interview.

I discovered The Wagon through Skely W. I met Skely a few months ago at a party for a friend visiting from Japan. We spoke briefly about the craziness that is city life and I later discovered that he's also a fashion designer. His clothing line, called Cheese Wagon, is The Wagon's house brand and if you're the fashion forward type, you need to know about it.

RF: How did the store come about? Was The Wagon established first or was Cheese Wagon?

Fe: Cheese Wagon was first. It's been around for 5 years. It was started by Skely W. and Ju. They were partners in that.

Spag: They sold throughout Brooklyn (before The Wagon) in Brooklyn Circus, Vinnie's and other boutiques out there. They started with the I Love BK shirts.

Fe: The Wagon came about 2 years ago.

RF: Yeah, when I first met Skely, he mentioned that he worked with Brooklyn Circus for a while.

Spag: Yeah, The Wagon came about because of “politics”. When you sell your stuff in other stores, you have to deal with.....let's call it “inspiration”. People were taking Cheese Wagon designs and just running with them. So we felt like we had to open our own store so we could have more control.

RF: Smart move. When you decided to open the store, how did you decide on the direction of the store? How did you determine that you weren't only going to sell Cheese Wagon clothing but also other exclusive brands?

Fe: Ju already had a blueprint for the store when he and Skely created the clothing line. So the blueprint has been around for about 4 years. I was in already in the boutique business and they (Skely and Ju) had already been friends for about 10 years. So we got together and it was only right that we use the blueprint that Ju made. They are from an era that I don't know about. They brought the nostalgic, classic style to the table and I bring the new, futuristic and innovative side. We just took that and put it together and we got The Wagon.

RF: I've noticed that with the urban community, the group effort is the best way to go for young startups. We don't necessarily have the same resources available to just up and start a business. With these group efforts, we often see personality clashes that end up tanking everything. How have you been able to overcome your differences?

Fe: I got this one! Ju is Brooklyn. Spag and Skely are closer together. They all teach me. I'm the sponge that's just soaking everything in. At the same time, I still have my own creative ideas. Do we all disagree on things? Yes. Skely is more on the “weird” side. He has is own style and that's why Cheese Wagon is a certain way, even though there's the whole urban (stereotype) of what an urban brand is supposed to be. Spag is the vintage guy and Ju is just....Brooklyn.

Spag: That's Brooklyn. (It's) a melting pot. It's so diverse, but we're a family. We may fight sometimes but at the end of the day we're family.

Fee: The chemistry is great!

RF: Based on the little bit that I know about Skely, I can see where his mind is. As far as being a man, what it means to be a modern Black man and what it means to be a fashionable man in modern times. In regards to promulgating your brand, how do you connect what you think and what you know is good for business?

Skely: I had to learn it on the fly. I, personally, have a one track mind. Not to say that the majority of people today are stupid, but I don't respect their opinions enough to let them hinder my vision.

Spag: I do all of the buying for the store, so I just think like a customer. I put myself in their shoes. I just try to bring things in that are functional. Things that you can be comfortable in at a club or just chilling in the park.

RF: Skely, how did the Cheese Wagon concept come about and how did you put it into action?

Skely: Basically, I don't support “street” wear. I wasn't (interested) in paying $140 for a sweatshirt. So I figured I'd just make my own. Cheese Wagon, the name, was just always there. I don't know where it really came from. It was something I used to write in corners or whatever. After I did the I Love BK shirts, I had nothing to call it. I just did them for myself. So I sat down with Ju and he was like, “We have to give it a name.” I said, “Cheese Wagon.” We kicked the idea around to a few people and they all thought it was weird. I was like, “I don't care. It's Cheese Wagon!”

 

RF: What is your ultimate vision for the Cheese Wagon brand? Are you planning to get into cut & sew and all of that?

Skely: Definitely! I have no choice but to go into that realm. I can't get as creative as I can be right now. It's stifling on (many) levels. It's not easy though. People aren't willing to give up resources. There isn't much help. In 5 years, only a month ago did we find a manufacturer that's willing to work with us without the crazy minimums and wild demands. It's an uphill battle, but I'm optimistic.

(l.) Skely W. (r.) Fe

Spag

The Wagon

1214 Union St. (between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues)

Brooklyn, NY 11225

phone: (718) 756-0009

e-mail: thewagonbk1214@gmail.com

hours: Monday - Saturday: 11 am - 7 pm Sunday: By Appointment Only

http://www.thewagonbk.com