(3X1) BESPOKE DENIM
Climbing the steps to (3×1)’s paper-windowed storefront, I worried momentarily that I had come to the wrong place. A quick knock on the door later, however, and none other than Scott Morrison himself—(3×1) founder and Earnest Sewn alum—greeted me with a big smile. Inside, the Mercer Street boutique showed every sign of a work-in-progress, all paint cans, beams of lumber, coffee cups, and dusty floors. Exactly how far were they from opening day? “That’s on Thursday, so three days from now,” said Anna Shimonis, one of (3×1)’s lead designers. “Oh wow—that’s pretty soon!” she added with a laid-back laugh.
Not to be confused with a run-of-the-mill jeans shop, (3×1) is a bespoke denim factory that places the ultimate emphasis on customization and personalization. Surveying the space, I was struck by its sleek modernity, particularly the ladder-like grid of whitewashed, horizontal beams by the entrance. “That’s where we’ll hang all the rolls of denim,” Shimonis noted. There’s also an array of glass-topped, display-ready tables in the back that will soon hold fabrics and fit prototypes for clients to peruse. This up-close experience with the many washes on offer is paramount, considering that (3×1) touts itself as offering a true start-to-finish “denim experience.” Customers begin by selecting one of three options—off-the-rack, custom, or bespoke—escalating in cost (topping out at $1,200 and up for a completely unique, one-of-a-kind pair). “It’s definitely not an experience for everyone,” admits Shimonis of the sky-high price point, “but we think that what you’re really investing in here isn’t just a pair of jeans—it’s the experience.” Agrees Morrison, “‘Premium denim’ has certainly had its share of difficulties these past couple years, but I do think there is a very clear distinction between ‘premium denim’ and what we’re doing with (3×1). I think of the way we’ve incorporated the design and production elements into the retail experience, the scope of the process, the limited quantities, even the bespoke services…it’s the first true luxury denim atelier.”
Customers who commission a pair of (3×1)’s bespoke denim begin with an hourlong consultation with Morrison and his team of tailors, who take precise measurements, review any sketches or inspirational images, and suss out the exact fit and fabric the client prefers. From there, they craft a pattern, select a wash, and pick the finishing touches, from buttons to zippers to exact shades of thread. Admittedly, it’s a pricey process, but the final product—the denim of one’s dreams—can’t be attained elsewhere. “What inspires me today is transparency, specialization, and integrity,” says Morrison. “I want to know what I’m buying. If something costs a lot, I want to know it’s exceptional—not just good.” This notion of transparency extends quite literally to the construction of the store itself. Inside three numbered rooms marked “Cut & Sew,” “Pre-Finishing,” and “Finishing,” each pair of blues is stitched up, pressed, and hemmed to fit, respectively. Standard practice, sure, but (3×1)’s glass walls mean every customer is able to witness this very process from start to finish. It’s factory-meets-gallery, atelier-meets-boutique.
Exactly what sets (3×1) apart from Paper Denim & Cloth and Earnest Sewn, Morrison’s past two (very successful) ventures that revolve around the same all-American garments? “I’m very proud of both brands—they were both timely and relevant in their own right,” the designer explains. “I often think of my time at Paper Denim, which I started at twenty-seven, as my formative years…and Earnest Sewn was my first attempt to attach a lifestyle to a brand. In many ways, it was a personal reference to my love of American heritage. (3×1) is essentially the workshop concept I’ve always dreamt of, however. We have total flexibility to create a product in days instead of months, and we are able to show the consumer—and the apparel industry—something they’ve never seen before. I would consider it to be the pinnacle of jean-making.”
With the shop officially open for business yesterday and an exclusive editor event scheduled for next week (“It’s a ‘champeroon’ party—champagne and macaroons!” laughs Shimonis), the team’s wasting no time in getting the word out. In fact, the entire inception and creation of the brand has been remarkably swift. “We launched the business in February 2011,” explains Morrison, “and since then we’ve hired an entire design, production, and operations team; converted a seven-thousand-square-foot space into a multi-use retailer and factory; and simultaneously designed and manufactured our first forty-four styles.”
As I left the Soho space, Morrison was leading a small team of eager-looking visitors on a detailed tour—the shop’s new retail staff, many of whom are friends and former colleagues of the founding team’s. It’s that sort of familial, familiar feel that 3×1 hopes will set them apart in the cutthroat denim market. As Shimonis puts it, quite appropriately, “It’s nice to have a common thread.”
(3×1): 15 Mercer Street, http://www.3×1.us/
