A Conversation with Christophe: Taylor Supply Co

Christophe Hascoat is a man of many hats. Simply put, you have to be when you're building a brand from the ground up. He's worked hard to create one of my favorite brands to date, and he's done so by consistently focusing on the details that matter most. His appreciation for the way clothing used to be built is evident when you look at how he has married that to common day use. I caught up with Christophe in the midst of an extremely busy fall day, to talk about the recent reconfiguration, some favorite fall offerings and what's coming next for Spring/Summer 12.

"Fit is tough, everyone is built differently. We are very conscious of fit and it is a huge consideration in the design of each piece."

CREDITS
Interview by Darian Hocking

SPECIAL THANKS
To Christophe Hascoat and Taylor Supply Co

LINKS
Taylor Supply Co

Taylor Supply is now in it's third season as a brand and last month you relaunched your site to include an online shop. What led you to that decision?

We relaunched the site because the initial site was static and we really wanted a platform that was more dynamic and gave us the ability to constantly update it. We wanted to have the opportunity to tell the evolving story of Taylor, and do so through various tools like the journal, a more interactive look book and a web store. We felt as if not having a site that did all that made us incapable of showing people the growing life of the brand.

The rebrand was also designed to give us a more universal platform to build on. It is less time/date specific and can be used more broadly across the different categories we are planning to grow into. We also wanted to style and display the line in the way we envision it as opposed to only having a wholesale business.

Essentially you want to keep growing as a brand. Does that include a new direction or will Taylor Supply remain true to the standards it was formed upon which are industrial innovation, creation and craftsmanship?

The underpinning concept for Taylor Supply won't change and the styling will remain similar, but we will continue to evolve to separate ourselves from the pack and what is existing in the market. We plan to maintain our concept of industrial innovation and craftsmanship and will continue to be inspired by vintage design that we see as timeless, but will also consider the idea that we want to be original, take those concepts, build on them, and make them more suitable for the contemporary guy.

Some of my favorites for Fall/Winter include the Sea Dweller Jacket, Squadron Jacket, Field Vest and of course the notorious Hill Climber. Is there any one piece in your collection you are most pleased with, or do you try to remain objective?

I do like them all. If I don't like a piece it won't get produced. I am my own worst critic and am highly critical of my work. There are always some favorites in the bunch. For fall I am really excited to wear all the pieces so that makes me happy and is personal validation that I've succeeded. I will say, I can't wait to wear the Sea Dweller jacket as it gets colder in NY, it feels great and the overall quality turned out really beautifully. The favorite that I've been hearing from the outside is the Squadron. I was told by a store I sell to that a guy bought it, wore it, and had been stopped on the street several times to be told how cool he looked which had never happened to him before. Hearing testimonials like that is the ultimate reward for the countless hours of work behind building the line.

We improved the Hill Climber this season by making it a real winter weight coat. For anyone who had seen it before and liked it, we would love for them to check it out again as we are even happier with the result for FW11.

You make it your mission to use quality materials like the heavy duty waxed cotton, melton wool and various japanese fabrics. What is your take on creating the perfect fit– or does such a thing even exist?

Fit is tough, everyone is built differently. We are very conscious of fit and it is a huge consideration in the design of each piece. We vary the fits slightly based on styling, for instance the Squadron jacket was modeled after an authentic 1940's US naval pea coat that was originally slimmer fitting. We wanted to recreate the look of the original jacket while still introducing some new details, so we created a pattern with a silhouette that fits close to the original but re-crafted it with more contemporary styling in the pockets and trimmings. The Sea Dweller jacket is purposely designed to be a bit fuller so the wearer can layer underneath it. We would say no, there isn't a "perfect" fit, however each garment is meant to be worn in the style it is supposed to have, it should be comfortable and there shouldn't have to be much thought behind how you feel when you put it on. It should just feel right. We design our garments with that intent.

I don't know if most people know that you create limited quantites of each garment right in your own backyard. With every piece being made in NYC, it allows you to actually keep a close eye on every part of that process. What does a typical day look like back and forth visiting your local factory?

I'm in and out of the factory on a daily basis. Making clothes isn't a science and requires a lot of communication with the people who sew them. One of the greatest parts of producing everything in New York is that at any time I can go to my factories and speak with the sewers face to face to convey the exact results I am looking for. It ensures that the outcome of the work that goes into making each piece is spot-on. The sewers in the factory however are only one piece of the puzzle, I also regularly meet with my patternmaker, trim developers, and pattern graders to oversee the each step of the production process. All of these elements must work in perfect unison for a successful, synergistic outcome. Having each of them within blocks of each other in Manhattan is really what makes it work, and what separates Taylor Supply from other mass produced brands.

You've also been posting about your day-to-day on the Taylor Supply Journal. What do you want people to see when they visit that page?

We really want the journal to be a visual storybook of what Taylor Supply Co. represents, and for it to show the inspiration behind the items we create. Our goal is for the journal to consist of 100% original, real world documented content, created by us, that depicts the soul of the brand and communicates our message to our fans and customers.

I love the post about the hand painted signs in NY.

Thanks. That will be an ongoing post so there will be more of them.

What's on the horizon for Taylor Supply Spring/Summer 12 and beyond?

For SS12 we're working on broadening our range of categories. We have seen success with the introduction of our printed tees so we've got some new graphics in the pipeline that will be released for spring. We're also in development of some denim and non-denim bottoms and plan to release those for spring. We will continue with our outerwear which has been our most successful category, including a re-issue of the City Rider jacket in red waxed cotton, so be on the lookout for that. We will also begin producing some leather goods which will be completely hand crafted right here in Brooklyn, NY. In addition to that we've really nailed down our shirt fit and are very pleased with it, so we'll be making some great new shirt styles that will continue to include our custom trimmings and the same attention to detail that they've had in the past. We're excited for the spring launch!

Me too!