There’s a new character on our SEE/KNOW racks that is representing the classic working man of America. This weekend we met The New Blue Collar’s maintenance man; a whistling guy with a dandy strut, proudly carrying his tools to the next job, and he is plastered over many new pieces that The New Blue Collar has rolled out. Along with our new friend, we had creators Alex Ewings and Felix Llanos enjoy a few Pabst Blue Ribbons with us in store while a DJ was playing some vibey tunes. Here is their story.
Alex is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas. He worked in sales originally, and had a difficult time changing clothes for his daily events. He had to go to work in a full suit, drive back home to get changed if he was going out after and then repeat the process multiple times throughout the week. Brooklyn native, Felix who met Alex through their sales job, also had a similar problem, and both men tried to find an easier compromise by leaving suit jackets and dress shoes at the office to change in and out of; but they both discovered that it was an unnecessary hassle. And they had a solution for it.
In 2019, Alex and Felix created The New Blue Collar. They redefined workwear by mixing streetwear with luxury and high quality design. “Almost every brand has a specific demographic, or no demographic, but we really don’t have one,” Alex says. “We are truly tailoring our pieces to everyone.”
The New Blue Collars pieces are meant for everyday wear and longevity, so that you can go into the office and go out right after without needing a change of clothes. They are meant for everyday office workers, warehouse workers, streetwear lovers, stay-at-home parents— essentially anyone with any kind of job can look stylish and have functional clothing while living their day to day lives.
“We wanted to mix both our upbringings into our brand,” they said “and represent both sides.” While asking about this new launch, we discovered that it all came down to everything falling together well, and the excitement to come up with a character that represents the brand and is recognizable. We even learned about Alex and Felix’s collaborative partnership. “Alex will call me at three, four, five AM asking me to build a rocket ship, and I’ll answer and start figuring out how we can build it,” Felix says.
SEE/KNOW is so incredibly happy to be a part of The New Blue Collar’s next chapter, and so grateful to be continuing to put the spotlight on designers and brands just like this.