OWNSAKE'S Frank the Butcher- Interview

IMG_71777-Edited A new and exciting brand  hit our shelves this past month. Frank the Butcher's, OWNSAKE, brings a unique mix of quality, creativity, and design. The garments are hand crafted in China using Japanese milled yarns and fabrics. The OWNSAKE brand challenges the status quo of high-end men's wear by offering unique perspectives to styling and fitting. The oxford's feature contrast stitching and oval breast pockets. Yes, that's right, oval. About time we ditch that boring square. A few other interesting features are chambray fabrics, dyed yarn, and mini polka-dots. Shop our offerings from OWNSAKE here. In our interview with Frank the Butcher he talks about the brand, the struggles he and Barmark Badaei (his business partner) had creating it, and how they strove for innovation and simplicity. Read about it below! -Can you give a little background information on yourself? Of course – My name is Frank Rivera, most know me as Frank The Butcher, my kids know me as dad. I’ve been trying to stay productive in the fashion, sneaker and music world for a while now. Debatable though. -How did you find yourself in the fashion industry? My love for fashion stems off of my passion for hip-hop music and culture. It was all part of a self-expression that hip-hop promoted. I am a product of music and graffiti --- and I approach my current projects the same way. -What inspired you to create your own brand and line? I’ve always wanted to do something where I can work towards creating things that reflected my interests. Something of my own. My good friend Barmak and I have talked for years about doing just that. When the time was right and I felt I had the necessary experience – we began to move forward. Best feeling in the world. -How long has OWNSAKE been in the works of becoming a brand? I’d say the concept has been in the works for a few years but OWNSAKE specifically, born from previous convos, had been in motion for over a year. -If you had to describe OWNSAKE in 4 words, what would you say? Timeless. Classic. Current. Quality. -Where did the name OWNSAKE come from and what's the meaning behind it? OWNSAKE came from the idea of creating product for the sake of the product. Not for the sake of marketing, or hype – but actually creating a quality shirt that’s executed correctly, fits well and uses amazing fabric. We feel people will gravitate to that. -What differentiates OWNSAKE from other high-end menswear brands? I think the fact that we wanted to perfect one garment at a time is the big difference. We took our time with the development of the fit, fabric selections and making sure we designed something classic with a contemporary feel. We wanted to create a garment you will trust. -What are some of the things you struggled with while creating this line? The main struggle was trying to make something unique that wasn’t over designed. Tried to find the intersection of innovation and simplicity. -What was your favorite part of creating this line? To be honest – I think the process was a learning experience. Working with my partner taught me so much about building something from scratch. Learning was my favorite part. -If there's one thing you want your customers to take away from your brand, what would it be? I want customers to walk away happy that the garment is made well and fits great. IMG_7312-Edited IMG_7266-Edited IMG_7299-Edited IMG_7301-Edited Words: Tommy Boudreau Images: Stefan Kohli