Newly relocated from New York City’s SoHo to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in early 2014, Feltraiger, a menswear brand of all American made shirts, flannels, jackets, hats shorts and pants fits snuggly into its new surroundings as if it was born there.
Birthplace or not, it belongs. The rustic wood, red brick, and dark steal orbit around a sleek Harley Sportster. Even the vintage letterman jackets on the wall eludes to a nostalgia of the 1950s-60s that has been refreshed and elevated.
The brand itself grew from the creativity of two brothers, Daniel and Jonathan Feldman; a hardcore rock musician turned fashion designer and a skateboarding fashion designer turned photographer. The result is the classic cool look for the creative class;. As co-creator Jonathan describes their guy as, “Without sounding cocky, he is a little bit rebellious, does his own thing, is an outsider. Girls wanna be with that dude and guys wanna hang with that dude.”
The store and style fit perfectly into the neighborhood known for mixing the rebellious American countercultures of hip-hop and sneakerheads. The setting is a culture deeply aware of the intersections of style, function, and history. Their flagship store also carries brands that the brothers relate to such as Chippewa boots, Izola home goods, Emgie Libras notebooks, War Patch leather goods, Shoppe 815 candles and an assortment of vintage items.
Around the clothes are nestled vintage accessory bags, motorcycle helmets and gear, shaving equipment and candles. The mood of the Feltraiger store expresses a hidden authenticity echoed by the referral-only speak-easy barber, Heartbreakers BK hidden in the basement behind an unmarked entry. From corner to corner, every item in the shop is proudly made in America and every item from design to decor is for sale.
Feltraiger: New American Classic from Valiant Pictures on Vimeo.
