Designer Shinya Hasegawa - who previously worked on the Woolrich Woolen Mills collection - is a lifelong vintage clothing hound. His inspiration for Battenwear comes from late 1960’s through early 1980’s surf and outdoor wear, an era of clothing he sees as embodying constant change, challenge, and forward-moving energy.
Using this vintage vibe as a jumping off point, Shinya designs Battenwear for the contemporary adventurer. An avid traveler himself, Shinya gravitates toward making clothing and accessories that are versatile, multi-functional, easily packable, and as comfortable as they are stylish. These are items that are intricately constructed to meet your needs, last long, and work hard, and they get better each time they are washed and worn.
Battenwear also grows out of Shinya’s experience as a year-round East Coast surfer. Surfing and other outdoor pursuits - like hiking, climbing, and camping - breed people who are dedicated to their sport in a way that defines them in their day-to-day lives, no matter where they are or what they happen to be doing. Battenwear strives to facilitate that dedication by making great looking outdoor clothes that are, above all else, functional and comfortable. Battenwear was founded in 2011 and is based in New York City with a satellite office north of Los Angeles, California.
For SS19, Battenwear pays tribute to their teenage years in the 1980s, particularly school-day afternoons spent chasing fun before dinner and homework. If they weren't in detention, they were playing baseball or soccer or Frisbee until the sun started to go down. They were in the hiking and camping clubs. They did odd jobs to save up for river rafting trips. The only time you’d find them indoors after school was at the arcade, because their mothers wouldn’t let them have video games at home.
Much like other brands at Muddy George, Battenwear's goal is that in 10 or 20 years, you’ll still be wearing your Battenwear items for adventures, and that your kids will be stealing them to start their own lifelong clothing collections.
