Talking Sustainable Menswear with Sophisticloth

Sustainable Menswear from Sophisticloth

Since 2007, Austin based designer Valeri Abrego-Liszewski has been creating menswear, womenswear, plus size, and gender-friendly apparel to critical acclaim through her company, Jinxedaposed Clothing. Now, she’s trying her hand at a sustainable menswear line, called Sophisticloth, which launches on March 13th. We talked to Valeri to find out why she’s focusing on sustainable fashion and what her long term plans are for Sophisticloth.

You’ve been focused on Jinxedaposed Clothing for a number of years now, and it’s been growing. What spurred the creation of Sophisticloth?
Menswear is becoming extremely important again in the fashion industry. It’s finally fashionable for men to dress up. Every time I showcased during fashion week, I would bring at least one or two menswear looks for my model friend Justin Rhinehart. He often complained that there were not enough menswear designers, so I would make him stuff to model and would get compliments. I just wasn’t sure how to go about putting a line together, especially with having another company on the side.

I did my research and made it work, and now I love it! I want to contribute some awesome styles for men to wear.

A few of Sophisticloth's bow ties

A few of Sophisticloth’s bow ties

Your focus is on utilizing sustainable, vintage materials to make bow ties that customers can have in their hands within a week. How do you choose the types of materials you decide to work with?
It was definitely important to me to create a sustainable menswear line. I think fashionable men are much in tune with these issues, and I wanted to create something that would set it apart from everything else. I use organic cotton, hemp silk and rayon because not only is it fashionable, but soft and hypoallergenic. I looked through my fabric stash and found some vintage kimono silk I bought from a friend a while back. I wasn’t sure how I was going to use it, so then it just clicked with me. What if I made bowties with vintage 50+ year old kimono silk? I think it would make my buyers feel like ninjas because they would have a piece of that culture!

It's the Sophisticloth Label

It’s the Sophisticloth Label

How does sizing work with Sophisticloth ties? Our readers with large necks are always on the lookout for awesome things that fit!
Right now, I use a universal length, and we’ll see how it works. Size is definitely important to me and I’m currently working on bigger (think Bill Nye size) bow ties as well as extra long adjustable necklines. I’m currently testing anywhere from average size necks to extra large athletic necks.

Can you talk a little about your future plans for Sophisticloth? Do you plan to incorporate additional products or do you have other specific goals for the brand as you move forward?
We have HUGE plans for Sophisticloth. We will be launching a line of skinny neck ties, suspenders and eventually clothing.

Learn more about Sophisticloth and pre-order your own ties at Sophisticloth.com.

Read More