Today’s installment of New Threads is a testament to the network of artists in the same area. After our last feature on the collaboration between Najeeb Sheikh and Jimmy Sweatpants, Najeeb hit up the dudes at Decades to get their share of the shine. I checked out their catalog and their upcoming Vigilante line which drops in a week or so, and thought they deserved their own post. It’s just sad that this kind of connection rarely happens among artists. More often than not, an artist on The Source will not refer another dope artist whether it’s due to hate or just a lack of a network. Let’s fix that.
The Decades Hat Company of course focuses on headwear, from beanies to 5 panels. But they also create coaches jackets, tees, and have much more planned for the near future. Their style ranges from the retro athletic to to the semi formal. Look out for their Spring line and check our interview with the creators behind the brand, Matt & Brooks, below. We also included a slideshow of their upcoming Vigilante line, which features a jacket and two snapbacks, after the interview. Their Instagram is @thedecades19xx and Twitter is @thedecadeshatco. Head to their website to pick up your piece of The Decades.
For those unfamiliar, New Threads is a fresh column we’ll be executing to celebrate independent fashion companies and the minds behind them. A teenager in an American suburb with a dope idea and a few bucks should be given mad props, if they’re due, just like your favorite luxury brand. We’ll pick a creator that deserves your attention and ask him/her a few questions, including our Final Four questions we ask all of our creators for that month. What’s the requirements to be featured on New Threads? Originality and quality. And please, make something you’d wear proudly. Hit us up on Twitter if you know someone who has or you yourself have a dope brand on the rise. Or send us an email to SYLR@thesource.com.
Explain the significance behind the name, The Decades. Why not The Centuries?
Matt: We draw a lot of influence from different time periods, and things that stuck with us from our youth. I always say we draw from personal Iconography, things that registered with us throughout our lives.
I asked another brand creator, Matt behind MODU, about club or bars that don’t allow hats or hats to be worn backwards. Have you experienced the same treatment and how do you feel about that in general?
We tend to avoid any kind of bar or club with some kind of dress code.
A lot of your hats seem to be internationally inspired or athletic wear. Are your pieces meant for the health conscious, globetrotter? Or is it to appeal to your retailers in other countries?
Matt: Influences come from all different places. Designing something with an International feel or an Athletic design isn’t something that’s necessarily made to target someone from a certain region or someone with an active lifestyle. There’s a context in which things are used.
