LOS ANGELES — Daniel Patrick linked with athletic brand
Starter for a holiday collection as the contemporary streetwear brand’s broader focus turns to building out its wholesale business.
Founder Daniel Patrick said he had the Nineties in mind when he crafted the unisex line of track pants, hoodies, T-shirts, Windbreakers, snapback hats and tracksuits, retailing from $80 to $600.
“I wanted to hearken back to the glory days of the early Nineties,” Patrick said. “It was about trying to blend the aesthetics of what I do and the classic Starter pieces that I grew up aspiring to have myself.”
Patrick avoids regular collaborations to drum up buzz about his brand, instead striking deals every now and then with brands he likes. Work with Starter, part of
Iconix Brand Group, was somewhat personal.
“When I was a kid in Sydney, there was a Starter jacket that I wanted to get and I ended up never getting it. I’d been into Starter caps as a kid,” he said. “Growing up, I was wearing the Chicago White Sox baseball jersey during that Michael Jordan era and that was where I was familiar with it [the brand].”
The collection will be sold in the company’s Melrose Avenue store in addition to its website, along with Wish ATL and DTS Chicago.
Patrick launched his namesake line in 2011, along with his wife, Jenny. The business has an online shop in addition to two stores flanking both sides of the country, one on Melrose Avenue and another in SoHo on Grand Street.
The designer likes the store count where it’s at now as the company focuses on building out its retailer roster. Saks Fifth Avenue just signed on to carry the line for spring 2019, which makes it the largest retailer the company is working within the U.S.
“We’re pretty focused right now on expanding the wholesale business and that’s where we’re putting our attention,” Patrick said. “When we started, I always wanted to get into different stores, so that was always a focus, but then we do also have our direct-to-consumer with a New York store and a store on Melrose and our online store. As a brand, you have to diversify your output and it’s good to be seen in more places. Wholesale really gives you that opportunity and even the brand recognition because you see something in Saks and it’s like a tick of approval.”