Kelly Mancini from Electric West: A Conversation
Electric West have redefined what it means to buy vintage. From sourcing the best vintage designs, to reproducing 100% locally in California in limited batches, Electric West are the brand to go if you want that perfect vintage tee that actually comes in your size. Founder Kelly Mancini tells us about her bestselling designs, how she finds the ultimate vintage tee, and why ethical production is so important to her brand.
1. Electric West is best known for it’s awesome vintage tees - what do you love about this wardrobe classic?
For me, a good t-shirt is a timeless wardrobe staple. It's an easy thing to throw on with your favorite jeans and be comfortable while looking good. I'm the happiest when I'm going on a road trip or adventuring, and I love camping and being outdoors, so a graphic tee and jeans are definitely my go-to for travel. I also love the versatility of a t-shirt. You can add a great vintage blazer with some heels to dress it up and then stumble with it straight into bed and be cozy after a late night at the bar. And if well-made, a graphic tee can last for decades. My goal with Electric West was to create vintage inspired tees, with a timeless feel, that are not only comfortable but high quality - something that will live in your closet for years, not just a season.
2. When it comes to curating vintage inspired pieces, what do you look for in the perfect item? When I am sourcing vintage, I really just focus on finding shirts that I would wear. Every vintage piece I buy, I envision how it could be put together in an outfit. I also look for really worn in tees. The softer and thinner, the better. I don't mind a bit of wear and character either, because it helps to remind you that each piece is unique and carries a great story. It's always fun to wonder what life a shirt has had before I find it.
I tend to gravitate towards anything from the 1970s and 80's, and my favorite finds are well worn Harley Davidson tees or a good beer t-shirt. I love nostalgic Americana style tees and anything with funny sayings.
3. Why do you think it's so important to focus on ethical fashion? I will admit, I was never really aware of, or honestly cared about ethical fashion until a few years ago. Our society is so conditioned to buy cheap things and be so sale-minded. Big box stores spends countless advertising dollars, getting consumers to buy what's "cool" this season but ignore the production behind it. I ended up watching a very eye-opening documentary called "The True Cost", and it really changed my outlook. I started intensely researching the production side of the fashion industry, especially when it comes to fast fashion.
It was devastating to find out the real ins and out of the fashion world. So many sweatshops with poor working conditions, child labor, unreasonable hours, and unfair wages, are fed by top brands that we know and love. And for what? So we can mass buy, disposable clothing, for super cheap? I decided then I would not associate my brand with the fast fashion industry and rather chose to be part of the ethical fashion movement. So when I decided to create the Electric West label, I did my research and was set on manufacturing locally, here in Southern California. It's not only important but vital for me to know that my business supports workers earning a fair wage, in ethical work conditions, and provides local jobs.
4. Tell us about your production line. I work with a small, ten-person factory in Vernon (Los Angeles) to manufacture all Electric West t-shirts. The factory owner Jarod and his assistant Jenet are basically the engine behind the brand. They make sure all operations are running smoothly and handle 100% of the manufacturing end. They do an incredible job and my company could not run without them.
As for production, we use 100% cotton for all of our shirts. Each shirt is cut and sewn in the factory and then goes to the dye house, where it is custom dyed and washed. This allows each tee to be nice and soft, and minimize shrinkage. We work with two screen print companies, one is in house at the factory, and the other is just a short drive away. Everything is made in small batches, to maintain consistency and quality. Once a shirt is finished and quality checked, it's shipped down to San Diego, where my main office and shipping headquarters are. Each shirt is once again quality checked here and then sent out to the customer.
5. What do you notice about some of your bestselling items? Is there a trend, or a mix of what your customers love? It's definitely fun seeing what shirts sell the most. It tells us a lot about our buyers. It's interesting because our top sellers often change. I notice around spring and summer, customers often gravitate to the desert and travel inspired tees. I think the weather warms up and people get excited about road trips and are traveling more. Sometimes I'll push the envelope and make more in-your-face graphics with sassy sayings. These always sell really well, which is great. It's always fun to see the reactions when these types of shirts are released. There seems to be a lot of laughs about it. I always appreciate when people get my humor, and I love a tee that gets people talking. I guess I should mention the current top seller is the "Try Some Kindness, Asshole" tee. (I'm not sure if you can say asshole in print!)
Shop Electric West online at www.shopelectricwest.com
Images via Electric West
