About
Knickerbocker, a New York-based brand founded by Andrew
Livingston in 2013, began as a manufacturing company on
the border of Brooklyn and Queens.
Knickerbocker's philosophy centers around a deep
appreciation for people and processes, which the brand has
carried with it as it has expanded to work with like-minded
mills and factories. Knickerbocker's collection reflects a
fusion of classic American style with layered elements of art,
music, and sports, emphasizing tradition, utility and purpose.
Read on for more of the story from the founder.
Our New York Factory
I had been making hats with a 60-year-old factory on the
border of Brooklyn and Queens known as Watman
Headwear Corp when the owner asked if I would be
interested in buying the space off him—sewing machines
included. With funds from a Kickstarter campaign, two
friends—Daniel McRorie and Kyle Mosholder—and I founded Knickerbocker Manufacturing Co., signing the lease you see
here. There, we manufactured pieces for other labels while
building our own Knickerbocker label.
The factory provided the ideal foundation for the brand—
allowing us to develop, experiment and fail in a hands-on environment. But producing a single garment in America can
be an arduous journey. As a small brand with limited
resources, we needed to tap into an ecosystem that would
allow us to focus more on making great products and less on
the logistics that came from piecing together a lackluster
supply chain. After five years of operating Knickerbocker
Manufacturing Co., we shut it down in the summer of 2018.
Moving to Portugal
I showed up to Portugal on a hunch, and what I found
exceeded my expectations. Portugal's rich textile history and
warm people welcomed me with open arms. Following the
winding roads of Northern Portugal, I arrived at these mills
and factories nestled amidst the farm-dotted landscape.
Always greeted by the owner, there's a shared sense of
mutual appreciation. A morning’s meeting is inevitably
followed by a big, long lunch—where even the strongest
espresso will struggle to get you back on your feet. Most of
the factories we work with in Portugal are family owned and
operated. When taking it all in—the people, the culture and
the environment—it feels quite romantic.
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From the beginning, the thing I most appreciated in Portugal was a willingness to collaborate, to problem solve and come up with solutions. I found a common mindset—one that respected heritage and the many things we love in well-worn and well-made products while also being eager to innovate and improve on the past.
The Brand Today
Knickerbocker’s design is rooted in sensibility. Naturally, we
are drawn to the widely referenced world of workwear,
military and outdoor wear for their emphasis on utility.
We love pieces that not only tell a story but live to tell the tale as
they pass from one generation to the next. While use and
needs have changed, the ethos of these sub-sectors of
American style remains.
Most of our products are made in Portugal, with some
exceptions. We make our watch-caps in the United States, at
the same factory I’ve been working with since before the
Knickerbocker Manufacturing Co. days, and our alpaca
sweaters are made in a small factory in Peru. We source our
fabrics between Japan and Europe. Whether small or large,
we place a high value on the personal relationships with our
factories and work to ensure the manufacturing practices are
something we can be proud of.
Fashion is not an enviromentally sustainable industry—all
new clothing takes up resources. That said, our goal is to
always put our best foot forward, and we will always be
immensely proud to open the hood of Knickerbocker
operations. We strive to make products you will keep in your
closet year after year, and season after season—products
that will hold up, and are composed primarily of natural
fibers like cotton and wool. Our manufacturing partners
hold certifications from BCI, EcoVero, GOTS, GRS by Textile
Exchange, OCS, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and REACH,
among others.
In 2021, we opened up our flagship store on the corner of Canal and Wooster Street in Soho, Manhattan. Today, our team consists of my wife Maxine and me, our production manager, our production partners in Portugal, and our amazing store staff. As a small team, we have to wear a lot of hats, but we prefer it that way.
The brand has come a long way since the factory days, and we have to thank all of our staff (former and current), friends, family and customers. They have always made Knickerbocker what it is, and even during the hardest times, kept it feeling more like a family than a brand.
— Andrew
