First off. Apologies about the delay on this blog. Grad + moving out got to us, but don't worry - this one is a fun read.
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Fashion critics wonder if Ralph Lauren rugby shirts, herringbone blazers with brass buttons, and the tweed sweater represent a by-gone era. A time when brands like Brooks Brothers and Talbot used to be the respective hallmark brands for the New England elite and the Ivy League graduate. Today, however, the average American hardly knows about Paul Stuart and its logo of a man on a fence inspired from Stover at Yale or the J. Press line. Prep archived itself until 2000s brought a resurgence - a revival which generated the likes of Vineyard Vines or Tommy Hilfiger. The commercialization accelerated with Rowing Blazers and Southern Tide who both found their own niche demographic and regional audiences. Even West Coast classics like Abercrombie and Fitch developed prep collection lines connecting the two coasts into one shared affinity for country club lifestyle. Nevertheless, the expansion of prep still reached a hurdle that left conflict for its advocates and ammunition for those who detested it: price.
Considered Prep’s achilles heel to millennials and Gen Z, expensive price tags associated with prep attire have dissuaded potential buyers. Those who reject and flee from prep particularly include the college student. On one hand, some argue that prep fashion stems from its exclusive nature - a necessary sacrifice to demarcate a regal idea of class. However, the question remains: can quality prep still be affordable? Crew Dog is attempting to answer that question. Elegance can be balanced with customization. Mascots can be a more powerful statement than Helvetica lettering of a university. Crew Dog is searching to redefine prep by its combining iconic American campuses with their student life spirit. The 21st Century episode for prep seeks a minimalist attitude with deliberate symbols. The velocity of this transition relies on the retention of traditional prep with collegiate integration. Modernization of prep becomes a difficult task to perfect, but remains not entirely unsolvable. College students deserved a versatile alternative to text-heavy, unoriginal clothing that caters to its social clubs, teams and societies. Hence, our thesis for prep boils down to the following: Prep does not represent a relic of the past and the prep ideology is still formative. A foundation for the rebirth of prep is in the making with Crew Dog.
