10 Year Friendship Project

A collaboration between Clark Street Mercantile and Universal Works. David, Stephanie and I have been chatting about collaborating on something since 2018, over a coffee in a great little spot in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. I remember it well (perhaps because I have a few photos in my phone from that day) —it was the end of March and the sakura had just bloomed overnight. As a perfectly fluffy light snow fell, we sat and chatted while my then 3 year old son played with some wooden toys scattered about the café. It had been a complete coincidence that we both found ourselves in Japan at the same time. We talked about our love for military-inspired design, and creating purposeful pieces that can be worn be anyone and everyone. I’ve always been inspired by David & Stephanie’s eye for style, the way they put together outfits, the focus on fabrics and how Universal Works design great looking and long lasting clothing. While nothing concrete came out of that meeting in Tokyo, it lay the groundwork for this collaboration together. 

Dubbed the “Friendship Project”, we celebrate our 10th anniversary here in Montreal, and almost 10yrs of partnership between our two brands. Included in the capsule are 3 separate, yet interlinked pieces: a heavyweight Melton wool Goodwill Jacket, a sleeveless Quilted Flight Nylon Military Liner Jacket, and a Flight Nylon Tote Bag. Like our shared friendship, each piece works perfectly well on its own, but really stands out when together.