MAN/WOMAN Conversations #04 – By Sprezza
- April 15, 2025
- 4:53 pm
Mots de Clayton Chambers – Photos de Jameson Pepper
Tell us about the journey and evolution of 3sixteen.
We’re in our 21st year of business. When we started in 2003, Johan (my partner) and I were printing streetwear t-shirts. Around 2007-2008, we started ideating on a full collection. Selvage denim was a part of that first full collection, and that has blossomed into what people really know and love us for.
To this day, denim is still the core of what we do.
We’ve evolved from a streetwear brand to a denim collection, and now we produce two seasonal ready-to-wear collections every year. That’s been a new entry point for customers.
Have you found that your customer base has grown up with you?
It really makes us happy when people email us and say, “I was with you guys when you were printing t-shirts.” They’ll tell us, “I bought my first nice pair of jeans with you guys, and now I got my first MAC coat.”
These are staple pieces—graphic tees were staple pieces for us when we were young, and everybody needs a good pair of jeans. The leap towards spending money on something really nice isn’t as great when it’s something like that.
We have customers who have grown up with us and have seen the brand throughout all those different iterations, and that’s a lot of fun.
Being self-owned and self-funded gives us the freedom to pivot and do things we’re passionate about, which is special.
You can hopefully see that throughline if you’ve followed us for a long time.
What are some of the most important aspects of running a brand to make it successful?
Johan and I are very team-forward. If our team feels heard and supported, we will all put our best output to the world. We make sure the product is strong, that our team loves it, and that everybody on board can operate in a workplace they feel comfortable in.
I think that shows through when we share personal passions that aren’t just Johan and me—our team informs a lot of this stuff. Anything that might seem slightly different from a brand that makes clothes and jeans comes from a genuine place.
When we opened up a little café a few years ago, that was special to us. The listening sessions, the activewear—all these things come from an authentic place.
And because we don’t have a board to answer to, we can do these small things and have fun with it, and hopefully customers can come along on that journey with us.
What are some of your favorite brands at MAN/WOMAN show?
I have to shout out Wythe, right across from us. They’re a New York brand with wonderful people and a unique vision. Our market needs that right now — when you look at a Wythe piece, you know it’s them.
We’re also fortunate to show alongside people we’ve partnered with.
Crescent Down Works is here—we love them! They’re female-owned, producing domestic down jackets, which isn’t easy to keep going. They’re hitting on all cylinders, and they told us that last year was one of their best years ever.
Then there’s Dehen 1920 in Portland, Oregon, with their in-house knitting and historically accurate varsity jackets—we made one with them two years ago. They make great sweaters and grey wool outerwear.
We feel very at home here because we’re exhibiting alongside friends.
