TWO COASTS, ONE STATE OF MIND
LOWERCASE X TELLASON
SAN FRANCISCO, 1990
TELLASON
Tony and Pete met in 1990, when Tony was running the family’s Davis Sport Shop and Pete rolled in, hoping to sell some day-glo volleyball shorts. They quickly realized they’d both gone to SDSU, loved The Clash, and after agreeing that Fast Times at Ridgemont High was the greatest film ever made, a friendship was off and running.
In 2009, Tony and Pete started Tellason – they were ready to build something of their own. Tony knew how to make great jeans, and Pete had a background in international sales. It was a tough time for the global economy, but they decided to focus on quality, made in San Francisco – where blue jean culture was born – and people responded.
“Inspiration comes in all forms. For us, it usually doesn’t come from the fashion world,” Pete says, and continues: “We’re more drawn to music that hits you right away – something timeless and honest that still holds up today.”
For Pete and Tony, denim has always stood for something bigger than fashion. To them, it’s iconic Americana – woven into the identity of those who chose their own path.
The grit and meaning behind denim show up in images of farmers, mechanics, and counterculture tribes who refused to follow the herd. They think of early motorcycle clubs, barefoot surfers standing on bluffs before paddling out, and the punk bands they grew up on – doing things their own way in a pair of beat-up jeans.
“Lowercase approaches their products the same way we do,” says Tony. “They walk the walk, making their goods in the U.S.A. – and we love that. As Joe Strummer said, ‘Without people, you’re nothing.’ That really rings true when you’re building something with others who care as much as you do. That’s what this collaboration is about.”
At Lowercase, our New York roots run deep. We design and build every frame by hand in our Brooklyn workshop, driven by a belief in local craft and doing things right. Teaming up with Tellason was a natural fit – they share our passion for quality and purpose. This collaboration brings together two coasts and one mindset: make it well, make it here, and keep it real.