My ears started ringing the moment I heard him utter the b-word. Branding. Brian Vargas brings a business sense to his family run couture t-shirt design company, Verdette that is uncommon among many independent designers. Introduced to the fashion world by his cousin Jean Pozzi-Escott, co-owner of Verdette, Vargas has made waves in the D.C. fashion community by keeping his ear to the ground and consulting with the people whose opinions matter most – the consumer.

“We never put anything into production without a prototype. We share designs with boutiques and other designers to get opinions. Everyone has an impact on the final design.” In8’s opinion? Verdette is for the ”regular” guy who has an elusive edge, a mysterious confidence and swagger that your typical monogrammed or down-to-the-knee tee just can't portray.

Often compared to cult favorites Ed Hardy, Monarchy, and Affliction for their vintage edge, Brian decrees that what sets Verdette apart from these marquee brands is that ”Verdette is not bought for the name; Verdette is bought for the style of the design.” Brian notes the welcomed and long overdue shift in urban men’s wear from engrossingly large looks to more physique flattering fits. ”Trends are changing. People are tired of big names and brands on their clothes.”

Jean Pozzi-Escott, co-owner of Verdette and cousin of Brian Vargas, began sewing the seeds for Verdette 20 years ago in Peru, humbly buying t-shirts, redesigning, and then reselling them. Fifteen years later Verdette was born – bringing an urban couture flavor to men’s wear that integrates elaborate stitching, digital media and visual illusions into the workmanship of the designs. Verdette designs recently caught the eye of celebrities like Eva Pigford and D.C. native DeAngelo Redman form MTV’s Making the Band 4, who is now an official endorser of the brand.

“All of Verdette is considered limited edition because we only produce about 500 shirts for a single model in a single market. So when it's gone it's never seen again! Each model comes in three colors, so it is very unlikely to find someone else wearing Verdette out in the streets. Our product is also "green," we are ecological because we use organic PIMA cotton, provide ethical wages, and a great working environment for all of our employees. We keep our styles fresh by having new collections every two months.”

Verdette’s sharp and unique designs appeal to all backgrounds – gender included “A lot of women buy the t-shirts for themselves, not their boyfriends –” a tricky and unexpected triumph considering the plethora of apparel at their fingertips. Incited by a strong female response to the men’s wear line, Verdette will release its first women’s collection in 08 featuring tops, dresses, skirts, jackets, trousers, and their signature tees.

“For now, Verdette is very underground, yet very spread out being in areas from Pentagon Row to D.C. to Annapolis and Baltimore! We are also expanding in Miami, Austin, and L.A. I will put 110% into everything that I do. I try to convey how unique Verdette is in the way that I approach everything.”

Photos courtesy of Verdette

Contact: brian@verdette.com; 703.927.9590