“The beautiful thing about New York City is that 95% of people moved here from somewhere else. It can seem tough from the outside, but there’s this wonderful, collegial feeling. People are open and help each other. If you bring yourself to that, then you’ll be fine.”
This is a quote that resonated with me from Michael Hainey’s interview with Drake’s.
Many people in New York actually come from other states or countries. Before I moved here, I had the idea that New Yorkers could be a bit unapproachable and reserved, especially in such a busy city. But when you look closer, you realize there’s a strong sense of community and care for one another.
I hear the phrase “Friends and Family” everywhere. I’ve seen many collaborations between fashion and non-fashion concepts start with these kinds of communal relationships, such as clothing brands and their local cafés, designing capsule collections using these cafés as pop-up spaces.
It’s interesting to see how people from diverse backgrounds come together in places like this. This city’s culture of looking out for your friends and supporting local business truly aligns with my personal values.
Since being in SoHo, I’ve met many friends that became family. This is why I decided to dedicate Basato’s Houston Street sweatshirt to them - my source of inspiration and support. This is why “Friends and Family” is part of the Basato blueprint.
The city may seem cold from the outside… but the supportive culture and care between Friends & Family is the code of conduct Basato aspires to exist in.