INCUBATOR INTERVIEW:
PETER PAPAS OF
BLADE + BLUE
This month, we talked with menswear designer and FiSF alum, Peter Papas, about leaps of faith, rescue dogs, and how thinking small can yield big results.
Q. Tell us about why you started your brand, Blade + Blue (Full disclosure: We are super curious about the origin of the name!)
A. I had worked for big retail brands both in New York and San Francisco, and at a certain point I transitioned from merchandising to product development, which I loved. I was passionate about making things and finding ways to be creative and experimental. After a while, however, I realized we were just doing the same thing, over and over again, and it started to really wear on me. We only talked about “moving units” and I couldn’t help but think: Is this why I got into this? Pretty soon, I started my own line as a side hustle, which was about 12 years ago. Obviously (laughs) it has grown a bit since then.
Q. And the name?
A. I adopted my dog from an animal shelter. When I first met him, they called him “Lonesome Blue”, and when I went back to adopt him a few days later, a woman looked at me and said “You mean the border collie with the blade of white?” And in that moment, I knew I was going to call him Blade. The name, Blade + Blue grew out of that experience, probably because I feel like that mix describes me pretty well, too.
Q. So, a few years into your side hustle, you applied for the Designer-in-Residence Program at Fashion Incubator San Francisco. In what ways was the program helpful as you built out your brand at that stage?
A. That was a crazy time. I was still working full time and running the brand, and then I got accepted into the program, so I was going full speed. The resources I could take advantage of as part of FiSF had not been available to me on my own, and just having that kind of support is so beneficial.
Also, I found being able to spend time learning from the other designers in the program really impacted me. I had spent my entire career talking about how to sell things and fill orders, and then I was suddenly with people who were more strictly focused on creation, originality and craftsmanship. I just absorbed so much from watching them work that I still take with me today.
Q. Would you say it’s been part of the reason you choose to work in smaller inventory batches and work with local talent and friends?
A. Absolutely. When I started my own line, I wanted to know the people who worked on the clothes. Not the factory, which I also wanted to be close to, but the actual person sitting at the sewing machine. I wanted to keep it all close to home, and in the community. It just felt better that way after so much time in larger corporations where everything just went to the lowest bidder. When you get to know people at that level, you also get to know their individual talents. Sometimes, you’ll realize someone has some special talent or skill, and you think: Hey, how can we work this into a new piece? It opens you up in a new way.
Q. So, it’s the holiday season, and a new year is approaching. Is this a wild time for you, or a time of reflection?
A. (Laughs) It’s funny you mention that because I am in a big period of reflection, and pondering what is next. Sadly, Blade died in September, and at first I sort of thought: Forget it. I am done. But then, instead, I started thinking about all the ways I could grow and stretch over the next year; it sort of forced me to think about taking risks. So, I got everything done for the holiday season so I could use the first part of the year to take a few trips (one to LA) to see new things and talk to manufacturers. Because I can work in smaller batches, I have figured out how to have shorter lead times, which allows me to react to the customer. They always find a way to surprise me with what they buy, and sometimes you have big wins and sometimes misses, but you’re always learning. We put out a varsity jacket that basically sold out right away, so I feel like I am on the right track.
Q. So, what are the best gifts from Blade + Blue for any last minute shopper out there?
A. I like to think of my pieces as a system so buying someone a few items really sets them up with a working wardrobe. Then, they can keep adding because everything works together by design, and this year we even introduced denim, which has been exciting. But for something of the more stocking stuffer variety, we have great plaid bow-ties and, if you ask me, no outfit is complete with a perfect pair of socks. I’m a big fan of socks.