UO Hat Shop: Meet Coney Island Picnic
With summer right around the corner, we're marking a return to warm weather with our newly launched UO Hat Shop. One of the first brands we're featuring is Coney Island Picnic, a new collective that focuses on handwritten designs. We spoke to founder (and UO alum) Ryan Wood about what we can look forward to seeing from the brand and what's he's most excited to see in UO stores.
Give us the elevator pitch for the brand – what is the foundation the brand is built on?
Coney Island Picnic is a vehicle for self-expression - we are not one person, idea, voice, or emotion. We're an artist collective of some of our favorite designers from around the world, each with their own unique handwriting style. While it’s common for brands to only look like one thing, CIP is a direct reflection of how we like to style ourselves by mixing different aesthetics together in an unexpected way. We are deeply passionate about sustainability and environmental impact, and are making strides to become one of the few sustainable streetwear brands, that also happens to be affordable.
What kind of designs are you most drawn to + what can we expect to see going forward?
We are drawn to any design that evokes a strong emotional response, but our favorites have some design-element that acts as a conversation-starter with a stranger. We love seeing so many different-types of people wearing our clothes, but the idea that we can help build a connection with another person, especially one you may not typically interact-with otherwise, is pretty special to us.
In the near future, we are excited to be launching new categories for Fall, like Varsity Jackets and fuzzy graphic sweaters. Our Women's line is also looking incredible, so it's been fun to see the growth on the Women's side as well. On that topic, it's been dope to see the traditional gender-lines continuing to blur, and seeing guys starting to cross-shop in the Women's section on a more mainstream level has been super inspiring to see.
What design at UO is your personal favorite?
Too many to choose from! My favorites this season are the Butterfly Breeze tee (been really into iridescent prints lately) and the Soul Speaking Trucker Hat. There are also a few more bangers hitting this summer, which I'm super excited about.
When have you felt the most accomplished recently?
Recently shifting all our tees and fleece to organic cotton (without increasing prices) was a huge moment for me personally. We believe sustainability shouldn't come at a premium price, and being able to achieve this as a small brand was no small feat.
What can we expect to see from you in the next year?