You want to find out what happens when the ”Grandson of Kwame Nkrumah’s tailor” and the “Unofficial Mayor of San Francisco” contemplate on a groundbreaking fashion revolution? Well read further!
Swell Attitude was founded by Jerry Folly Kossi, an Investment Banking professional with a penchant for fresh tailored cuts and chilvalry. The idea took more shape with the flamboyant colored input of his longtime friend Gilbert Emile, a French Caribbean Fashion consultant.
Swell Attitude is more than just a clothing line. It is a lifestyle, a philosophy and a “mode d’emploi” for gentlemanship. It's the ultimate slap in the face for the many badly dressed and ill-mannered scrubs still polluting our streets!
It was an honor for me to catch up with two great minds with whom I shared school benches, pencils... and mics. :-)
The Pink Post: How did the idea of Swell Attitude come about? We like to believe that we always had kind of an eye for fashion or to say the least, the desire to look different… but it is really during our last years of studies and first years in the professional world that the hobby truly became a passion. At the time we were living in different cities (Los Angeles & San Francisco) but in 2008, when we reunited in San Francisco, being together on a daily basis sort of reinforced that desire to experiment with different designs and combos.
We noticed that people seemed to enjoy our outfits and seek our advices on fashion related matters...after a while, we realized that instead of solely having our egos flattered by the kind comments, maybe we could try to make a business out of it. And that’s how it started!
Now, more than just the refine clothes, we also wanted to promote and revive gentlemanship. Hence the “Attitude” in Swell Attitude. Because as we often like to say, “Style Does Matter” but a lack of manners kills it in split second.
The Pink Post: Which stylists have influenced you?More than specific stylists, it is rather the whole 60’s era with its music, cars, mannerism and of course fashion that appeals to us. And it is true that our suits and shirts are reminiscent of that era as we favor a more fitted than usual cut.
The Pink Post: That sounds exciting! What fabrics do you work with?Our Fabrics originate from Europe (France, Italy, England,) but also from Africa (Egypt). We are very particular with the fabrics we work with. We understand that our clientele is seeking premier products and ensure that the fabric we use match that standard.
The Pink Post: Indeed people seek "exclusivity", it's good to hear how much this is your priority. What's your creative and production process like?As noted earlier, it all starts with a pre-meeting questionnaire. Besides all the obvious physical characteristics, the questionnaire inquires on more abstract information. Marital status, dream car, preferred perfumes and more. We take that information and our team brainstorm on the case for about a couple of days before we are ready to present the client with our recommendations on colors, suits & shirts styles and accessories which we believe would put him in the best lights, given the specifics of his life and his body type.
The Next step is the taking of measures (over 30) which we send to Tokyo, Japan, where our Master-Tailor and teams of skilled artisans reside. Then it takes about 3 to 4 weeks for an order to be delivered.
The Pink Post: You are clearly confirming how global business processes have become. Now let’s go back to our roots: there is a whole wave of African designers working with colorful fabrics. Do you ever want to go that direction?
Why not? Maybe one day we may venture in those lands. We have a lot of respect for the Pathe’O, Alphadi or Yaleri of this world for their incredible talent and admire what they do to promote the African culture…but our work and approach are different and strongly influenced by our personal backgrounds. From African parents, raised between France and Ivory Coast, to now living in California, that is a lot of cultures to assimilate, yet an endless source of inspiration. So rather than underline only one aspect of our cultural influences, we like to blend them. You’ll notice that the inside lining of our suits is often of vibrant colors which brings a lively touch and joyful note to our work, a subtle way to bring out our African roots with its mosaic of colors.
We also have a production tie with the Motherland as the pocket squares that we design (available online), are 100% handmade and manufactured in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Last but not least, the Royal blue and Gold colors that represent our brand were chosen as a tribute to the Akan Kingdom of West Africa.
The Pink Post: I believe the truest gentlemen were exposed to chivalry from a very young age. Any plans on “SWELLing up” little boys??Of course you could… it is never too late nor too early to be swell. So yes, we also design for little gents and who knows, maybe one day, a woman line….
The Pink Post: You have both been friends, worked together as musicians/rappers, now you're doing clothes! How different is that?As you mentioned, Swell Attitude is not the first adventure we undertake together but let’s hope that we’ll sell more suits than we did Cd’s during our rapping days…LOL
But seriously, the fact that we’ve known each other for such a long time is truly a big advantage. We know our strengths and weaknesses and complement each other well. And most importantly, the close relationship we enjoy enables us to totally be honest with each other. It is a very competitive industry and it is always a relief to know that your brother got your back. And when it comes to business, like anything else, what you put in is what you get out of it.
The Pink Post: When can we spot your creations on a catwalk show?Fall 2012 shall see our first catwalk show but since the launch of the brand we have participated in numerous fashion shows and as a matter of fact, on November 18th of this year, we’ll hold our 1st annual Red Carpet event and celebrate men’s fashion and Elegance.
The Pink Post: More and more designers are going "green", what's your position to the environment as fashion designers?The safeguard of the environment is a cause that should concern all of us and as designers we also have to do our part. Custom Tailoring per definition calls for hand work and stands opposite to heavy machinery use and mass production which unfortunately contributes to the degradation of our environment.
The Pink Post: For us ladies planning to SWELL up our men, how and where do we order?When it comes to accessories, ties, bow-ties, pocket squares, tie bars & tacks, you can order those online at www.swellattitude.com
As for the custom tailoring and consulting services, as of now we are based out of San Francisco but also serve Los Angeles and New York. So whenever in one of those cities, please stop by or drop us a line at info@swellattitude.com and we’ll arrange a meeting. Until then, you can follow us on Facebook…. Twitter…& Tumbler…
Thank you and have a Swell day!
Contact Swell Attitude:
Official WebsiteSwell Attitude on TwitterSwell Attitude on Facebook
Pishoom Pishoom, everybody goin down - Kevin Hart's rap is still ringing in my head :o)
"I got nuttin but love for you baby!" I remember this track so well. I was 14. Had piano lessons for a while, but I started contemplating on playing on what I heard on the radio and not based on the notes I read. 
You want to find out what happens when the ”Grandson of Kwame Nkrumah’s tailor” and the “Unofficial Mayor of San Francisco” contemplate on a groundbreaking fashion revolution? Well read further!
Why not? Maybe one day we may venture in those lands. We have a lot of respect for the Pathe’O, Alphadi or Yaleri of this world for their incredible talent and admire what they do to promote the African culture…but our work and approach are different and strongly influenced by our personal backgrounds. From African parents, raised between France and Ivory Coast, to now living in California, that is a lot of cultures to assimilate, yet an endless source of inspiration. So rather than underline only one aspect of our cultural influences, we like to blend them. You’ll notice that the inside lining of our suits is often of vibrant colors which brings a lively touch and joyful note to our work, a subtle way to bring out our African roots with its mosaic of colors.
Somehow the term "African Renaissance" is not some pretty expression anymore to me, but indeed a phenomenon that we are witnessing more and more.
