GQ: What You Can Learn From - The Master Modern Cobbler with Mark McNairy

Capturing the attention of those domestically and overseas, Mark McNairy held his own, long prior to his recent handing of the reins at Woolrich Woolen Mills. GQ catch up with the American designer through a selection of candid questions which dabble into his life and insights on several current movements. The article can be seen directly over at GQ while a selection of answers are posted below.

Photography: HYPEBEAST

My Roots

“My obsession with shoes started in junior high. I had a hundred pairs of basketball sneakers lined up around my room. All the classics: Chuck Taylors, Jabbars, Nike Blazers, Pro-Keds.”

No Middlemen

“I started Mark McNairy New Amsterdam in 2008. We have apparel and shoes. The shoes are a partnership between me and Sanders, a factory in Northampton, England. That’s what makes them affordable— I’m not buying them and marking them up again.”

Tricks of the Tradesman

“I try to use shoe trees—they help shoes keep their shape and absorb some of the sweat. I don’t own a suede brush, though. If you scuff your suede, just rub the two shoes together and it’ll buff right out.”

God Bless Americana

“There’s all this talk of the heritage trend and how long it’s going to last. It’s more than a trend—it’s men going back to wearing classics.”

The Present Future

“My first collection for Woolrich Woolen Mills comes out this fall. The references are the U.S. Navy and the Ivy League. I was calling it Naval Intelligence, but then when I was in Puerto Rico, I found this “U.S.S. Oxford” patch at a hat store. It pretty much says it all.”