ÁWET New York
essentials redefined
Photo: ÁWET New York
Áwet Woldegebriel's late father exposed him at an early age to the wonders of fabrics and the importance of craftsmanship and quality. His father often told him, "always look out for people with greatness in their hands." And that is exactly what Áwet did during the pandemic.
In 2020, Áwet founded ÁWET New York when hearing New York City garment workers were losing their jobs amidst the pandemic. The brand started small, simply as a passion project that quickly grew into a full-time job. In honor of his late father, who was a tailor in Ethiopia, Áwet aimed to develop a collection that would be classic, timeless and impactful.
Photo: ÁWET New York
“From the start, our brand has been committed to being thoughtful, from sharing our first year's earnings with restaurant workers, to sourcing cotton fibers from leading farmers to ensuring we celebrated black and brown artists on our social platforms,” Áwet tells BLK Oceans.
Today, ÁWET New York can be found on the shelves at Saks Fifth Avenue. Their minimalist collection, titled a Promise to New York, deconstructs 17 of the top loungewear products on the market to inspire the design of their hoodies and sweatpants. “Essentials redefined” is how they describe their first collection. Their most popular items include the Williamburg Porter hat and the G. District hoodie, made with a silk sheen finish.
Photo: Franck Godefroy, Content Director (left), Áwet Woldegebriel, Founder & Creative Director (center), and Alex St. Urbain, CMO (right)
“We plan to continue to support the communities that make our clothes as the collection grows,” Áwet tells BLK Oceans about the mission of the brand. “As we expand our collection, we will continue to focus on livewear. Using our garments as canvases to tell stories that have not been told, leveraging BIPOC artists.”
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