So the saying goes, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” According to Burkman Bros co-designer Doug Burkman, it does — at least when it comes to his label’s signature woven bracelets. “You know the bracelets existed long before he wore them,” Doug said at a recent studio visit. The “he” Doug is referring to is the illustrious Kanye West, known just as much for his fashion sense as his rap lyrics. “We did these mini bracelets and they’ve been a big part of the Burkman Bros’ DNA since the beginning. The idea was if you buy an item of clothing, a bracelet is attached and you become a friend of the brand, like a friendship bracelet.”
How then did Doug and his brother Ben becomes friends with the ever so famous West? “We sold them at the cash wrap at Ron Herman and he was in the store prior to Coachella earlier this year,” said Ben. “He just happened to mix them with some Cartier gold bands and everyone got photos of him at the festival.” It was no small feat for the two-year-old family business, known for their travel inspired menswear. “Once the blogs found out they were Burkman Bros bracelets, everyone started emailing us, and asked if we sell them,” Doug continued. ”We launched an e-commerce site for the bracelets as a response, and recently expanded. It was just serendipitous.”
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