AMERICAN BRAND FLAG & ANTHEM LAUNCHES FOR FALL

Flag & Anthem, which launches its fall 2016 collection online this week and which will be sold at such retailers as Dillard’s, select Buckle locations, and Ron Robinson, may be a start-up brand, but its probable success will be anything but beginner’s luck. Co-founders Azod Mohit and Brad Gartman have collectively more than 20 years of brand-building and buying experience in the menswear industry, including prestigious stints at Lord & Taylor and Macy’s (specifically at I.N.C., Tasso Elba and American Rag).

But sensing that millennials were lacking a brand that offered high-quality, affordable wardrobe essentials (most items are the $25-$89 range), they’ve decided to take the plunge into company ownership. “There was definitely a white space in the market that needed to be filled,” says Gartman. “Casual menswear essentials were either low-quality and undifferentiated or too pricey and skewed towards sleek and urban styling, which missed the mark for men who embody a more preppy American vibe.”

The line heavily favors casual shirts, — the pair is also particularly proud of their indigo dye knits — and also includes a healthy assortment of chinos, denim, and outerwear. In addition to millennials, Flag & Anthem is specifically targeted to guys who love music and sports, which is particularly evident in the designs of their carefully created graphic tees. Sizes will vary from S to XXL, and fits in denim will range from slim to straight to athletic. “We don’t do skinny,” asserts Mohit.

Funded in part by private equity sources, the company’s corporate offices (which includes about half-a-dozen employees) are in New York, but sourcing and factory work is primarily done in China and Vietnam to keep costs down. Deliveries will be on a monthly basis, although there will be appropriate seasonal collections, including holiday.

Initial marketing will be a mix of grass-roots efforts, including a heavy presence on college campuses, and some digital advertising. Gartman and Mohit are also big believers in trade shows, and the line will be shown at Project in Las Vegas in August.