Hannah Grey Community,
Looking back at the achievements of 2023 and eagerly anticipating the potential of 2024, we are deeply grateful for your continued support and belief in Hannah Grey. We are excited to continue our holiday tradition with “Season 2 Merch”, and invite you to select from a range of new products.
The items are thoughtfully curated to match themes we’ve explored in our quarterly Vibrations reports. Whereas last year’s (“Season 1") retro windbreakers captured the consumer sentiment of nostalgia culture, this year’s commentary is on the changing nature of work and a redefinition of The American Dream. We believe several macro forcing functions - from the acceleration of generative AI to skyrocketing costs of higher education - will motivate Americans to consider paths that elevate opportunities in the trades, skilled work and creator careers. This thinking helped inspire theses behind several new investments we welcomed into the portfolio this year - including Glystn, SERV, UpSmith, and Gamify.
You’ll notice two hero items take contrasting viewpoints: The Carhartt Gilliam Jacket and a Banker Bag-inspired duffel come from practical, utilitarian origins and have since been adopted by pop culture as fashion statements and social commentary.
Carhartt is an American apparel company founded in 1889, known for heavy-duty working clothes. The Gilliam Jacket is a lightweight, insulated, and durable jacket actively used in the field by skilled tradesmen in industries such as Construction, Agriculture, and Transportation. In recent years, the brand and the jacket have become popular with fashionistas and urban dwellers due to garment durability and association with the American Workwear aesthetic trend.
The Banker Bag has its origins from the 1970s as a simple, preppy gym bag that would serve as an affordable yet emblematic status symbol. This style of duffle became a subtle indicator of being gainfully employed in the finance sector- and during the boom years of the 80s and 90s, represented institutional success, gainful employment, and good education. It is often associated with the “Greed Is Good” era and for that reason, plays on the bag’s iconic status with irony and homage. We have chosen a unique, subdued color palette in combination with our new HG monogram that projects the idea of quiet luxury.
We hope you enjoy the items as much as we did curating them. Thank you all again for your partnership, we are wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and successful 2024!
- Kate, Jes, Michael & Haley
- Kate, Jes, Michael & Haley