‘Neckworking’ with Geton James owner, Kevin Bryan
Meet Kevin Bryan, the creative mind behind the hip men’s accessory brand, Geton James. The brand is taking a unique approach when it comes to neckwear, with their refined and recrafted vintage ties. We sat down with Kevin to find out how and why he started the company, and of course, to ask our signature adulting question.
Kevin Bryan: Geton James is a men’s accessory brand aimed at young, fashion-forward professionals. A little background: I was working as an investment banker wearing a suit every day and I wanted to find a way to express myself and add my own personality into my outfits. I started collecting vintage ties and altering them to give them a slimmer, more modern style. I was obsessing over them so much that my wife finally said, “Why don’t you make a business out of this?” So, I started collecting these cool vintage ties from the 60s, 70s, and 80s; they have a heritage vibe… and a nostalgia to them. They might remind you of a tie your dad wore. The ties during these eras were much wider in style, so we slimmed them down, and hand-recrafted them so they can be worn with sleek modern suits. I’m really aiming to create something that makes you feel great when you’re wearing it, and also is a one-of-a-kind piece that’ll make you stand out from the crowd.
Kevin Bryan: Oh yeah, for sure. When I was in university I started crafting these custom basketball shorts because I wanted something unique to wear while I was playing. People loved them so I ended up selling them. My 9-to-5 is still in the investment world, but I always have exciting projects on the side in addition to Geton James. I’m always looking to create something new.
Kevin Bryan: Well, we have two types of neck ties: the ones I mentioned above that are refined from existing vintage ties that we handpick from all over the world. Like I said, we slim them down and re-line them. Some of these are high-end designer ties, some are just cool finds. The other type is what we call recrafted ties. We find other clothing items with interesting textiles and use them to create ties. We also make pocket squares out of women’s scarves that we find in our “picking” travels. We’ll be expanding into tie clips and cuff links in the new year, which will be a blend of old and new custom designs.
Kevin Bryan: We host our “neckworking” events about once a month (in Vancouver and Toronto so far), which are essentially a social shopping event, which also has a positive impact on the community. During these events we donate 5% of every purchase to a charity that helps empower men that are hoping to get back into the workforce. We also ask that people bring an article of clothing to the event to donate.
Kevin Bryan: Haha, well it comes from the roosters I would see back in Jamaica on my grandma and grandpa's farm. They’d walk around with their heads held high, being bold, and confident. That’s what Geton James is all about. Owning the day, standing out from the pack and waking up every day with a sense of purpose.
Kevin Bryan: A few places:
• Online at getonjames.com
• At the Mogo x Geton James Pop Up Shop from December 8 to 22nd at the MogoLounge (797 Queen St W, Toronto)
• At select retailers in 2017 (stay tuned to our website for more deets)
Kevin Bryan: Take the time to really know who you are. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and own it. Everything else stems from that.