I Know A Place: Sid Mashburn
Season 3: Episode 10
Years ago, I began training as a professional barber. I’ve always cared about the way I looked, so it seemed fitting that if I couldn’t find a barber who worked for me, I might as well learn to do it myself. While working at that shop, just across the way was a place called Sid Mashburn. It was an upscale menswear store that I happened to walk past every day, and eventually, I decided to step inside. I usually didn’t frequent these sorts of places because often they would carry clothing plastered with logos (If you’re not paying me to wear your brand, I shouldn’t look like I’m in NASCAR.) and patterns that were tough on the eyes. However, when I stepped inside Mashburn, I was pleasantly surprised. The space itself was incredibly well curated, but the clothes were even more meticulously designed. Sid had a unique focus on timeless styles delivered with quality and durable fabrics. Until this moment, most of my wardrobe had consisted of items meant for utilitarian wear only, due to the nature of my work and simply my distaste for anything "stuffy." Since that day, my closet has grown ever fuller of oxfords, loafers, and trousers. I never like to look too "put together," but I’ve now grown to love a nice suit. This was the true beginning of my obsession with clothes. Having worked so close to the store for a few years, I would run into Sid himself, exchange hellos, and find myself getting to know the man behind the brand. Seeing as how he convinced me to turn my closet around, I thought it only appropriate to sit down with Sid to share his personal story and the story behind the brand in this season’s finale of I Know A Place.
The Place: Sid Mashburn
1. What’s the story?
2. How would you describe the style?
3. What sets you apart?
4. First Pieces
5. Programs
What’s the story?
My dad was a chemist. My mom was a bookkeeper, but she grew up in a merchant family. Her family owned a furniture store, hardware store, an implement store, and a clothing store. It was called “Collier's Cash and Carry.” It was totally country, and they were in chicken towns. Two of those towns were Pelahatchie and Forest, Mississippi.
My grandmother’s name was Vesta Collier. She was strong, tough, and pretty chic. She was cool and dressed to match. I grew up around her, having that clothing store. My sisters, brother, and dad all loved clothes. So even at a super young age, like third or fourth grade, I was wearing clothes in a particular way.
I always loved to work – I was a part-time janitor at the school in high school – I worked as a bus driver when I was 15! I worked for the city in the summers doing construction-type work... my favorite was working for a very, very cool store called The Rogue in Jackson, MS. I absolutely loved selling the clothes and feeling the energy of a really, really cool place for men. I worked all through college. And to this day, I LOVE to work. I knew I wanted to move to New York and work in fashion.
About halfway through college, I wanted to drop out, but my dad encouraged me to graduate and said that I could do whatever I wanted afterwards. So, I waited, I graduated, and I came home. He tells me, “Well, what are you going to do?” I said, "I'm not sure, but I think I want to go to New York.” He said, “Why don't you save your money? You take all that money you saved, go to New York, and see if you can figure it out.”
I was lucky enough to have had great training from so many fantastic companies. I was at J.Crew in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s as head of men’s design. I didn't have technical design experience, but I'd get to work really early, and I'd leave really late. That trip from my house to J.Crew, then back to my house, was about a 14-hour day. That was not unusual. But I loved it. Fortunately, after I did The Barn Jacket (which turned into a 10 million dollar a year business,) they let the leash out, and we were able to move into lots of different classifications. We were doing cool clothes, and they were well-priced. They were high quality. They had wide appeal. We were a friendly company, and the creative team was great, and it was all a lot of young people. I stayed there, and about two-plus years later, we moved our offices to New York City, and we were pretty hot by this point. The business had grown to about $200 million. The menswear was on fire. We had a great design team. We had a great creative team. It was fun.
I then moved on to Ralph Lauren, which was another incredible learning experience. Ralph was a master at all that he did. I really worked directly with his brother, Jerry Lauren. My next huge learning was with Tommy Hilfiger in 1997 – He was experimenting with a higher-end tailored clothing business. It was a great opportunity to learn about tailored clothing, and I got a chance to go and work closely with all the great Italian mills. I loved it.
While I was there, I got a call from a recruiter asking me if I would have any interest in working for Lands’ End. I really loved the company and its direct-to-consumer model, so Ann got on board, and we moved our family to Wisconsin. Another fantastic time learning so many different things. We had gone there as a bit of an adventure — which it was — and we fully expected it not to last forever. 7 years later (longer than Ann had thought!) I finally did get fired, so we looked at each other and said... “it’s now or never.” We chose Atlanta from a short list of cities (9 total) after falling in love with the whole setup on the Westside. Michael Phillips, our original landlord, had built a very cool and eclectic center here and was a huge supporter from the beginning. We didn’t have too much of a business plan on paper – but all the years of experience were just leaping out of me and Ann. So I set up the shop and I got to work making all the things I loved and wanted to put in one place. One of the biggest contributing factors of my success was hiring Quang Dau, our master tailor. He was absolutely a gift from God. He was 75 at the time and helped me make my entire line of tailored clothing. In fact, he built the patterns that we still use today. His age helped him not only in his expertise, but in his having lived through the part of history that was the most meaningful to me, style-wise.. the slimmer silhouette of the 1960s. It is very much my style. He knew exactly what I was trying to make, and he helped me make it.
I worked in the shop nearly every day, and we hired great people to come alongside us. We went from having an employee base of 4 to now 200 people! We have stores in 7 cities… here in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Washington DC. New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and a wonderful online business. And we’re getting ready to open Charlotte in October.
How would you describe the style?
The style is basically an update on classical clothing. That style is something that is comfortable in almost any setting that we know of in the world. Whether it’s Mississippi, Manhattan, or Milan, we don't want to look out of place wherever we go. We're really building products for every man.
What sets you apart from others?
I don't know what sets us apart from others, but I do know that we don't really look to other people for our inspiration, at least anybody in the modern day. We look to old ways. We like to look at things from an era that very broadly is probably from the late 50s to the mid-70s. We like clothes that fit people. We're not looking for clothes that are just decor or artistic. We like them to be practical. I like them to be practical in their look, in their use, in their application, in their appeal. We like things that may seem slightly unusual, but we don't like things that are necessarily weird. We like clothes that really have what we call “a second look.”
First pieces?
Navy blazer. White and blue shirts. Navy and gray socks. A pair of high-twist charcoal trousers. Good pair of dark jeans. Good pair of natural jeans. Belts that match your shoes. Tassel loafers. And a good raincoat.
What sort of programs do you offer?
We offer made-to-measure. We offer custom as well. We offer opportunities for groomsmen; in case they want to dress their party. We do programs for them, and we also do our on-the-road business, where we go to different cities and do trunk shows. We offer the opportunity to come and redo your closet. To edit your closet and make sure that what you have is still good, and that you still like them. We will come to your house and give you a fitting, or to your office, either way.
The Person: Sid Mashburn
1. Who is Sid?
2. Passions
3. Safety Piece
4. Can’t Leave Home Without
5. How To Be Stylish
6. What Do You Wear Most Often?
7. Building an Outfit
8. Personal Traditions
Who is Sid?
I'm originally from Brandon, Mississippi, which is a small town east of Jackson, Mississippi, probably about 15 miles or so. Back then, it was a small town. I think we had maybe 1,500 people there, and there was one red light. It was pretty much a kind of agriculture and small-town community. Some people would go into Jackson to work, but otherwise, it was a self-sustaining little town.
My family growing up was that I had two older sisters and an older brother, who were much older than me. My dad was a chemist, and my mother was a bookkeeper at the school. I grew up going to school, playing sports, and going to church. We never had a lot, but we never lacked for anything.
I'd gotten married in ‘87, and we started having kids two years later. Now we have five. We came to Atlanta and started this business in 2007. Without Ann, none of this is possible. Without my parents, none of this would be possible. Without my upbringing, none of this would be possible. Without all the people I've met along the way, none of this would be possible. Truly, without God, none of this is possible. That's really it right there.
Passions outside of clothes?
I like people. I like to read. I love music. I play very little piano, very little drums, but I play the radio fantastically. I think music is probably the most immediate art form that everybody can join in over. That I can connect with, whether it's country or classical or gospel or reggae or, you know, Eastern European. I like every kind of music out there. And I love sports. I love sports statistics. I like to play sports. Today, I'm really sort of limited to tennis, some mild exercise, and football at Thanksgiving. I love what I do. I mean, this has been my avocation, my vocation, and as Ann says, “It's also your vacation.” So, I certainly can't do anything else. I’m having a blessed life beyond belief. So wherever I've been placed is only by virtue of God's provision and the energy and the active heart and mind He’s given me.
What’s your safety piece?
Navy suit. Every guy looks good in navy. I have a Dupioni silk suit from about 2016, in particular, but I like any navy suit on the line. I like all of them, the high twist, I like the Quattro, I like the Escorial. I like navy suits.
Something you can’t leave home without?
Usually, it is a bandana in my back pocket. That, and a Swiss Army knife. The small one. Also, a smile. If you don't have that, it's going to be a long day.
What does a man need to be stylish?
A great attitude to start with. You can’t get anywhere without a great attitude in anything. So you can't even start with anything until you appreciate what you’ve been born with.
What do you wear most often?
My navy Ghost blazer. It is this really cool, unlined navy blazer that feels amazing and kind of goes with everything.
How do you approach building an outfit?
It's a different thing every day. It usually starts, though, with a piece, like it could be shoes, or it could be a suit. If I’m starting with the suit, it’s all encompassing, because it’s gonna take care of me from head to toe. Then I’d fill in with the shirt, then the tie, then the shoes. However, sometimes it just depends on what’s left in my closet, because most of my options may be at the cleaners. So then, I just work with what’s available. Outside of what I’m feeling, I make sure to consider the weather, occasion, or locale as well. Whatever I may be walking into.
Favorite personal tradition?
Just to get up early and spend some alone time. Being with myself and doing some reading and thinking.
Recommendations:
1. Music
2. Restaurants
Music
I like Al Green. He is way up on my list. Nelson Freire is somebody I'm listening to lately. Stevie Wonder. I like anything by Bach and anything by Claude Debussy. And certainly James Brown.
Restaurants
One of my favorites in the country is Chez Billy Sud in Washington, D.C. Taqueria Del Sol. Bacchanalia. Little Rey. I would even say Pizza Antico. But of course, Ann’s. Ann Mashburn. I love to eat at home.
Thank you for being here for the end of Season 3!
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Ian--this is JUST GREAT!!!