5 questions with Poncho's Clay Spencer
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Austin-based Poncho founder Clay Spencer. Photo: Courtesy of Poncho
University of Texas grad Clay Spencer launched Poncho in 2018 with a simple idea: Make a better fishing shirt.
Zoom in: Unlike other brands at the time, Spencer's original performance shirts offered different-sized fits while still making them moisture-wicking, light and offering sun protection.
- The company has since expanded to flannel, denim and Western. Along the way, stars like Matthew McConaughey and Post Malone have been spotted in the brand.
Driving the news: This month, the brand and San Antonio-based Lone Star Beer teamed up to release limited-edition merch, including hats, shirts and beer cases wrapped in Poncho's South Zone camo print.
We caught up with Spencer to chat about Poncho's evolution, the Lone Star collab, and what's next.
This interview has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.
What was your vision when you first founded the company, and how has that evolved?
"I had a very clear vision about the shirt I wanted to wear outdoors — how I wanted it to look, feel and perform. It didn't exist so I set out to make it.
- In the early years, I could only dream of people like Post Malone or Matthew McConaughey wearing our shirts. To see them wear Poncho now is a testament to what happens when you focus on making a great product. The community follows."
How did this collaboration with Lone Star come about?
"Lone Star is a legendary Texas brand. We've always wanted to partner with a company as iconic as Lone Star, and to do something cool, like putting our camo on a 12-pack of beers. When we were designing our new South Zone Camo, it felt like a moonshot idea, but when we talked to Lone Star about it, it just clicked."
Poncho is rooted in hunting culture and time spent outdoors in Texas. As the brand grows, how do you stay true to those roots while connecting to a broader audience?
"We're for people who love the outdoors. Whether it's fishing, hunting, ranching, rodeoing, barbecuing or going to a college football game, you'll probably see someone in a Poncho shirt doing it. We have a cult following, but we're really just getting started. A lot of people don't know about us yet."
What can we expect next from Poncho in terms of partnerships, product lines, or other ways you're hoping to expand the brand?
"We will only make a new product when we know we've nailed it and it's worthy of the Poncho name. We've got some exciting new products coming this fall that we can't wait to share. Let's just say one of them starts with "POL" and ends with "O."
How does Austin continue to factor into that?
"Austin is our home, our headquarters and our inspiration. ... We have an in-office culture. We only hire people who want to be here, and we will continue to do that."