Bare Knuckles is having a banner year
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Founders Jacob Keller (left) and Cole McBride. Photo: Courtesy of Bare Knuckles/@happy_beginnings_studio
Chart-topping country singer Shaboozey, K-pop star J-Hope and "Love Island" winner Bryce Alakai have all been spotted wearing Portland menswear brand Bare Knuckles this year.
Why it matters: Nearly a decade in, Bare Knuckles has quietly grown from a side project between the two longtime Portland retail pros into a fashion-world favorite.
- It's the fit and feel that are obsessively considered by owners Jacob Keller and Cole McBride, and therefore increasingly sought after.
Despite its flashy clientele, the clothes Bare Knuckles produces are surprisingly understated: basics like washed jeans, boxy graphic tees and studded leather loafers.
- While the brand remains largely direct to consumer — thanks to its thoughtfully curated social media and well-timed drops — Keller told Axios the business has grown rapidly year over year, cultivating a large customer base in New York and Los Angeles.
Catch up quick: Portland natives Keller and McBride met while working at downtown menswear boutique Machus in 2016. Keller, who previously worked at Nike, was the manager and McBride was an enthusiastic regular who eventually got himself hired.
- Handling clothes all day became an informal education in how they wanted to make things differently.
- "You kind of realize like, 'Oh man, I wish this was like two inches shorter. I wish that this hat fit this way. I wish that this shirt had this wash,'" Keller said.
- The pair had a friend who owned a factory in LA and started making samples that year. They launched Bare Knuckles in 2017.
The vibe: Like many kids who grew up in Portland, Keller and McBride were vintage shop connoisseurs, copping '50s-era workwear and worn leather goods. So that's where they started with Bare Knuckles.
- Before producing a single piece, they search for an existing silhouette they'd actually want to wear and replicate.
- Then, they tweak the proportions and put them through a cycle of enzyme and stone washes, sprays and rinses that make the clothes feel worn‑in from day one.
- "Anyone can just go pick up a brand-new shirt anywhere," Keller said. "I want ours to feel a little different."
The result is relaxed and refined — bombers that hit right at the belt line, crinkled crimson lambskin leather blousons and wide-legged buttery denim.
Zoom in: Like their clothes, McBride and Keller are intentional about growth. For example, wholesale has been a new frontier.
- So far, their line is in independent department stores like Frances May, Chicago's Notre and WISM in Japan, with potentially more — and maybe even a brick-and-mortar of their own — on the way.
- Pop-ups and collaborations have also become an integral part of their playbook, allowing them to meet customers in person and build awareness.
Even with the newfound buzz, McBride and Keller are taking the business one opportunity at a time.
- "When we first started, I had no 10-year plan," Keller said. "And right now, I still probably have no 10-year plan."