Motherland originally began as a t-shirt store over a decade ago, its title taking a clever political reference, as the initial store created Soviet-inspired t-shirt designs. But like any passion project, it is meant to evolve. And a store with such a following also needs to grow up with its customer. Thus, more recently, Lawrence and his partner David Chiang began to create their in-house line, National Standards. Their line is complete with a variety of well-fitting oxfords, cotton shirts, and chino pants. “Although we no longer use such obvious Socialist images, we stick to the original idea of design for the masses,” they explain. This means locally made clothes that are an easy fit for any kind of body shape.
National Standards’ fall line has already begun to arrive, and it’s more subtle, with understated thin stripes and small checks in bold colors. This new flagship location also carries Alternative Apparel, Ambiguous, Insight, and Jedidiah, each a notable brand for their graphic design or quality fabrics, which, fundamentally is what Motherland has always been about.
466 West Cordova
words and photos by Kate Brown
