It’s socks by sneakerheads with a penchant for bolo ties: two dudes paying homage to the power of American manufacturing, and the power of great design. Brothers Sage and Cody Disch were looking for an entrepreneurial venture: something tangible and enduring that they could put their names and faces to, but not before sinking their teeth into every element of design, production, operations, sales and marketing.
Named for their grandfather, Raymond Everett Disch Sr., it’s not the only familial connection in Ace & Everett’s game. Choosing to manufacture at Harriss & Covington, a family-owned factory in North Carolina, was also instrumental in carving out their identity.
Inspired by the DIY spirit of their parents, who’d had a stint running a microbrewery in New Jersey, the brothers Disch hustled on Kickstarter with the hope of raising $20,000 to launch their project. They exceeded that amount by more than $9,000, and dedicated themselves to learning “the 20 steps it takes to make a sock” – specifically, a sock that appealed to millennial males with a keen eye for design. Calling socks “the gateway drug into fashion”, it’s an acknowledgement of smaller details packing maximum impact. Nailing down a work-to-the-weekend aesthetic that lends stealthy style to the boardroom, the high quality of the product is rivalled by one thing: their visual identity.
Playful photography is fast becoming Ace & Everett’s hallmark. Working with Instagram cult-faves Erick Hercules and Humza Deas, the brand’s imagery is daring, to say the least. A no-pants walk through lower Manhattan is all rakish, memorable fun and games. But for truly heart-stopping moments, it’s the aerial shots of New York – featuring Deas’ A&E-clad feet dangling from a helicopter – that any photography fan would be swooning over.
And what about their next-stage plans? Team Disch are eager to branch beyond socks, eventually. For now, though, it’s all about delivering a premium product and building a strong customer base that they can learn from.
