The Los Angeles-based designer deconstructs – then repurposes – pieces produced by global fashion giants.
The most informed amongst the menswear intelligentsia will know him as someone who creates one-of-a-kind bespoke garments, for clientele in cities including Los Angeles, New York, Singapore and Paris, which often repurpose the forms associated with more prominent designer brands such as Louis Vuitton. Now, Etai Drori’s tweed lounge shirts, high-tech cargo pants and bulk-enhancing puffer jackets are available to all punters who admire his work – with a new specially dyed denim project and a cashmere bomber jacket launching this month.
The most informed amongst the menswear intelligentsia will know him as someone who creates one-of-a-kind bespoke garments, for clientele in cities including Los Angeles, New York, Singapore and Paris, which often repurpose the forms associated with more prominent designer brands such as Louis Vuitton. Now, Etai Drori’s tweed lounge shirts, high-tech cargo pants and bulk-enhancing puffer jackets are available to all punters who admire his work – with a new specially dyed denim project and a cashmere bomber jacket launching this month.
So what exactly is his brand, Etai LA, doing differently, to shake up such a busy space as menswear? “I’d say the most obvious difference is that I’m an artist, not a fashion designer,” he says. “Over the last decade, crafting bespoke art pieces for an elite set of clientele, I’ve become known for deconstructing heritage silhouettes from designer brands. I don’t have a typical agenda: the concept for Etai LA is really a culmination of two important things I’ve learned, which is firstly that people crave exclusivity, and secondly, for most brands quality is the first casualty.”
Green tweed lounge shirt, £595
Indeed, Drori would see himself as the polar opposite of – and an antidote to – fast fashion. “I want to redefine quality standards while bringing my work to a wider audience,” he says. “With ETAI LA, I’m elevating timeless basics – think puffer jackets, for example – to an unparalleled level of excellence.” Indeed, the quilted coats in question, which cost more than £1,200 each, are in a different league to other offerings of the same ilk, with their goose-down padding, boxy fit, removable hoods, quality interior detailing and elastic draw cords ensuring a neat fit and silhouette.
“We’re talking about taking the finest available materials and crafting them to total perfection, prioritising uncompromising production practices,” he continues. “Every piece is made in extremely small batches and has a serial number and an ‘Authenticity Label’ sewn inside. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. The level of detail that’s put into each piece goes beyond anything you’ll see on the market today.”
Twill Muay Thai Lifestyle Shorts, £262
Melange Tweeds and polyesters from Japan are among the materials Drori opts for – and how any given fabric feels, he points out, will determine how it looks. “I often find that the fabric inspires the design and not the other way around,” he explains. “My first priority is comfort. I like touching the fabric and feeling it. If I feel it’s of a quality I would wear myself, I start dreaming up what I could use it for. At the same time, I always look for a distinctive characteristic in every fabric while making sure the look and feel work for the end product. For example, athletic woven fabric, with some stretch, for the cargo pants and soft colourful tweed for the shirt and shorts set, so that they can be worn every day but with a loungewear feeling to them.
“Within the ETAI LA team—which includes myself and my mother, Nony Tochterman—we’re fortunate enough to have an extensive network of contacts scattered around the globe,” he continues. “Sometimes, we’re working with 15 different suppliers just to put together one single piece. It’s a lot of trial and error.”
Removable Hood Puffer, £1,238
