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January 20, 2024 --
We launched the Res Ipsa website ten years ago January 20, 2014. We want to take a moment to reflect on the people and places that have meant so much to our journey so far.
It is impossible to tell all the stories worth telling or thank all the people who deserved to be thanked in this blog post. We are humbled and filled with gratitude toward the people who have worked for us, the people who have bought from us, and the people who have simply wished us well.
The birth of Res Ipsa was a conversation about how we could not find the kind of neckties we wanted to wear to work. We decided to make our own three-inch wide neckties, which we thought was the perfect width--the happy medium between hipster and get-off-my-lawn. (Fun fact: our ties were made by Walter Schik who also made Ralph Lauren's first ties back in 1967!) We expected we would sell mainly to other lawyers who would get a kick out of the name Res Ipsa, which is taken from a Latin legal term that means "the thing speaks for itself", or self-evident.
A pivotal moment for us was reading The Alchemist in 2013. It's a book that explains the unexplainable ways good fortune has found us. The novel emphasizes the importance of listening to your heart, recognizing opportunity, and learning to read the signs along life's path. It also explores themes of the interconnectedness of all things, and the belief that the universe conspires to help those who are pursuing their personal legends. The universe has certainly conspired to help us in so many ways, and given us signs that encouraged us to keep going.
We took a trip to Istanbul in September 2013 that unexpectedly resulted in a relationship with a manufacturer who would make the kilim loafers and other products we designed.
In the early days our business was very different. At first, we only had two products: neckties and kilim loafers. We soon added kilim weekenders and dopp kits. We had no warehouse, no wholesale accounts, and no stores. What little inventory we had was kept in trusty blue Ikea bags. We expected to be inundated with online sales. We learned it doesn't work that way. We slowly added wholesale accounts--eventually over 125--beginning with H. Stockton in Atlanta.
Res Ipsa at a trade show in the Javits Center, New York
Cole, Odini, Josh & Mike in New York in 2017
In 2015 we both quit our law jobs to focus on Res Ipsa full time. We also launched our own law firm that year. Gogo & Moore continues today with dozens of clients and a team of associate attorneys.
Gogo & Moore in 2015
Res Ipsa Trunk Show in Nantucket in 2016
At the end of 2022 there were Res Ipsa stores in Nantucket, Aspen, Culver City, Malibu, Vail, Larchmont Village. In March 2023, we opened our first New York store at 259 Elizabeth Street, in the very same space that dreamed about in 2018 (In the photo below you can just barely see the "For Rent" sign reflected in the window behind us).
Manifesting our future New York store in 2018.
We also achieved another big milestone in 2023: opening a store in Paris on the legendary Boulevard Saint Germain.
Paris store (before), June 2023
Res Ipsa Paris on Boulevard Saint Germain, Fall 2023
We opened the Res Ipsa atelier in Marrakech in Fall 2019, with one full-time person. Today we have dozens of employees, and a co-op of almost 50 women who produce our crochet squares.
Rachid, Odini, Abdeslam & Josh
Res Ipsa Atelier in 2023
In the atelier
Sourcing vintage materials in 2019
Our favorite definition of an entrepreneur is someone who makes a way. We've done that over the last decade, through COVID, economic downturns, and political turmoil. We've learned that everything is hard. You do the thing you love, knowing it will be hard. One of our core beliefs is do it with joy or don't do it at all.
With Martha Stewart in 2021
With Shaquille O'Neal in 2020
With the Los Angeles Team in 2023
It's easy to focus on the day-to-day things but when we do take those important opportunities to look back we get overwhelmed with gratitude. Our customers and friends have carried us in beautiful and unexpected ways, and we are grateful for the constant support.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
We look forward to the next 10 years!