About Us

res ipsa loquitur. (rayz ip-sah loh-quit-her) n. Latin for "the thing speaks for itself"

WHO WE ARE

Res Ipsa was founded in 2013 by two lawyers, Josh & Odini. Originally, the brand was focused on neckwear. We could not find the kind of ties we wanted to wear to our law jobs, so we decided to make our own. We traveled the world sourcing the best fabrics--tartans from Scotland, wool challis from England, and grenadines from Italy--and made them by hand in New York. The more we traveled, the more we realized the dull uniformity of professional dress made us hunger for something unique. Because of our love for travel and sustainability, the brand quickly evolved to focus on globally-designed one-of-a-kind products made from vintage and repurposed materials. 

Taking inspiration from their extensive legal background, Josh and Odini felt their brand and style could be summed up in two words: Res Ipsa. The Latin phrase, res ipsa loquitur literally translates to: “the thing speaks for itself.” In law, the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur was first used in the English court case Byrne v. Boadle (1863) and applies to self-evident facts.

WHAT WE DO

Res Ipsa is inspired by our travels to the great cities of the world. From upcycled one-of-a-kind kilim shoes to repurposed vintage 501s, we create responsibly-sourced global style. In our Marrakech factory, we weave our own fabrics--and only enough to suit our needs and reduce waste.

Today, Res Ipsa is the destination for premium handmade travel leisure goods. Our products are made carefully and responsibly with love. So whether you’re far from home or returning there, travel with us.

OUR CORE BELIEFS

We are guided by a set of ten core beliefs. These are guiding principles that best explain why we do what we do. For example, the first core belief explains why we left the law for retail, and the last one explains why we were not crazy to do so.

  • We believe that you should do something with joy, or not at all. 
  • We believe that beauty is not trivial. 
  • We believe that every product should have a story. 
  • We believe humans are hard-wired for narrative.
  • We believe that every person should travel as far as they can as often as they can. 
  • We believe that travel is important because it opens minds and hearts. 
  • We believe that you get back what you put out. 
  • We believe makers of well-made products deserve to make a fair profit & living wage. 
  • We believe that small businesses are the bedrock of a strong economy. 
  • We believe retail is not dead.