How Rowing Blazers Transformed a Preppy Tradition into a Modern Fashion Staple

By Sanj Patel

Since its launch in 2017, cult clothing brand Rowing Blazers has been skillfully rowing through the currents of change, seamlessly blending tradition with innovation and establishing itself as a pioneer in the world of classic American style.

With its colorful, inclusive, slightly subversive take on the classics, the NYC-based label Rowing Blazers offers an eclectic mix of timeless silhouettes, which, for founder Jack Carlson, has always been key. He is walking through Milwaukee, having attended a Vampire Weekend concert the night before. 

The story of Rowing Blazers is intertwined with Carlson’s background in athletics and academia. 

“You can trace the origins of the brand way back to before I was at Oxford, and to the first time I was rowing at Henley,” Carlson says. “It was there that I was able to really see all of these crazy blazers from the various clubs around the world. I was also able to speak with other athletes and hear the stories behind their blazers, socks, and ties. I was so fascinated by all of the oral history and eccentric colorful traditions that existed and manifested through these rowing clubs. That was where I first thought someone should do a book about this. I ended up doing the book almost ten years later. I guess the idea had always stuck with me – that this would be a cool thing to write about. It brought together my interests in clothing and menswear with my interest in rowing, heraldry, and history. The brand does too, in a way. But the book really formed the basis on which the brand was built.” 

The label’s name originated from Carlson’s initial project—a book that documented the history and significance of rowing blazers from clubs worldwide. “The book is a lot more literal, in terms of being about these blazers that have been worn by rowing clubs around the world,” Carlson explains. “It’s an important part of what we do as a brand. We make the blazers for all the major clubs like Harvard, the University of Washington, Princeton, the New Zealand team, and so on. I think that is just part of the authenticity of the brand.” 

Carlson’s interest in how people use images, symbols, and clothes to express their identity is further evident in Rowing Blazers’ designs. “I like anything that I wear to have some meaning, and I think for men in particular, it informs how they dress,” he says. “If you look at the rowing blazer, and how people dress at Henley, it’s a great archetype. Everyone is peacocking or showing where they belong in the world order of rowing.”

“With Rowing Blazers, I don't like anything to be random or just purely based on aesthetics. It’s about authenticity, and doing your homework, in a way. It’s easy to create something that looks good at a distance, but it’s more about what it means and the story.”

Similarly, Carlson’s perspective on the preppy trend is both critical and optimistic. “When I was at university, there was a real preppy renaissance. It was the era of Ralph Lauren rugby shirts, and then everyone else started doing their own take on that,” he recalls. “Even though we hear a lot of stories in the press about a new preppy renaissance, it still hasn’t really hit the mainstream anywhere close to what was happening from 2005 to 2012.”

He continues, “What’s happening now, and I definitely think Rowing Blazers has been a big part of this, is an outside impact relative to the size of the brand. It’s hand-in-hand with several other brands, including some we’re often mentioned alongside like Noah, ALD, and even Sporty & Rich. It’s kind of taking these preppy, if you can use that word, codes and presenting them in a way that isn’t pretentious—it’s a lot more fun and approachable.”

Carlson admits he was initially reluctant about the term "preppy" due to past associations with overly formal or out-of-touch styles. “I’m less hesitant about the term 'preppy' now compared to when we started seven years ago. Back then, I had friends in the industry advising me against it,” he says. “It was a time when Vetements and the DHL collaboration were all the rage. These friends were trying to look out for my best interests. Remember, there were about three or four years between the book  coming out and starting the brand, and during that time, preppy fashion wasn’t really happening; streetwear was dominating.” 

Carlson’s commitment to blending classic menswear with modern trends extends beyond the brand’s blazers. “There are two big pillars of Rowing Blazers as a brand—authenticity and irreverence,” he explains.

“They may seem to be at odds with each other. Authenticity means being very true, and in some ways, being very rigorous about following the rules, while irreverence literally means not necessarily having a reverence for the rules. I think that is part of our success and magic really by combining those two things effectively.”

The brand’s rugby shirts, which Carlson initially struggled to include, are a prime example. “We were working to make the samples at several different factories, and none of them were quite able to do it,” he remembers. “We decided to launch the brand even though the rugby shirts weren’t ready yet. When we did launch them, people loved them. We sold out in just two days.”

Rowing Blazers is known for its exciting collaborations, from working with artist Luke Edward Hall to partnering with iconic brands like Gucci. Carlson reflects on these partnerships: “I have always wanted collaborations to be a part of the brand’s DNA. We wanted to collaborate with Seiko, Hunter, Barbour, and Sperry. It’s amazing to look back and see many of those collaborations actually happening.”

Looking forward, Carlson shares insights into the brand’s future under new ownership. “I don’t have any concrete information like an address to provide you,” he says about the new flagship store. “However, I know that the new ownership group plans to open a larger Manhattan flagship in the fall of 2025. We currently have two main locations in NYC, but we want to achieve what we initially envisioned with the right funding, plan, and people in place.”

Carlson values the Rowing Blazers community and the brand’s impact on its customers. “Having a physical brick-and-mortar location is so important,” he notes. “When you’re an ecommerce brand, it’s hard to get a sense of who the customer really is. It’s only when you throw your own party in your own store that you get a visual of who the brand is really speaking to and resonating with.”

The most rewarding aspects of running Rowing Blazers for Carlson have been both creative and personal. “The first reward is that it’s been a great creative outlet for me. The other big reward is the people I’ve met since starting Rowing Blazers,” he says.

“It’s incredible that many of my friends and cool people I never imagined I’d be close with are now part of my life.”

As Carlson transitions out of his dual role as creative director and CEO, he remains optimistic about Rowing Blazers’ future. “It’s a bit tougher to discuss now that I’ve sold the brand,” he admits. “I’m confident that Chris and the new ownership group will be successful and build on the momentum we’ve created over the last seven years. I’m excited and interested to see what the future holds.”

You can follow Jack Carlson on Instagram here. Keep an eye out for the latest Rowing Blazers developments on Instagram here.

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