Last month, Digest publisher Tom LaVecchia hosted local fashion designer, Wally Iwanciw, on his New Theory Podcast.

Iwanciw, a New Jersey native, is the designer of IWANCIW Functional Funware, a brand steeped in creativity and, you guessed it, function. In this episode, he talks about the brand’s roots and how IWANCIW was built into a recognizable, local brand. With a storefront right here in West New York, NJ, IWANCIW is designed as both wearable art and a functional wardrobe staple that’s jean-friendly and never goes out of style.

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Though Iwanciw got his start in the fashion industry decades ago designing suits, he eventually wanted to make something more fun and sustainable. He wanted to create designs that were both comfortable and colorful. With the launch of the brand, he even created his own cotton blend fabric and unique dye system known as “sky-dye” named for its inspiration of nature. Anything but the prototypical brand, IWANCIW incorporates elements such as patchwork, speaks to customers’ desire to stand out–some we New Jerseyans love to do.

Interview Snippet:

“I’m a Jersey boy. I have my roots here,” Iwanciw says. “I was born in Passaic. I do shows in New Jersey from all the way down to Edison to outside of Philly, and, of course, up in Montclair. My stuff is easy to wear, so I have a customer everywhere. Jersey has a fluency, and they have taste. They like comfort–casual comfort. Metropolitan New York, I have girls from New York–they come from Long Island. They come from Connecticut… I like people to come to the shop, so I think it’s convenience. Especially with Hoboken and some of the other areas like Jersey City, it’s really happening. If they knew I was here and they can come in to get something customizable, something made just for them, I think they’d love it.”

Here is the full interview with Wally Iwanciw. Give it a listen: