Longway California
“We celebrate slow creation. The people who make things and ideas. The people who spend their lives imagining and dreaming in the same way that we do. We look to take the road with more curves, but also more thought - where a difference can be made and adventures found.”
For: anyone who values taking the backroads, those who cherish slow and thoughtful. This is the anti-thesis of fast fashion.
What is it: A California-based sustainable clothing brand and coffee shop whose dedication to building community rests at the forefront of their mission.
What you need to know: Originally opened under the name Neve and Hawk (a moniker inspired by the first and middles names of their daughter and son, respectively) Longway was, at one time, nothing more than a master bedroom turned screen printing studio. Founder Kris Galmarini and husband Bob took a passion for graphic tees and turned it into one of the most beautifully designed and highly sought-after clothing brands in California, featuring small-batch and handmade pieces that appeal to the dreamer in all of us.
How to bring this into your life: Bay Area locals can stop by their San Anselmo storefront to peruse their collection of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing along with home goods, books, and gifts, featuring a curated selection of treasures from other artists, designers, and small businesses. While there, be sure to head to the back to find the hidden gem of Marin— an adorable cafe serving SF’s own Lady Falcon Coffee and a selection of seriously delicious treats. We cannot stress enough that this is THE BEST COFFEE IN MARIN COUNTY.
In addition to ample inside seating, which will remain closed/limited through the duration of the covid-pandemic, Longway has partnered with Orca Living to expand their dreamy vibe with the creation of a front patio that is straight out of our Pinterest dreams. Carved wooden stools and thoughtful corners designed for community, connection, and fresh air, greet visitors as they sit to sip on their coffee and give in to the feeling of slow.
For anyone who is not California-based, the Longway Instagram is a great place if you’re looking to redefine your relationship to fashion and start building towards a slower more thoughtful wardrobe, or life, in general. As a bonus, founder Kris Galmarini often graces us with her incredible dance moves and we are very much here for it! She also pops on to give followers a behind-the-scenes look at how the brand is built and the relationships she holds with the people who work so hard to bring her beautiful designs to life. From seamstresses in San Francisco and Peru to her in-store team, to her late-night stories delving into setbacks (both personal and production-related) you cannot help but feel connected to Longway. Their mission to foster community and sustainability shines through everything they do.
We can still recall when the pandemic hit and Kris jumped on Instagram to say something to the effect of. “People are struggling and it feels ridiculous to ask you to buy a new sweater right now.” There was something to her realness and understanding of privilege, that made us love Longway just a little more. At the end of the day, this is the type of brand and space we want to see existing in the world. This is the type of place we are dedicated to supporting in any way we can because it’s the type of place that pushes our world to operate at a higher standard, to value people over profit, to help us redefine consumerism.
Why we think it’s different: Longway’s storefront goes beyond just selling something (though we totally want to buy EVERYTHING they create), to actually building something. “We want it to be a place people want to come,” says founder Kris Galmarini. “We want people to come into the store, and feel better than when they walked in. We want them to interact, to feel inspired, to leave the store feeling better about shit. We’re in this community and we want people to feel good.”
In their own words: “We celebrate slow creation. The people who make things and ideas. The people who spend their lives imagining and dreaming in the same way that we do. We look to take the road with more curves, but also more thought - where a difference can be made and adventures found.”
Something to inspire: Whether fighting for racial justice or the end to family separations at the border, or the normalization of mental health struggles, or the value of slow fashion, Longway is a brand that is not afraid to speak out or to take action, raising awareness, funds and the vibrations of a community who look to them for inspiration. We appreciate Longway for their beautiful selection of goods, but we stay because we know at their heart, they are not a brand, they are a family, one that grows and changes overtime to ensure that they continue to push forward towards a kinder, more just world.
Also their Denim Sunset Jumper is literally the perfect item of clothing. (Don’t even try to change our minds.)
