In an age when we’re not necessarily looking for the best new thing, but rather the best thrifted thing, Justin Mensinger has quickly caught our attention. Living and working in Chicago, the young designer is behind an impressive collection of upcycled streetwear pieces. He started out by selling custom t-shirts and thrifted finds out of his college dorm room and made his first custom piece in June 2018. Recently, the former RSVP Gallery intern was tapped as one of Footaction’s No1Way designers, creating two “1 of 1” re-worked collections with adidas and Champion.
“I find the deepest satisfaction in putting emotion in my work,” Mensinger tells us. “Everything from the ground up has to have soul in it.” With his brand’s motto being “From the past, for the future,” Mensinger prides himself on his resourcefulness. Many of his designs start out as a piece he’d make for himself, and they’re typically made from thrifted sports team memorabilia. Currently, Mensinger is working on a sequel to his previous collection, “A letter to my unborn child,” set to be released next month. We’ll be watching.
“I find the deepest satisfaction in putting emotion in my work,” Mensinger tells us. “Everything from the ground up has to have soul in it.” With his brand’s motto being “From the past, for the future,” Mensinger prides himself on his resourcefulness. Many of his designs start out as a piece he’d make for himself, and they’re typically made from thrifted sports team memorabilia. Currently, Mensinger is working on a sequel to his previous collection, “A letter to my unborn child,” set to be released next month. We’ll be watching.
