Maybe it was just time for Graf Lantz to grow up.
The firm, based in Los Angeles‘ Silver Lake neighborhood, has been quietly building a follower base keen on its bags — structural marvels made of Merino wool felt and leather — and is now undergoing a refresh that includes an updated look and new hires hailing from places brands as diverse as Proenza Schouler and American Apparel.
“We’ve been in the business for some time, going on our eighth year, and we really have had some nice success, but what we didn’t have is a real direction,” said Daniel Lantz, who cofounded the firm with Holger Gräf. “We just thought it was time to announce ourselves formally and show what we do to a wider world.”
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That has meant tightening up the team, bringing in creative director Alejandro Cardenas, previously of Proenza Schouler, and director of product development Rachel Rosenfield, who came from American Apparel. Kimberly Christenson, previously of Nasty Gal and Oak, joined as sales director.
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Graf Lantz counts 19 employees — seven of them were hired in the past year — and is continuing to look for more workers in production, particularly sewers with expertise in handling leathers.
The company is working on creating efficiencies in its production line at its Silver Lake factory, where everything is made.
“To compete in the fashion market you need a bit more strategy,” said Graf, who pointed out the company’s growth and plans up until this point have largely fallen into place organically.
So far, the two have bootstrapped the company themselves with the aid of a friend who is also their distributor in Japan.
The business is expected to grow at least 30 percent this year, which would include sales from online as well as a wholesale business that has the line in about 300 doors.
“It came to a point where we were able to hire some more people and we re-branded with a new logo and we’re in a position to be more serious,” Graf said.
Christenson also said the brand’s following hasn’t necessarily always been e-commerce or digital friendly and that it’s time to open the business up to a younger audience while featuring new color palettes, seasonal offerings and more leathers incorporated in the design.
Last year, the company did collaborations on a tote with Oak and a car kit for the & Other Stories Los Angeles launch.
“The challenge is just to keep our customer base happy and to start to appeal to new customers,” Rosenfield said.
That’s always the balancing act of any company looking to expand. For Graf Lantz, whose founders fancy themselves fashion outsiders, it will be about continuing to remain outside the mainstream.
“We never really try to fit in because what does that really mean,” Lantz said. “We’re not trying to be so uber cool. That independent spirit is really what has [helped] turn the corner for us.”