Mountains and this big sky produce stand out people.
Hows the winter treating you so far?
It’s been good.
Ive got these visions of you answering a Blackberry while in class.
Haha… its an iPhone actually.
To say the least, its a huge responsibility.
I enjoy what I do greatly, and I wouldnt trade it for anything.
Of course there will be those moments when Im asked Why arent you playing sports.
How has the branding and direction differed between the two?
There were actually multiple reasons I decided to make the change.
I quickly learned that if I didnt feel comfortable wearing my own products, there was a problem.
Besides the legal issue, I wanted a fresh start.
By creating M.Elihu I was able to do this.
Could you elaborate on the legal issue?
As I mentioned it was a trademark issue.
My aunt actually suggested I trademark the Inversion name and it turned out to be unavailable.
Someone had already trademarked it, so if the company grew, I was going to be in trouble.
He was impressed by how much you both knew about specific pieces from all sorts of different brands.
For longer than I can remember, clothing has been important to me.
Clothing defines a person.
Most likely, I would be bored with the concept, assuming it was still in business.
Seems like everyone is doing their own clothing line.
How do you see M.Elihu standing out amongst all the companies making cut and sew?
Clothing is a huge market; thousands of brands are fighting for a small market share.
When I decided that clothing was the next step for me, I wanted to do cut and sew.
I really didnt see a need to create another graphic t-shirt brand using blanks that anyone could purchase.
Because of this, M.Elihu has to stand out in a few other ways.
One of which has been price point of the clothing, along with the quality.
Ive personally witnessed friends of mine spreading news to other friends about [other] companys poor quality.
Other than this, Im always trying to create clothing that is timeless for the teenager/young adult age.
After receiving and trying the final products, especially on the mountain, I was very surprised.
Materials were changed at the last minute, zippers were improved, etc.
Small changes like this make this $58.00 vest worth much more in my opinion.
This fall, I saw you had some alpaca wool hats.
What’s the story there?
This summer I had the chance to visit Peru and do some hiking and sightseeing.
Before going to Machu Picchu we stopped in Cuzco to spend a few days.
After putting some money down, we figured wed never see a product in return.
We later returned and were pleasantly surprised seeing what are now my personal favorite beanies.
With an awesome story, too.
How does the remoteness of Montana affect M.Elihu?
Does the lack of a big scene (like Colorado or Utah) hold you back?
Although we arent Colorado or Utah, Montana still has some amazing skiing and people.
Talk a little bit about the overseas sourcing scene.
Howd you become involved?
What processes are involved in manufacturing clothing from concept to something a skier will wear?
Ive always preferred cut and sew clothing, and knew other companies would want to branch into this market.
Quickly, this grew into an operation that produces a wide range of clothing products.
Speaking for myself, I design at least fifteen products before one is even sampled.
Assuming its liked by friends of mine and fits into the line, it may be produced.
Your line has been steadily growing, and youve been adding new pieces each season.
Whats your design process like?
I often will take note of clothing I like, and colors that catch my eye.
From here, digital mock-ups are made, and sent to those who generally voice their opinion.
Whats the next step for M.Elihu?
Hopefully we continue to grow in this field, and youll see M.Elihu on your local shops shelves!
Id just like to thank some friends who have shown support along the way.
