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These pants by Hiro Clark come recommended by another model, Eric Rutherford, who says they’re a favorite.
He likes that the “tailored pants in French terry” have a “pleated design that gives them a little more flair than your gym sweats,” describing them the way many others have praised lots of pants on this list: “comfy enough to wear at home and cool enough to wear to dinner.”
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T-shirt, also spelled tee shirt, was named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Historically, a tee-shirt has a round neckline and short sleeves. The earliest T-shirts date back to the turn of the 20th century. At that time, the Cooper underwear company ran a magazine ad promoting a new product for bachelors. The button free and stretch fabric required very little care for a bachelor to wash and wear.
More to the point, big decisions about menswear are now a strong topic of discussion. This season, tee shirts brands are offering premium comfort and modern style.
Designed with versatility and comfort at the core, we have reviewed the best T-shirts on the market today that meet the comfort, style and sustainability requirements for American men.
Take it for a spin. Top down. Volume up. Hit the road and don’t look back. Spend your summer cruising in one of the classics.
Hiro Clark has teamed up with the guys at Classic Car Club to create a collection of limited-edition t-shirts celebrating some of history’s most iconic rides.
Get yours and we'll even throw in a free Hot Wheels Porsche to rev you up. It’s time to get in gear.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: HIRO CLARK
History: For many, the beach is the ultimate of Los Angeles life. So after moving to California from New York in 2012, Andy Salzer began selling his line of men's t-shirts on it's sandy shores - literally. But what struck him most about LA were the struggles, or "dark optimism," of the otherwise sunny city, where "people are willing to do whatever it takes to make it." This attitude presents itself in the line's edgy graphics.
Niche: The 100% cotton, classic-fit T-shirts are produced in limited runs of each design. Despite being an unofficial uniform in Los Angeles, Salzer feels there is something missing in the men's category and hopes to make his mark in T-shirts before expanding into other areas.
Key Products: Hiro Clark has collaborated with artist Michael Bevilacqua and photographer John Arsenault. A more unexpected collaboration is Hiro Clark x Le Labo, a line of scented t-shirts based on the idea of lovers stealing each others' T-shirts and perfume.
V WANT IT: WILHELMINA'S "UNSIGNED" T-SHIRT
Wilhelmina's t-shirt collaboration with Hiro Clark is witty enough to wear ironically, and simple enough for the serious - in short, I need it.
Modeling agency Wilhelmina debuted a new capsule collection, created with LA-based brand Hiro Clark. The collaboration of three t-shirts including one that reads only "UNSIGNED," and I simply must have it.
I can’t decide if wearing this shirt would make me look like a raging narcissist trying to let the world know that, despite my incredible looks, I’ve never been scouted. Or perhaps the more cynical citizens of the world will recognize it as a critique of Instagram culture making everyone with more than five followers a “model,” better yet, “aspiring model.” Either way, I’m into it, and I’d like to think that Wilhelmina would be happy with either interpretation.
There’s certainly a tongue-in-cheek vibe to the capsule; the other two shirts read “LOOKS CAN KILL” and “Model Casting, Please Knock.” Plus, they’re limited edition because after all this is New York City—a land of exclusives.
THESE LE LABO TEES ARE GREAT FOR TRAVEL AND GIFTING
Here’s a dilemma everyone is all too familiar with: In the hectic rush through the airport, or in the Uber trying to get to your destination, you realize that perhaps you don’t smell so great. Look, we’ve all been there. But now there’s an elegant—and fashionable—solution. Hiro Clark’s No Shower T-shirts, which are infused with Le Labo’s popular scent Santal 33. The fragrance microcapsules are actually woven into the fabric of the tees, to insure that the notes of Australian sandalwood, cardamom, iris, and violet stay fresh and potent for up to 6 washes.
“We are pushing the myth about the French and not washing a little further by dipping Hiro Clark’s tees into Le Labo’s Santal 33 and seeing how long this can last!” said Le Labo cofounder Fabrice Penot. “As Napoleon wrote to Joséphine from the battlefield: ‘Don’t wash, I return in three days’—kind of 19th-century sexting. Imagine how sexy she would have been by opening the door only wearing a dirty Santal 33 Hiro Clark tee?”
Hiro Clark founder Andy Salzer sees the tees not only as a play on Le Labo’s French heritage, but as a continuation of his brand’s effortless, California lifestyle. “We wanted to create something cool and easy—pick it up off the floor. Throw it on, and you’re out the door,” Salzer said. “I wear Santal 33 everyday. It’s natural that my tees would too.”
The tops come in a variety of colors and prints, like a graphic smoke design or a black tee reading “disappear here.” We get the wanderlust spirit of that design, but it will be pretty hard to disappear when you smell as good as Santal 33—even if you haven’t showered in days.
NEXT LEVEL T-SHIRTS: THE 10 BEST SMALL-BATCH TEES OUR EDITORS SWEAR BY
Has there ever been a better time to sport a T-shirt? We don't think so.
For one thing, menswear is enjoying a shift to more relaxed styles and for another, it seems like there's a wealth of well-made T-shirts on the market these days. Sure, you'll have to pay a bit more than your standard three-pack styles, but these small-batch shirts are worth the investment. Crafted from quality materials, today's best tees are cut into subtle, but thoughtful designs with body-conscious fits.
ONLINE: HIRO CLARK
Launched by fashion veteran and New York transplant Andy Salzer, the Hiro Clark men's label oozes the spirit of Los Angeles. The name alone perfectly reflects its cosmopolitan vibe, but it's obviously the range of designs that caught our eye, reflecting the iconic lifestyle and adventure that's so often associated with this sprawling megalopolis.
Salzer, obviously a keen observer, captured all that plus what he found below the shiny surface, in an edgy range of limited edition men's tees. Hiro Clark crewneck t-shirts are made from high-quality cotton jersey, emblazoned with carefully selected screen prints and texts, the designs epitomize the understated, if not laid-back, cool that everyone perceives as typically SoCal.
Presented in Hiro Clark's first release are differently themed designs, including collabs with photographer John Arsenault, who also shot the brand's beautiful launch campaign, and another talented lensman, Michael Bevilacqua.
LE LABO RELEASES SCENTED SHIRTS WITH HIRO CLARK
Hiro Clark and fragrance maker Le Labo will change the lives of the incurably lazy and perpetually casually dressed, forever. The partnering brands are set to release a special line of scented cotton t-shirts featuring Le Labo’s iconic Santal 33 fragrance. And despite the jesting opening sentence, we do think this effort is something frequent t-shirt wearers will genuinely enjoy.
Le Labo’s co-founder Fabrice Penot shed some light on what sparked the idea saying, “T-shirts are something that lovers steal from each other; that, and their perfume. Fragrance is such a personal choice — so special, so unique. And since Hiro Clark does such limited batches of tees, it made sense to partner with them on this one-of-a-kind project.”
The shirts will come in a white or gray colorway and be available in two graphic prints. First is the “Woodcut” print which is inspired by the base notes of the Santal 33 fragrance. Second is the “Miracles” graphic which takes inspiration from the “elements of magic” inherent in the brand. Both prints are expected to survive up to a dozen washings in the machine, so the dark, smoky Santal scent will stick around for awhile.
HIRO CLARK EXPLORES THE DARK SIDE
LA is quintessentially known for its sunny disposition thanks to picturesque stretches of sandy beaches, palm tree-lined streets, and endless sunshine. But, the City of Angels has an unexplored dark side, too. When menswear designer Andy Salzer ditched New York and moved to LA, it was that very dark side that inspired Hiro Clark, his recently launched line of t-shirts for laid-back dudes.
In a city where casual attire is the norm and t-shirts are pretty much an all-day, everyday uniform, Salzer set out to make the menswear staple truly special. In addition to Hiro Clark's core black and white crew neck mainstays ($78), the label will also regularly roll out limited edition printed t-shirts ($128) emblazoned with dreamy visuals that tap into LA's shadowy side. And when we say limited, we mean really limited. Once it sells out, it's on to the next one.
With such a unique approach to menswear and cool perspective of LA, we wanted to know more about Hiro Clark. We caught up with Salzer to find out what prompted his big move to the West Coast, why he finds LA's dark side so enchanting, and more.
What inspired you to decamp to LA?
Why does anyone come to Los Angeles? We're all searching for something. Los Angeles is a great place to get clarity and think through your next steps. The beach, the weather, the super laid-back day to day—there's something inherently healing about this place. A friend always likens Los Angeles to a warm bath: It's warm and soothing and you just want to stay in that tub. That can be pretty enchanting.
You mentioned that you saw a darker side of LA when you arrived. Can you describe where you were and what that experience was like?
On the surface, Los Angeles is all glory and sunshine. That's what pulls you in. But once I got here, I started to scratch away at that glossy, shiny shell. Once you start exploring the shadows and move away from the spotlight, there's so much more to see: cruising the side streets, peering behind overgrown hedges, wandering empty beaches. The brighter the light, the darker the shadow. You can't have one without the other.
You went from designing a full menswear line to basics. What inspired the switch?
I looked closely at my own closet. And I spent a lot of time just listening to what guys were looking for—something special, something you could wear every day but not see everywhere. Nobody wants more of the same. I opted to focus my energy on doing one item incredibly well and that's what brought me to the t-shirt. It's a menswear staple that's so often overlooked. In a city like Los Angeles, we live in t-shirts. After years of refitting, washing, sampling, and resampling, here we are.
Where are a few of your favorite spots in LA to find inspiration?
Oh, man. There are so many. More than anything, Hiro Clark is about seeing Los Angeles differently. There's a kind of impossibility about this city. It shouldn't really exist, but it does. We keep referring to it as 'Lost Angeles'.
THIS LIMITED-EDITION T-SHIRT SMELLS SO GOOD YOU WON'T NEED TO SHOWER WHEN WEARING IT
It’s Sunday and I’m repeating my mantra: I WILL NOT DRINK TONIGHT. I really should get to the gym instead, and I must be at work tomorrow by 9am—no excuses. Well, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so fast-forward to a late-night search for my Uber outside the after-hours. Ouch.
Finally, back at home, I caffeinate and eat a Colgate sandwich, but my fear of water is in full-effect. I can’t bring myself to shower off the sins of last night. Oh well, it’s not the first time. (And won’t be the last.) At least now I have a secret weapon, and after some dry shampoo, I reach for it: my brand spanking new Le Labo x Hiro Clark “No Shower T-shirt.”
Created by cult menswear designer and Hiro Clark founder, Andy Salzer, in conjunction with New York-based perfumer Le Labo, these T-shirts allow wearers to live the dream; you know, the one where you don’t have to shower but still smell good and look effortlessly cool. That dream. And it’s all made possible because these unisex “no shower” T-shirts are infused with Le Labo’s iconic Santal 33 scent. Microcapsules of the fragrance are woven into the fabric, which holds the smell for up to six washes and is released by rubbing the fabric to open the capsules.
The shirts come with three different graphic design options, (I am, of course, partial to the Bret Easton Ellis-inspired “Disappear Here”) in black, white, and gray; and true to ethos of Hiro Clark, they are created as part of a strictly limited-edition drop—as all the best things are.
