In just four years, Good Man Brand has expanded from a small luxury lifestyle brand to fashion outlets all over the world, which includes being available on Amazon. Each piece combines the best aspects of athleisure with classic, refined style, whether you need more comfortable work attire or you’re trying to impress your significant other on a dinner date.
On Thursday, November 14, Seattle Seahawks quarterback and Good Man Brand founder Russell Wilson, along with Friends of the Children, announced a partnership for the My Hero initiative, which honors mentors for their positive contributions and characteristics that align with the mission of the brand. The relationship is not only inspiring for the mentors at Friends of the Children, but it has helped the organization expand its overall impact. The nonprofit, which started in Portland, Oregon, has grown from seven to 21 outposts across the U.S. since partnering with Good Man Brand, Russell Wilson, his wife, Ciara, and their Why Not You Foundation.
Three mentoring heroes were flown to Seattle for a photoshoot, lunch at Metropolitan Grill, a surprise visit from Wilson, and a personalized styling session for their efforts. We spoke with Wilson, Good Man Brand CEO Scott Bonomo, and New York-based honoree Kevin Watson about the brand’s philanthropic roots, the My Hero initiative, and how fashion can influence culture for the better.
“We had this thought,” said Wilson. “‘What if we can inspire people through fashion?’ Then we started thinking, ‘How do you define a good man?’ I looked toward my dad for inspiration. He always used to say, ‘Dress for the job you want, not the job you got.'”
We at The Manual are firm believers in the look good, feel good, do good mentality. In recognition of these heroes, we wanted to share the results of the My Hero styling sessions to inspire you to not only look good but to do good, too.
Russell Wilson
Wilson does more than just win big games on the football field. He also wins on the fashion front. Good Man Brand provides what Wilson calls “the mid-range” of style: casual enough for superior comfort but classy enough to impress on date night. Wilson’s favorites showcase some of the brand’s most sought-after pieces.
Up first: the shoes. Good Man Brand utilizes the quality craftsmanship of handmade Italian cobbling for some of the best-looking shoes on the market. Made with soft, elastic leather, the Legacy High Top Sneaker that Wilson admires boasts a classic white colorway with flashes of rose gold grommets and black leather style accents.
Next, we have another Wilson go-to: the Pro Stretch Twill Star Chino pants. “The pants are movable, elastic, and extremely comfortable, especially for a guy like me with big thighs,” said Wilson. “The four-way stretch is unbeatable.” The pants feature a fashion-forward tapered fit that will give you the confidence and movability you need to go out and do good.
Wilson pairs these pants with Good Man Brand’s MVP V-Notch Sweater and Twill Quilt Jacquard Fuji Shirt Jacket. “The blazers are a staple piece,” said Wilson. “The sweatshirt type fabric makes for a movable and comfortable fit that’s great for travel, and it’ll make you look stunning enough to impress a girl who’s way out of your league.”
Kevin Watson
My Hero honoree Kevin Watson was recognized for his work with Friends of the Children in New York. Watson knows how much it means to have adults there to care for you as a child, something he learned at a young age while growing up in Dallas, Texas. His willingness to help others epitomizes what Good Man Brand is at its core: “This brand was founded on love, and it’s something that really comes through with their mission and their clothes,” said Watson.
“It’s heart-warming,” Watson said when asked about his recognition. “When you’re a mentor and a model for kids every day, and for families that are struggling as it is, you don’t get that gratification every day. When someone like Russell Wilson and Good Man Brand take the time to acknowledge you for the work that you do, it means the world.”
Good Man Brand fitted Watson with six stunning pieces, including Wilson-preferred shirt jacket and chino pants. First, the styling experts fitted Watson with the Off White Spider Floral On-Point Print Shirt, which is handcrafted with a plush 100% long-staple cotton and a trim-fit for added comfort and heightened style. The shirt was paired with one of Good Man Brand’s bests: the Vintage Herringbone Knit Soft Blazer. Not only does it present a modern appearance that will hold up in the office, but the blazer also provides extreme styling versatility and unbeatable comfort that will make you want to wear this piece lounging at home. It’s like a sweatshirt but with luxury style.
On Watson’s feet, you’ll see the everyday-ready Edge Lo-Top Sneaker in a gray colorway, which sports luxurious Italian Nappa calf-skin leather and a Margom rubber sole for added durability and comfort.
Victor Pinzon
Victor Pinzon received a collection that’s perfectly suited for blending in with a stylish Los Angeles crowd and being a role model and mentor to the youth in his community.
His selections feature a refined Black Marl French Terry Varsity Sweatshirt that’s constructed with a comfortable cotton-polyester blend, providing both an ideal tailored fit and enough room for you to move, paired with the Pro Stretch Twill Star Cargo Chino pants and highlighted by the brand’s coveted blazer.
Rex Gaoaen
Rex Gaoaen is a professional mentor at Friends of the Children in Seattle, Washington, where he manages support for kids in at-risk communities. The Good Man Brand stylists presented Gaoaen with a fashion-forward fit that reflects his charity, donning the brand’s Legend Lo-Top Sneakers and congenial chino pants in black silhouettes to complement the rest of his styling session beautifully.
Gaoaen was suited with the Soft Slub Jersey Legend Henley long-sleeve shrouded by the Tech Jersey Knit Stadium Shirt Jacket. The shirt jacket is an amazing third piece that combines a classic, minimalistic look with stark functionality. It boasts a technical jersey knit fabric that’s perfect for mobility and comfort in every setting, easy snap closure buttons, and a slim-fitted design.
“This comfort puts you in a mental state that allows you to go out and be your best person,” said Good Man Brand CEO Scott Bonomo.
The My Hero project exemplifies Good Man Brand’s goal: to create large-scale, positive impact by sharing the good in the world and to influence change for the better. The apparel reminds men that when you look and feel good, you can focus on living life and giving back.
As part of the My Hero campaign, from now through December 2, Good Man Brand is donating $100 for every $300 spent, raising its usual 3% donation to 33%.
