Parachute x Stock Mfg.
The first time I dined at Parachute, I was blown away. My girlfriend at the time (now wife) took me to the new Korean-American fusion restaurant for a celebratory birthday dinner, and boy did it deliver. The flavors were like nothing I’d had before: unique and intense, but thoughtfully balanced. I knew immediately that this cool new neighborhood spot was something special. My thoughts were validated shortly after, when Parachute landed at #5 on Bon Appetit’s 2015 Hot 10, the publication’s notorious who’s-who of America’s Best New Restaurants. Needless to say, the secret was out, and reservations were immediately scarce.
Flash forward 6 years when Johnny Clark, half of the husband-wife team behind Parachute with Beverly Kim, reached out for help outfitting their staff with custom uniforms. We were stoked. Since inception, Parachute has had solid branding; stylized fonts, unique color combinations, and an overall confidently cool vibe. In our first meeting, Johnny proved knowledgeable in the apparel arena, bringing a stylish and cohesive vision to the table. It was up to us to execute them to his liking, and we were game.
The first piece we developed was a linen smock-style apron for the team. The naturally flowy appearance of linen lends itself perfectly to this style garment, so we sourced the appropriate shade of blue and got to work tweaking a pattern block we’d been sitting on to match their needs. Featuring crossback straps that you climb into, and dual jean-style side pockets, this unique apron fits the laid-back vibe of a restaurant whose culinary focus is anything but casual.
After a few iterations of the smock-style apron, with adjustments to length, pocket placement, and strap width, we moved on to what the staff would wear underneath. Johnny was inspired by a high-fashion tee with a unique cut from his personal closet. So we developed our own version with wide short sleeves, a wide but cropped body, and a tall ribbed neck. We employed a lightweight French terry cloth in a shade of tan from Parachute’s brand palette. The fabric is lightweight but substantial, and gets better with each wash. An exterior woven label on the bottom-right corner of the tee adds a personalized touch of branding to the garment.
The last item we created was a custom napkin. Dipping back into the restaurant's brand color well, Johnny selected a light navy linen that ties into the motif established with the custom aprons.
