Two things are necessary for a textbook holiday party: season-ready sweaters and cheer-inducing cocktails (or mocktails).
The Endery gets that. The knitwear company, which employs deadstock yarn as its way of tackling global waste, launched its limited-edition holiday sweaters in collaboration with Kentucky-born bourbon brand Maker’s Mark.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Maker’s Mark to release a line of limited-edition holiday sweaters,” said Kelly Phenicie and Ellen Saville, founders of The Endery, which is based in Brooklyn and Lima, Peru. “The Endery has been at the forefront of innovative knitwear, slow fashion and playful prints, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with a brand that shares the same belief and passions that we do.”
The Endery worked alongside Maker’s Mark to create this line of bespoke sweaters as a playful homage to nostalgic holiday traditions reimagined for modern times. The handmade sweaters are available in various designs based on vintage pattern books and this year’s festive line-up of limited-edition Maker’s Mark holiday bottles.
Each sweater is produced by hand in Peru utilizing deadstock materials, specifically alpaca wool yarn that has been discarded or recycled and would have otherwise gone to waste. Each sweater is unique to its owner, just as each bottle of Maker’s Mark has a distinctive red wax dip left by the hands that made it.
“Just like your passed-down family recipes and favorite cocktails, the holiday sweater has become a staple of annual holiday gatherings and the festive times we share with family and friends,” Josh Clark, senior brand manager at Maker’s Mark, said. “We were excited to partner with The Endery, not only to transform our limited-edition bottle designs into full-size fashion that serves up holiday cheer but to do so in a high quality, sustainable way.”
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With a shared focus on creating a more sustainable future for their respective industries, The Endery and Maker’s Mark aspired to take the holidays back to a time when things were made to last and sweaters were considered timeless heirlooms. Priced at $250 per sweater, all sales from the bespoke knitwear brand will go back to The Endery’s workers in Peru to improve their facilities and safeguard the indigenous knitters’ craft.
Maker’s Mark isn’t the only boozy brand getting into the holiday spirit, either.
Martell, one of the oldest of the cognac houses around, debuted “The Martell Sneaker Atelier,” a holiday experience that draws inspiration from a French tradition that encourages placing shoes by the fireplace to be filled with gifts by morning. Blending tradition with modern-day sneaker culture and high fashion, a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Fe, founder of womenswear brand Fe Noel and Council of Fashion Designers of America Vogue Fashion Fund recipient, will introduce brainwave technology to inform one-of-a-kind sneaker designs as unique as the individual.
As a brand committed to forward motion and reinvention, Martell Cognac keeps its legacy fresh by partnering with cultural architects and multifaceted minds like Fe to twist tradition in modern yet unexpected ways. A mainstay in New York culture widely remembered for her historic role in conceptualizing NBA All-Star LeBron James‘ first all-female designed sneaker, Fe is no newcomer to the realm of bold design and set to “make waves” this season. Together, Martell and Fe are embarking on another first: redefining personalized footwear.
“I truly believe that fashion is a language of cultural self-expression and individuality. It’s a way to communicate who you are and where you’ve come from,” Fe said. “With this collaboration, my main objective is for people to feel good in their own skin by embracing their most precious memories and unapologetically celebrating their inner ‘Standout Swift’ with wearable art.”
Just in time for the holidays, Martell wants consumers to experience “The Martell Sneaker Atelier,” a one-day-only event on Dec. 14 at the SNS New York store located in the heart of the Meatpacking District. Attendees 21 years old and up can sip festive Martell Blue Swift cocktails and while time permits, enjoy a complimentary sneaker cleaning from Jason Markk, a pioneer in premium shoe care.
“Like the ‘Swift’ that adorns each bottle, Martell Blue Swift is crafted for those who soar higher, those who—like Fe Noel—are boldly redefining convention,” Charlotte Raux, senior brand manager, Martell Cognac at Pernod Ricard USA, said. “Fe has mastered the ability to bottle up culture with her fashion, making her the perfect creative partner for a holiday experience that marries technology with design for the ultimate gift of self-expression.”
Brainwave sensing headsets will interpret positive holiday memories into patterns incorporating Fe’s signature color palettes before being translated into unique sneaker designs. Each sneaker will be hand-painted live on-site and receive a finishing touch by Fe, as well as custom gold charms designed in collaboration with New York-based jewelry artist Johnny Nelson.
The Endery x Maker’s Mark holiday sweaters are available at theendery.com. Consumers are encouraged to sign up at themartellsneakeratelier.rsvpify.com and arrive early, as well as bring a pair of blank canvas, white leather sneakers. A selection of new sneaker options from SNS will also be available for purchase onsite.