How it all started - Part 1
In the fall of 2010, I launched the very first Outclass lookbook. It was the culmination of a year’s worth of work: branding, sourcing, learning, and figuring things out one step at a time. What began as a graphic design thesis project in my final year at OCAD, slowly evolved into something much bigger. Initially, I just wanted to create a brand identity for a fictional menswear label. But partway through the year, I realized I didn’t want it to stop at design. I wanted to bring the products to life.
At the time, I was spending a lot of time downtown, right in the heart of Toronto’s historic garment district. Between thesis work and classes, I’d walk the neighbourhood - past rows of fabric shops, trim stores, and old factories - reminders of the city’s deep manufacturing history. One day, I passed by a studio with a small street-level window on Richmond Street. Inside, I saw patterns hanging, machines buzzing, and a maker’s energy I couldn’t ignore.
That studio belonged to Toronto designer Dean Hutchinson. I knocked on the door, introduced myself, and told him about my thesis project. I mentioned that I wanted to sew my own sample collection, even though I had no real experience. To my surprise, he offered to help. He shared his space, helped with pattern drafting, and gave me the confidence to get started. From that moment, I was hooked.
I went home, dusted off my mom’s old sewing machine, and dove in. My mom, Nelda - who had previously worked in the fashion industry - joined me. It became a bonding experience for the two of us. We worked late into the night and throughout the weekends, laughing as much as we were sewing. We started with muslins, adjusted the fits, and then moved on to real fabric. For the more complex pieces, I brought in a Toronto sample sewer named Maria.
I wanted to make clothes that I couldn't find at the time. Heritage-inspired pieces with modern fits. Clothes that could handle my lifestyle back then: still skateboarding, still doing graffiti, still roaming the city. The result was a small, rugged, wearable collection rooted in durable fabrics and craftsmanship.
When it came time to shoot the lookbook, I kept things close to home. I asked one of my closest OCAD friends, Michael Mavian, to shoot the campaign, and two of my high school friends to model. We spent the day retracing the places we grew up together. We met at Bathurst Station, grabbed food at Vesta Lunch (our go-to late-night diner), and wandered along the Dupont train tracks, where nearly every Toronto graffiti artist has left their mark. We ended the shoot at Hillcrest Park, where we all spent countless summer nights skateboarding. It wasn’t styled, directed, or polished. It was just us.
Recently, while flipping through my old thesis project files, I came across the original mission statement I wrote for Outclass:
“Outclass is a Canadian heritage brand dedicated to providing young men with sophisticated clothing incorporating superior craftsmanship. The goal at Outclass is to deliver timeless wardrobes that reflect a polished, youthful lifestyle. Through the selection of designs, fabrics and details, Outclass aims to represent the interests of today’s young men.”
A lot has changed in the 15 years since I wrote those words, but the mission hasn’t. Outclass is still committed to making timeless pieces, built to last, right here in Toronto. And this fall, to mark 15 years in business, we’re getting ready to launch something new. A reimagining of the brand. A new chapter rooted in the same values that started it all.
Throughout August, we’ll be sharing throwbacks from the archives, early lookbooks, designs, and milestones from over the years. Consider it a retrospective, and a hint at what’s to come in September.
Stay tuned for the next chapter.
- Matteo
