Built of Tradition

With Ginew every garment has a story...it is a way for us to dream through and honor the stories from our family. We share our contemporary Native American story - one that is often left out from popular culture and history books. We made Ginew for everyone. Ginew is about sharing our stories with those who will listen - our designs come from our lives and histories. When our garments arrive to you they carry the Ginew story, and once you put them on, they start recording yours.

Grandpa struggled to be hired in his trade in the small towns bordering the reservation...and he knew he needed to provide for the family. He made the tough decision of keeping the family rooted in the community and culture AND accepting a position welding in Milwaukee. Every week for his entire working life, he would travel nearly four hours to Milwaukee on Sunday night...and return to the reservation Friday evening. Every week - without fail - for THIRTY YEARS - to provide for the family and maintain community connections. Harley Davidson® hired grandpa and he welded frames for them during the 1950's and 1960's. 

The Wax Rider Canvas Jacket is inspired by my grandfather and early Harley Davidson® motorcycle club jackets. We spoke with curators at the Harley Davidson® museum who provided us vintage samples of period-specific garments. It was amazing to see how garments were altered - sleeve length increased, side seams tightened, and collars chopped off to eliminate flapping. At Ginew, we cleaned up the lines and incorporated these period alterations and stitched them into the toughest fabric we could find.

The result is the rider jacket which pays grandpa, who commuted weekly from the Mohican Indian Reservation to weld for Harley Davidson® during the 1950's and 1960's...and his deep commitment to culture, community and family. When you wear the RIDER JACKET and RIDER COAT, you are wearing a jacket built to honor his characteristics and values. Resilience. Bravery. Honesty. Dedication. Strength. Durability. Toughness. Go ahead - try to wear it out!