Metalwood Studio infused eclectic slogans and catchy ’90s streetwear-inspired slogans with classic silhouettes and more traditional golf accessories. Their products are either elegant and low-key with dark colors with just one embroidered branding “Metalwood” or have huge logos right on the front; There is no in between, and it’s all by design. The brand puts as much effort into creating polo shirts for the course as they do their casual shirts, and the versatility of their products helps make them appealing to both established golfers and streetwear enthusiasts who may not have any interest in golf. While the brand has a strong digital presence, playing a big role in the interconnected world of golf fashion on social media, opening a store in a California high fashion neighborhood will bring people who have never set their eyes on the brand.
Related: Modeled after college golf bags and vintage clothing, the Jones X Metalwood Collection is an ode to student-athletes
Malbon has been the leader of the group when it comes to integrating streetwear with golf fashion since its launch in 2017. They’ve put on cool streetwear as often as they do high-end course apparel, and all feature their high-quality materials and buckets logo – an expressive golf ball expression. Small with eyes that have been designed to resemble a variety of characters from Tiger Woods to The Grateful Dead. While they previously had a physical location in Los Angeles, California that has since closed, the brand recently opened a permanent flagship store in the SOHO neighborhood of New York City. The store, like many others, is designed to be more than just a retail space, a place where golfers gather, compare games, and look good while doing it. Malbon focuses on community development and investment in sports, so placing a store in a fashion-focused neighborhood, surrounded by strong sportswear like Nike and popular fashion brands like Aritiza, will help entice golfers to see what the hype is about. . As Stephen Malbun, co-founder of the brand along with his wife Erica, said, “We want to expand our presence to include physical experiences and retail. New York City is a global hub and is so rich in culture and diversity, so it feels like a natural location close to us as a brand.” Malbon’s unique look, which combines a trickster mentality with a relaxed lifestyle, and the epitome of hard work and hard play, is perfect for New Yorkers.
Related: Malbun Golf releases its second NFT “Buckets Club” collection this week
Hypegolf Popup SOHO
One of the most recognizable names in this golf space, Hypegolf is more than a facilitator to highlight noteworthy brands and for the golf community to have a place to network. They, like most of them, started out on Instagram as an offshoot of the pop culture and lifestyle brand Hypebeast, which covers sneakers, fashion, cars, watches, movies, and just about anything that can be chalked up to today’s “culture.” Hypegolf is all about incorporating this culture into golf, and vice versa, and does so through collaborations, featured engagements, tournaments and, most recently, a pop-up store in SOHO, New York City. Featuring pieces from Puttwell, J.Lindenberg, and others, as well as some of their own, the Hypebeast Clubhouse is a pop-up that ran from May through June of this year as a high-end professional store focused on fashion. Every piece of clothing and equipment has been curated to highlight the new direction that golf is taking. Anyone could come in to browse the products and click on the simulator, and SOHO’s website meant that a lot of people interested in fashion, who might not necessarily play golf, were able to stumble upon this website and plunge into the up-and-coming world of golf. Hypegolf has also hosted weekly parties and networking events with brands like Oakley and Tag Heuer, which have brought a lot of well-known people to the store as well. Hypegolf remains the most accessible approach to this aspect of golf, taking familiarity with the prevailing popular culture and combining it with golf to make the sport look familiar and inviting.
Related: Hypegolf popup showed why the brand is trying to update golf
In 2018, rapper Macklemore, on a whim, played a round of golf that changed his life. Not only did he realize he enjoyed the game, but he totally fell in love with it. He was inspired to create the Bogey Boys clothing line, which focuses on creating modern versions of golf gear that look old-fashioned. They take these classic golf designs, like the striped collar polo and checkered jackets, and invigorate them with modern materials. They do it as often as they venture out and go funky, like leopard prints and stucco jacket designs. They definitely make sure that their clothes stand out and are unmistakably their own, which is important for a startup company. They now have the opportunity to do so on a new scale with the opening of their pop-up store in Seattle. The brand had a rotating product offering, so there was always something new for returning customers, as well as events aimed at bringing together new and new golfers like concerts and competitions. While it was only open for a limited time, closing its doors in March, another one has already opened, ensuring the Seattle area isn’t left without a range of trendy golf equipment. This has made a lasting impression in the area, as Five Iron Golf places one of their simulators a few blocks away, and Macklemore will be one of the owners of this new establishment.
Related: Hip hop artist Macklemore’s obsession with golf has caused him to do something crazy
Quiet Golf Club is not an established brand like Malbon or Metalwood, but they are quite invested in the movement, as evidenced by their rapid rise to popularity. While they don’t have much in stock at the moment, what they have on offer is high quality and unique to the brand, with designs ranging from funny to fancy, and accessories that will make your bag stand out like a bandana or a Real Tree print. Although they do not have a large following, they do indeed have a physical presence in California which will be of paramount importance in helping this brand create traction. With designs like the dissection of a golf ball and different types of grass, the company’s innate love for the game is displayed on all of its products. With its modern design, many of their clothes will look like they would at home in any streetwear store, so the physical location will help draw people out of the product alone. There, they will be able to see all the inspiration for golf and why the sport is enough to inspire a fashionable company like this.