Shockoe Atelier
“I grew up in a family that has been in apparel forever,” says Anthony Lupesco. “My father, Pierre, was born in Romania, escaped when he was 16, got into the textile business in Paris and went on to own factories in Italy.” So in 2012, when Anthony approached his father about opening a father-and-son-run menswear business in Richmond, the idea was to bring Pierre’s Old World approach and 40-plus years of experience to a New World product. And what could be more New World than denim?
“We take the finer stitching, the finer materials, of European tailoring, and juxtapose them with something a bit rougher,” says 30-year-old Anthony. The result is a line of denim jeans with noticeably clean lines and nary a stitch of excess fabric, all made by hand in the Lupescos’ workshop in downtown Richmond’s historic Shockoe Slip, for which the business is named. “We don’t have any automated machines, unless you count sewing machines,” says Anthony.
“It’s all done by hand, by our team of five talented seamstresses. So where a large factory takes three or four steps to produce a pair of jeans, we take 12. The result is a garment that looks better and lasts longer.”
Shockoe Atelier’s denim jeans are available in their Shockoe Slip storefront, at Need Supply Co. and at the Richmond and New York Saks Fifth Avenue stores. The Lupescos expanded the line in 2014 to include shirts and outerwear, and are planning to expand into sportswear with the fall 2016 line. $100–$500.
See all the Made in Virginia 2015 Winners!
Overall Winner
Fern and Roby, Richmond
Home
Monolith Studios, Charlottesville (category winner)
Huger Embroidery, Richmond
Duvall Designs, Millwood
Owen Suter’s Fine Furniture, Richmond
Style
Shockoe Atelier, Richmond (category winner)
Rockbridge Guitar Company, Charlottesville
Melissa Lew Jewelry, South Riding
North End Bag Co., Virginia Beach
Drink
Belle Isle Craft Spirits, Richmond (category winner)
Early Mountain Vineyards, Madison
Texas Beach, Richmond
LUMI Juice, Charlottesville
Food
Brown Dog Handcrafted Premium Ice Cream, Cape Charles (category winner)
S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Surry
Swover Creek Farms, Edinburg
Pennacook Peppers, Virginia Beach
Click here to see 2014 winners.
Click here to see 2013 winners.
Click here to see 2012 winners.
