These objects are undoubtedly creative, but they're also smart, well-built, and at times, hilarious. And they exemplify Davis's vision. But, how does a brand like William Ellery sustain itself against outdoor giants like Patagonia, REI, or L.L.Bean?
"I don't make things solely with the intent for profit. Some of the things I make are just too weird," Davis explained, noting that he might make as few as 15 of one item. "In a business sense, it's always kind of a gamble. But I think it's much more interesting to do that kind of thing than try and compete with a company that has unlimited resources." Davis continued, "[We didn't] get into the outdoor industry to profit from people going outdoors; it just so happens that's the area we're most interested in."
Davis wants William Ellery to be transitory, that once you own an object it's yours, not the brand's. He's even hand-etched or drawn the logo throughout the Beachcomber Gear collection to encourage non-permeance and to leave a hint of the human hand behind the design. (He showed me a scratchy "W E" carved onto a brass fastening.) This awareness of time and use is a big part of why Davis reimagines and repurposes materials, too—it's in the hope of creating the feeling of wearing your partner's sweater, or a nod to the longevity of a hand-me-down that's served multiple family members. The notion that there are memories imbued in such items is what he hopes to encapsulate in his own, even if they are new.
As for the future, Davis plans to keep going, and at a bigger scale. "I hope that we will be able to further fund the research to create more stuff like this and test it in weird places. It's not totally out of the question to go to Antarctica–has anyone tasted the ice there? Aren't you curious? The research we're doing isn't necessarily benefiting humans the most—we're not looking at how bees are dying, or how the climate is being destroyed, but I want to make the gear for those people that are doing that sort of research."
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