Nation

Twelve Bar

The immigrant's path can lead to the top, like the governor of California, or Fievel, who succeeded even though there were, in fact, cats everywhere in America. For a transatlantically successful gear company, check out Twelve Bar.

Bar was born in '05 as a UK t-shirter, then two years later moved to LA to create a full line influenced by America's street culture and raw music (Blue Oyster Cult?). The spring line's foundation's four styles of premium denim and an expanse of tees some would call "streety", and others "shirts with cartoon chicks feeling each other up". The collection's rounded out by two colors of cords; a wealth of button-downs (chambray, woven, plaid, even epauleted seersuckers); all manner of sweatshirts; and "Tops" -- unfortunate British shorthand that should be preceded by "rugby" and "cardigan", because here it smacks of "halter" and "tube".

One of the sweeter offerings is an outlier: the sheen-exuding-black, blue-trimmed Andretti Racing jacket, complete with zip-away hood -- because what says America like something named after an Italian racecar driver.

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