Meet Joshua Abernathy | Craftsman & founder of Anew Bespoke

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joshua Abernathy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joshua, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Growing up I never really thought about owning a business. It just wasn’t something I saw many people around me do but God blessed me with an imagination that was larger than my families financial resources and because of this I would always try to build what I wanted. Building revealed what else God blessed me with; skilled hands. That talent to physically create what I lacked caught other peoples attention and led to me starting businesses.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Anew Bespoke or Anew Bespoke Compton (ABC) is a luxury leather brand that I started in 2017 in Compton, CA. I started making keychains and belts for myself but people started to take notice and asking me to make some for them. I have been crafting for people ever since, one customer at a time and gaining customers primarily by word of mouth. I have been taking my time with it out of necessity. I am a husband, new father, and a full time mechanic so slow and steady has to be the pace for now. Anew Bespoke is different than most luxury brands because it is the balance between form and function, the hood and the hills, the garage and the boutique. This duality is why I chose to make the brand a leather brand rather than start with clothing. Leather is tough yet beautiful in the same breath. All the leather products are 100% hand stitched using a technique known as saddle stitching(No sewing machine). Personally, I love high quality craftsmanship and beautiful materials but I don’t want to feel like I have to be too protective over anything. I like products that can take a beating and just look better with age. I’m proud of the fact that I have been able to create and deliver products that give my customers a timeless design that is both rugged and refined. Balancing the two contrasting traits is a continuous challenge because the end result usually is a product that is full of fine details that flow together well enough to be overlooked at first glance but when you hold it and use it you appreciate it more and more. Similar to a favorite pair of jeans.
One thing I have learned from building ABC is that creating a timeless product that tells a story takes time not only to develop but time for people to understand. It’s like love. You don’t fall into it, you grow into it. A constant of Anew Bespoke is that story telling is central to all the products I make. I don’t want people to just buy a wallet, belt, or bag. I want them to connect to the stories surrounding each product and be moved to buy something that they will grow to love more and more every time they use it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being a car guy I build up my cars to drive in the canyons of Malibu so we would definitely go for a drive. After our spirited drive in the hills we would take PCH up to Neptune’s net and grab some sea food and chill on the coast. Outside of that got to get a weekend at the pull-up bars and track at Cal state dominguez for our physical and mental health then go and cancel out that exercise with some Billionaire Burger boyz in Compton or some Taco Pete’s. Haha

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The story of Anew Bespoke doesn’t exist without my grandmother Loraine. I’m currently working on a collection that pays homage to her. There was a community of women around me who are seamstresses and either taught or provided supplies for me to sew. Sis Claudia, and sis Irving alongside my grandmother. Them helping me to learn the basics of tailoring clothing gave me the confidence to pickup a raw hide of leather and see what I could create.

Website: https://www.anewbespoke.com/

Instagram: @anewbespoke @joshua.abernathy

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCjfzvvUuUwB0TlNuqpY0chw

Image Credits
Donielle Boateng Herman Askew