Los Angeles Basics Brand Entireworld Is Shuttering
Entireworld, the line of wholesomely made basics that had become an emblem of #shopsmall leisurewear during the pandemic, is closing its doors.
Founded in Los Angeles by Scott Sternberg in 2018, the project was a second act of sorts for the designer, who founded the Americana prep brand Band of Outsiders, which closed in 2015 following a lengthy dispute with investors.
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Sternberg revealed Entireworld’s closure on Instagram Wednesday morning, noting that he had “always been a builder” since childhood, but “turns out worlds are a little more complex to maintain once you’ve built them, especially if we’re talking about an independent retail company and not a box of toys…”
He added that multiple failed investment opportunities, followed by a last-minute exit by potential majority owners, led to this moment, which he labeled a “nuclear apocalypse of an ending.”
“Entireworld is a big idea, a massive undertaking, which would require significant capital to be able to compete with the countless brands out there. Just a few weeks ago, we were closing an acquisition deal that — after years of unsuccessful fundraising — would have finally given us a shot at realizing the financial potential of the brand. But that deal disappeared in a flash, leaving us and our factories high and dry and giving us no choice but to shut things down,” Sternberg wrote.
In the earliest stages of the pandemic, Entireworld saw a publicity tour de force, as the brand satisfied consumers’ desires to buy from small businesses with cozy, cheerful sweat suits.
At the time, Sternberg waxed poetic on sweats, telling WWD that they exemplify “an alternative set of values that are not part of the fashion system, but still play on an emotional level.” For him, sweats are “something that keep you warm and cozy, it’s a fashion statement in itself…it’s a choice, it’s not a devolution.”
Soon after, the designer became the focus of a New York Times Magazine cover story about pandemic-era fashion — in which he acknowledged that his label was financially hanging on by a string.
Sternberg was not immediately available for comment Wednesday. In his Instagram post, he thanked consumers for engaging with Entireworld during the pandemic — and utilizing its designs as a source of comfort during uncertain times.
“What a gift to be part of all your lives during this insane pandemic, to have had purpose and meaning and hopefully provided some calm and comfort. Worlds are nothing without the people in them giving them life. Together, all of us were part of something ambitious and beautiful, a little odd, not quite perfect, but always full of love,” wrote the designer.
Entireworld is currently holding a liquidation sale for the next few weeks, and Sternberg directed followers to “Stock up. Enjoy it. Live in it. Love in it.”
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