Hanuman Short

At Vickerey, we've carried Verve clothing for over a decade. We love the classy and functional fit, the durable fabric, and the way it's still handsewn by local seamstresses. And, we love the eccentric, enigmatic man behind Verve: Christian Griffith, climber and designer extraordinaire. Join us for this two-part series that focuses on the man behind the brand, and the wonderful climbing, yoga, and lifestyle clothes he creates.

Read about Verve and founder Christian Griffith on our Blog - Part 1 and Part 2

"Outside my close circle of friends there was almost no way of knowing at a glance who shared not only my love of climbing, but also my way of being. This was the feeling that gave rise to the idea for Verve, the clothing company I started in 1988. Since then, I have tried very hard to stick to a few key values that have not only preserved the physical quality of Verve clothing, but hopefully as well, their fundamental role in helping the people that wear them find their own place in the world.", Christian Griffith

The Verve clothing company is not only committed to producing exceptional products, but to supporting grassroots, sustainable business practices. While outsourcing is commonplace in the apparel industry, Verve is keeping it local. They have a group of professional seamstresses who work from home, affectionately called the granny sewing force. Many of these seamstresses left their own countries because of war or its aftermath and made their way to the US years ago. Verve founder Christian Griffith says, "With changes in scale, priorities, and the economy, most of that manufacturing was moved overseas, leaving these highly skilled, dedicated women with little or no means to make a living." Flip over the care label to see the initials of the nice granny who poured her passion into your next pair of Leda pants.