Seventeen Years of Consistency: A Conversation with Tellason

Despite selvedge denim’s association with tradition and heritage, many brands in the heritage space continuously reinvent their offering in an effort to stay perpetually relevant. New fits, limited-edition releases, collaborations, and seasonal collections have become common tools to keep consumers engaged. While the industry has been in constant motion over the last 17 years, Tellason has spent that time doing something increasingly rare: staying exactly who they are.

Tellason has built its reputation on the back of nearly two decades of consistency. The same fits, the same philosophy, and the same commitment to making products that are built to last. For more than seventeen years, their approach has remained unchanged. In today’s world, which seems to move faster with every passing season, that philosophy becomes increasingly rare.

To understand how that mindset emerged, we sat down with Tellason founders Pete Searson and Tony Patella. During our conversation, we spoke about the consistency and unique philosophy that have defined their brand from the beginning. We tried skipping the usual “what’s your favorite pair of jeans” questions and focused instead on the vision behind the brand. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Pete and Tony.

Robin Denim: How important was San Francisco itself in shaping the identity of Tellason?

Pete and Tony: Very important! As The Home of Blue Jeans and with its fierce entrepreneurial spirit, San Francisco was the perfect place to start a denim brand. Not the easiest, not the least expensive, but the best. Plus, we’re here.

Robin Denim: We’ve read about your love for punk rock and skateboarding. How did the spirit of those cultures shape the philosophy behind Tellason from the very beginning?

Pete and Tony: The punk rock ethos that has been a part of our lives since we were teenagers in the late seventies in California shaped who we became as adult humans. The DIY spirit and not trying to be all things to all people have been important for us. Also, contrary to what many people think, the punk rock scene was very inclusive, accepting all kinds of people. Skateboarding was just getting rolling (pun intended) at the same time—what a time to be alive!

Robin Denim: Tellason has remained remarkably consistent over the years. Was that always part of the vision from the beginning?

Pete and Tony: Yes, indeed. We are minimalists and, if nothing else, not responsive to trends. Kind of goes back to the “not trying to be all things to all people” belief. We appreciate designs and products that don’t have an “expire by” date. High-quality classics, with proper provenance.

Robin Denim: At what point did consistency become part of the identity of Tellason rather than simply a natural result of how you worked?

Pete and Tony: It has been with us since day one (and before Tellason). As a consumer, nothing is more irritating than finally finding a product that is perfect (for you), only to find out when you come back for seconds that the brand has moved on to the next (not so) great thing. We take a lot of pride in our core products (jeans, jackets and shirts).

Robin Denim: Has there ever been a moment where you realized that Tellason’s consistency had become one of its greatest strengths rather than simply a reflection of your personal preferences?

Pete and Tony: As the years passed, we started to notice (and still do) that we have a lot of repeat customers. Some only order the same jean in the same fabric every year, whilst most expand into other categories as we grow the collection. Feedback is that they love our consistency of sewing and fabrics.

Robin Denim: Is it difficult to remain authentic once a brand becomes internationally recognized within the denim community?

Pete and Tony: Not at all, as long as the brand remains true to who they are (and as mentioned earlier, isn’t trying to be all things to all people).

Robin Denim: In today’s fast-moving fashion culture, do you think Tellason’s consistency has become more relevant than ever?

Pete and Tony: 100%. Guys (at least us and “our guys”) aren’t looking for a reinvention of the wheel. Typically, they land on a fit and fabric they like in jeans for example and want the exact same thing when it is time for a replacement. A uniform is a good thing!

Robin Denim: Was there ever a moment where changing the identity of the brand would have been commercially easier, but philosophically wrong?

Pete and Tony: No. We believe one of the reasons we’ve been around this long is because we are not interested in chasing trends, listening to “influencers” (the term gives us migraine headaches), or shifting our core beliefs about products, provenance, and customer service.

The world is a big place, and if enough people with similar ways of thinking discover us, we’re good. After 17+ years, we’re stoked to bring new people into the fold and to continue offering our long-time customers exactly what they’re looking for.

Robin Denim: If Tellason were launched for the first time today, in a world driven by algorithms, fast fashion, and social media, do you think the brand could still follow the same path?

Pete and Tony: Yes, because people that are into fast fashion, social media “influencers” and algorithms aren’t “our guys” anyway. We started talking about the idea of Tellason in the Fall of 2008 and delivered our first product to retailers in April 2009. The economy was in the toilet globally, and we’re introducing a product that sells for almost 10x the average retail price of a pair of jeans in the U.S.?  But, in retrospect, it was the perfect time to launch a high-quality product. Guys wanted durability and began to care about where the products they purchased were made, fully aware of the fact that they could positively impact the economy by paying attention to such things. I bet Alden and Red Wing had some of their best years (of selling) during this time.

Robin Denim: Looking twenty years ahead, what do you hope future generations will still recognize immediately as unmistakably Tellason?

Pete and Tony: That if a guy loved the jeans he stole from his dad in 2026, he can still get the same fit and fabric in 2046. Also, that we’re still persnickety as hell about fabrics, provenance, and service (and still listening to The Clash!).

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