NY State of Mind started in 2008 with a folding table in Soho and hand-screened tees.
It came out of a real connection to New York — the hip-hop, the skate scene, the street art, the chaos, the hustle, and the creativity that gives the city its character. From the beginning, the idea was simple: make clothes that actually feel like New York.
This was never about making tourist merch. It was about building something honest: pieces with weight to them, graphics with a point of view, and clothes shaped by the culture that raised the brand.
Founder Brett Stein shares the story and purpose behind NY State of Mind in this TEDxBrooklyn talk.
NY State of Mind has featured and worked alongside artists and New York cultural figures including Al Díaz, Danny Cortes, Sket-One, Alex Corporan, and Ben Angotti. Those relationships are part of the same idea the brand started with: make work with a real point of view and stay connected to the people shaping the city.
Over the years, the brand has been worn by artists, skaters, musicians, and people who recognized it for what it was — a real reflection of New York.
Make it real. Make it well. Keep it true to New York.
