Some years ago, designer Brian Talbert was flipping through a magazine described as ‘a European version of GQ’ when he came upon a pair of words he really liked.
It was in an article about how ‘high fashion’ took cues from the ‘low fashion’ of soccer hooligans. Apparently, those soccer fanatics wore scarves and layered in a way that piqued the attention of the runway crowd.
Tucked within the article was a photo-caption quote from the designer describing how “the violent gentleman” wears his clothes.
Violent? Gentleman? Good combo, Talbert thought. He wrote it down for later.
A Little Bit Violent, A Little Bit Gent: It’s All About The Ice Hockey At VG HQ in Costa Mesa.
Photos: Brandy Young
Shoot ahead to fall 2011.
Talbert’s friend, Mike Hammer, a sports apparel clothing veteran, starts helping then-Anaheim Ducks hockey player George Parros with his charity clothing line, Stache Gear. (Named after Parros’ distinctive mustache.)
When Talbert, Hammer and Parros all get together one night after a Ducks game, Talbert suggests they collaborate on their own line. The idea continues bouncing around his brain on the drive home when suddenly, the name “Violent Gentlemen” slaps into Talbert’s mind. He texts Parros.
Parros digs it, probably because it describes him: Princeton educated, yet a ruthless enforcer on the ice.
Thus, Violent Gentlemen — an instantly popular, hockey-focused lifestyle brand, based in Westside Costa Mesa — is born.
Since 2011: Seven years ago, Violent Gentlemen exploded onto the scene and never looked back.
Photos: Brandy Young
In early 2012, Violent Gentlemen launched with just two designs; the shirts sold fast.
“We kept steamrolling from there,” Hammer says.
Though the 2012-13 NHL season devolved into an owner-union lockout — “It was arguably the worst time to start the brand,” Hammer laments — things at VG surprisingly keep going strong.
These days, Violent Gentlemen sells a much wider variety of clothing — hats, caps, jackets, socks — alongside bags, wallets, stickers and even coffee mugs proclaiming the holder to be a member of the Violent Gentlemen Coffee Club. (The last of which can be filled with the brand’s “Brawl Blend” of coffee).
Hammer and Talbert, now co-owners of the brand, run the day-to-day based in a tiny industrial center in the 1000 block of West 18th St. They call their HQ the “recruitment center.”
“Recruitment of the brand,” Hammer says.
Mike, Mug: Not Enough to Wear VG? Now You Can Drink It, Too.
Photos: Brandy Young
Violent Gentlemen has grown so much since its inception, the HQ has recently expanded to take over neighboring tenant spaces on the property.
It’s no mystery why they’ve grown so huge, so fast.
First, when the players are wearing your stuff, the fans will follow.
An early Violent Gentlemen adopter was defenceman Sheldon Souray, formerly of the Ducks.
“He said, ‘The reason I gravitated to your brand is because you guys put a name to how I’ve always felt,'” recounted Hammer. Souray described the juxtaposition between the savagery of playing to win on the ice, with transitioning to ‘Daddy’ when he got home to his kids.
Second, VG has hit a nerve.
They’re tapping into the duality of good people who must ‘get violent’ for a calling or career – and that doesn’t begin or end at hockey. Hammer says the company has also become popular with non-hockey types too, such as military service members and police officers.
“A lot of them are the good guys,” Hammer says. “They have to be violent – that’s a role they have to play for the job – but it comes from a place of respect, a gentlemanly place.”
It seems like destiny that Violent Gentlemen came to be headquartered on Costa Mesa’s Westside. The area already has a rich history of apparel HQs – many from the action sports persuasion.
Currently, there’s Hurley, Vans, RVCA and Volcom.
Quiksilver also started in Costa Mesa, as did Paul Frank.
Hearting Costa Mesa Looks Good On Mike Hammer. (At Violent Gentlemen HQ.)
Photo: Brandy Young
“Costa Mesa just fits our Orange County lifestyle,” Hammer says. “It’s close to everything, hip, industrial. I think it’s the best place for us. You’re beach-adjacent but you’re not fully in Newport Beach. You’ve got great freeway access and you can get to PCH fast. It’s like this perfect central spot.”
Hammer and Talbert don’t live in Costa Mesa. They’re both go to bed at night up in Orange.
But when they’re not sleeping or at a Ducks game, they’re basically in Costa Mesa – working hard to keep Violent Gentlemen a growing, and increasingly profitable, culture.
Their favorite part of all this? Going to hockey games where Violent Gentlemen gear abounds.
“You can’t walk around without seeing our stuff all over there,” Hammer says.
What more could a gentleman want? ♥
