Goodlife Clothing: Authentic Premium "Basics" That Have What Others Lack, Authenticity

In a sartorial landscape of fast fashion and luxury lifestyle brands trying to fill the void that still seems to be prevalent in men’s fashion, there’s a new brand emerging. New York-based Goodlife focuses on the basics that make a man’s wardrobe functional—a perfect fitting t-shirt, easy-pull on hoodies, sweaters that dress up or down. And that’s exactly what Founder and Co-CEO Chris Molnar set out to create. “I have worked for some pretty big apparel companies and one of the reasons I started my own brand was because I don't believe in overly big teams,” explained Molnar. “My goal is to create a work environment where the day to day of the company is as transparent as possible to everyone. I am fully aware this will get more complicated as we grow, but it is my goal.”

But in a constantly growing and evolving market, men’s fashion can almost fall by the wayside, and as a result, churn out a myriad of copycat lines, all trying to capitalize on luxury basics for men. For Molnar, though, Goodlife is in a class all it’s own. “I believe there are three things that sets Goodlife apart from others,” he noted. “We’re curated. From our product line to our photoshoots and copy, we curate, curate, curate! We aren’t superfluous with anything we do…everything we produce is thoughtful and focuses on what’s essential.” It not just talk—one look at the line and it’s easy to see it’s been edited down to the most basic, but high-quality pieces. The kind you could imagine in your closet 10 years down the line.

“We’re irreverent,” Molnar continued. “We have a clear point of view on the world, and it comes through in our product design and our lives. We take the right things seriously and bring fun to the rest. We enjoy simplicity with an edge, being timeless but never boring, and working hard but playing hard too.” With a line of men’s luxury basics, this can be harder to see, but when noting cranberry colored long sleeve tees, sweatpants made of alpaca and sweaters with colorful stitching, it comes through clearly.

And lastly? “Honesty,” he added. “We make great product that is understandable. We offer product with a purpose. You know what you are getting from Goodlife. We don't cut corners.” It’s easy to assume that with men’s basics what you see is what you get. But with even with some designer brands, shrinking fabrics, cheaper cotton blends or a uniquely uncomfortable fabric can be hidden in what looks like the most simplistic and straightforward of basics. With Goodlife, expect a wardrobe of supima cotton and jersey, sustainable and cozy alpaca wool and blends that are built to last.

For Molnar, Goodlife isn’t just a fashion brand, it’s a line of closet essentials that make or break a man’s style. “Goodlife’s products are the building blocks to the perfect wardrobe for any man who values effortless style,” he explained. “Everything is masterfully curated, addictively flattering, and of the highest quality.” It’s a way of looking at clothing as simply the stepping stones to finding your own innate style, rather than allowing the brand to pull you into their own narrative. “We tell stories and introduce seasonal product to keep our customer intrigued, but we're not fashion and we're not norm core. Ultimately, I think creating that harmonious balance of honest, well-made product that is both democratic and commercial, but still aspirational gives us that advantage.”

And it’s this sincerity that allows them to stand alone. “Authenticity,” Molnar stressed. “I can’t emphasize this enough. We aren’t selling some faux illusion. We feel there’s nothing cool about exploiting a specific lifestyle to sell garments. We truly believe the man brings our clothes to life and we celebrate a wide range of lifestyles and themes. In that vein, we collaborate with a wide range of businesses and people; artists, hotels, restaurants, charities—people, companies, places that are cool, exceptional in that they are unique and live for more than what’s commercial. They set themselves apart authentically.”

For Molnar, Goodlife not about fashion—it’s a lifestyle. The wearability, simplicity and accessibility that comes with finding a brand that you trust and love to wear everyday. A brand that encapsulates who you are and allows you to simply live your best life in their clothes. “Goodlife is a state of mind. It's an outlook on how you live your life. It means something different to every person. The brand started completely organically many years ago and has evolved into what it is today by staying true to what I envisioned,” he explained. “We have always, always believed in style not fashion. Goodlife developed into a brand because of my fundamental belief that a man makes the clothes.”

So who exactly is the ideal Goodlife man? Molnar doesn’t miss a beat. “The Goodlife man is a natural-born curator who knows what he wants. He’s opinionated and firm in his desires, which are borne of his pursuit to be better,” he noted. “He builds his life purposefully, aspiring for and achieving success in work and life. His view of success is specific: it means the exact right balance of travel, meaningful moments, lifechanging food and drink, inspiring people, productivity, relaxation, and treating himself to the finer things. He’s naturally drawn to high quality and interesting items, while also being down-to-earth.”

 

And it’s because Molnar embodies the Goodlife man that he can connect to his clientele so well. Beautifully-curated videos within their social media marketing capture this ideal, which every man either aspires to be or believes himself to be—and arguably, they’re one in the same. His customers know what they want, know what they expect of their wardrobe and of the lifestyle they lead. They are clothes made to live in. Even Molnar admits, if he had to live in just one piece for the rest of his life, it would be one of his tees. “The Supima Classic Crew. It was one of, if not the first tee we ever made and it just gets better with age.”