LiVE FRESH

Last spring, we proudly introduced the Juneteenth “Freedom Day” flag tank top — commemorating the day in 1865 when more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas learned of their emancipation by the arrival of Union troops.

With the holiday now federally recognized, we are excited as a Black-owned business to provide a fashionable form of symbolism for celebrating and bringing greater awareness to the significance of this day in American history and to the cultural fabric of our nation. 

The Symbolism Breakdown:
The Juneteenth flag was devised by activist Ben Haith in 1997. The flag features a number of symbols - each with their own meaning - including the historical date of “June 19, 1865.”

The star at center has dual meaning representing Texas and also the freedom of Black Americans in all 50 states.

The bursting outline around the star, inspired by a nova, a term used by astronomers meaning new star represents a new beginning for Black people of Galveston and America.

The curve that spans the width of the flag represents a new horizon: the opportunities and promise that lay ahead for Black Americans.

The colors of red, white, and blue represent the American flag and the commitment that America has to live up to the ideal of liberty and justice for all.

The struggle for true Black liberation continues.

Happy Juneteenth!

Click here to shop: Juneteenth “Freedom Day” Flag Tank Top

Note: We strongly encourage you to order by Monday, June 13 for guaranteed delivery by June 18.

It’s the unofficial start of summer and we are here to help you have summer fun in style! Represent by shopping our full selection of U.S. State flag tank tops here!

Check out Chris’ top picks for the season below and get his thoughts about what each one means to him and how he hopes it inspires activism, advocacy, and advancement of a more progressive America and a more perfect union.

Washington, D.C. has been home for a decade now and advocating for full representation of its 700,000+ residents in our democracy is intrinsic to our progress as a nation. It’s a sense of pride for us who call D.C. home of course. It’s my hope that it creates greater awareness of the push for statehood.

I first became aware of Juneteenth as a teen while visiting my father in D.C. One summer in the late 90’s my dad brought my brother, cousin, and I to a Juneteenth cookout at Andrews Air Force Base. I gained a greater awareness and also historical context of what the holiday has meant specifically to Black military service members and the role they played in Black Liberation during the Civil War and the period of Reconstruction.

Juneteenth to me is a holiday about American accountability; a report card on the progress forward for equity in our democracy, for equal justice, socio-economic opportunity, access to resources from health care, education, to fair housing - all of which Black folks have been disenfranchised in the history and present of this country.

As a Black-owned brand, this is our way of commemorating America’s 2nd Independence and a continued fight for racial equity.

As an iconic symbol of freedom the American Flag to me is both a beacon of hope and homeland as well as a point of protest to bring greater awareness to issues in which we as a nation have fallen short of our ideals.

As a son of a Navy sailor and an immigrant mother, I know my experience as both a Black and Filipino American is a unique one that is as dynamic and complex as the history of this country. I also know my experience is as American as any other. This is what I represent when I wear it; my unique American story.

June 14 is Flag Day in the United States and the Smithsonian Institute compiled some interesting facts, timelines, and art about the evolution of the American flag: Facts about the United States Flag.

Join us for the 2nd Annual DRYY RUN ‘22 5K & 10K! Chris Cardi is proud to announce we are co-sponsors again this year, teaming up with title sponsor - DRYY Garment Care as a part of Union Market’s “Rise and Thrive” April fitness activations. 

COMMUNITY

Join us for the 2nd Annual DRYY RUN D.C. 5K & 10K! Chris Cardi is proud to announce we are co-sponsors again this year, teaming up with title sponsor - DRYY Garment Care as a part of Union Market’s “Rise and Thrive” April fitness activations.

 This year’s event is in support of Congress Heights Arts + Cultural Center (CHACC). The goal of this year’s DRYY RUN event is to raise $5000 in funding and bring greater awareness of CHACC’s initiatives, all while promoting an active healthy lifestyle.

 Come out for a morning of fitness, fun, and philanthropy. Meet Keyonna Jones, Founder and Executive Director of Congress Heights Arts + Cultural Center, and walk, run, skate, bike, and roll with us for a great cause by registering here: Dryy Run ‘22 DC.

CULTURE

The April Issue of District Fray magazine is about everything vintage! What’s even cooler is our friend, fashionista, and fellow creative Tiarra Chameleon takes the cover. Tiarra shares her creative vision, approach to style,  and more about her vintage brand 1984V.

Check out the full cover story here:

Also featured in the April issue is our friend Matt Talley talking vintage vinyl, coffee, curation and brand building of Cool Kids Vinyl.

Check out the full story here:

COMMERCE

Today, shop new releases from our Bastards Capsule - a protest by design raising awareness and advocacy for equal representation of Washington, D.C.’s citizens in American democracy.

Protest in style and join us in the push for statehood!

Shop the new releases here:

Bastards Tournament Capsule Spring ‘22

BLACK MODERNISM

COMMUNITY
 
Roxanne Bellamy of Roxanne Bellamy Co. (a Black-owned event planning and design firm), hosted Shop Made In D.C. 's Celebrate Black Makers activation this weekend at The Roost. 

The event highlighted a panel discussion with Dr. Tayiana Reed of The Wellness Apothecary, Regina Watson of Farm and Muse, and our very own Chris Cardi. In addition to the panel discussion, the event featured a marketplace of curated goods by a number of D.C.’s Black makers.

Celebrate Black Makers
Saturday, Feb. 26 @ 10 AM
Shop Made In D.C. at The Roost 
1401 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003

Visit Shop Made In D.C. online at www.shopmadeindc.com and on Instagram @shopmadeinDC.

CULTURE
 
Black Nostalgia In The Year Of The Tiger is a dinner discussion celebrating and dissecting both the Black and Asian cross-cultural influence on American pop-culture. 

Chris Cardi, who is both Black and Filipino, curated the event hosted by Matt Talley, owner of Cool Kids Vinyl - an independent Black-owned record shop located inside of Maketto - an Asian-owned communal marketplace on H street NE in Washington, D.C. What better place to host a cross-cultural dinner discussion about the intersection of the Black and Asian experience in America than here!

The event is in partnership with NAAAP DC (National Association of Asian American Professionals), in which Chris volunteers his experience as the organization’s Washington, D.C. chapter Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

For more information and reservations visit the NAAAP DC linktree here.

Black Nostalgia In The Year Of The Tiger 
Hosted by Matt Talley
Monday, Feb. 28 @7:30 PM
@CoolKidsVinyl / Maketto
1351 H Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Follow Cool Kids Vinyl on Instagram @coolkidsvinyl and owner Matt Talley @TalleyIsMajor.

COMMERCE

In the spirit of Black 2 Black business, we are excited to announce our new retail partnership with Groom Guy. The boutique barber shop and showroom is nestled in the lobby level of the Yours Truly hotel in D.C’s West End neighborhood. 

The Groom Guy showroom at Yours Truly is the brainchild of Darius “Sunny D” Davie - a multi disciplined lifestyle enthusiast and entrepreneur. 

The showroom will feature a number of Chris Cardi accessories and small luggage pieces; including our Denzel Dopp Kits, Wool Watchmen Beanies, and more, perfect for the stylish traveler. 

Check out Darius’ Groom Guy recent feature in District Fray Magazine and follow on Instagram @groomguy. 

Groom Guy Showroom 
@ Yours Truly Hotel
1143 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20037
Hours: Wednesday - 11:00AM - 6:00PM
    Thursday - 11:00AM - 6:00PM
    Friday - 11:00AM - 6:00PM
    Saturday - 11:00AM - 7:00PM

Shop our line up of Denzel Dopp Kits in a variety of colorways. 

We are excited to share that our Traveler Duffle Bag is featured in ESSENCE magazine for their November/December issue's Everything Black Gift Guide: Holday Gift Ideas For Him.

The write up features the Traveler Duffle in our Redeye color way, shown below.

The Traveler duffle bag - the cornerstone of our brand, first debuted in 2014 in all black. Shortly after we introduced the customer favorite in a variety of color ways including the safari camouflage version pictured below.

We invite you to click the links below to check out the feature on ESSENCE's Official Holiday Black-Owned Gift Guide and our Traveler Duffle Bag Collection at chriscardi.com.

Happy Holidays! 

ESSENCE's Official Holiday Black-Owned Gift Guide

COMMUNITY: H Street Festival Returns

H Street Festival returns; however, this year’s festival will be scaled back. You can expect fewer vendors, stages, and performers. Festival goers will be encouraged to wear masks, even outdoors, and to social distance. Check out the article from the Washington Post: Going Out Guide, which shares what to expect from a number of outdoor festivals happening in the District this September. 

Follow us on Instagram @chris_cardi to find out about our activations leading up to this year’s H Street Festival.

For more info on H Street Festival visit: https://www.hstreetfestival.org

CULTURE: District Fray ft. Chris “Cardi” Clayton

 Over the summer Chris Cardi shared the inspiration behind his personal style, having a versatile wardrobe to navigate the D.C. social scene(s), and a few wardrobe hacks in a feature for District Fray Magazine. 

Click here to read the feature: District Fray Magazine: Chris Clayton Isn’t Afraid to Rock Women’s Denim

Shout out to our friend Andrew J. Williams III at District Fray for the feature.

COMMERCE: H STREET NE Capsule Collection

Just in time to Celebrate H Street Festival, our annual H Street NE capsule collection is now available online and locally at SwatchRoom’s - Common Threads DC. Every week in the month of September we will release a new graphic tee in celebration of the community. Shop the “I ❤️ Heart H ST. NE” graphic tees now!