Threading Through: Nappi Clothing

sUtah is home to a community of talented fashion designers who run the gamut of the form, from minimalist contemporary pieces to avant-garde costume. On March 25, SLUG Magazine celebrates our 28th anniversary at The Depot with a fashion show. Each designer will show a look that coincides with a year from SLUG’s history, between 1989 and 2017. In SLUG‘s March issue, we see four different local designers—Davis Hong, McKell Maddox (McKell Maddox Fashion Design), Danny Nappi (Nappi Clothing) and Andrea Hansen (Pretty Macabre)—and their work, a taste of what’s to come at the show and what’s woven into the fabric of Utah’s fashion community.

If you’re looking for that sweet spot between quality clothing and a chic aesthetic, Nappi Clothing is the place to satiate that style. Danny Nappi started the company with his dynamic, custom jeans, which were featured in LA Fashion Week in 2010. Nappi has since expanded his fashion line to sheer tops, fashionable leather wallets and various accessories alongside his high-end denim.

Nappi’s fashion has one rule: It has to function first. “I don’t do things just for looks,” he says. “You go to some of those runway shows and you can’t even wear what they’re wearing. What’s the practical application? So, my stuff is user-friendly.” Along with the functional aspects of the clothing line, Nappi’s brand is aesthetically pleasing. Nappi Clothing is one of the most stylish brands you can find in Salt Lake City. “I like things to be real sleek and modern,” he says, “but nothing over the top. I don’t go towards the lacy, girly stuff or the traditionally masculine.” The combination of an androgynous look mixed with Nappi’s signature colors—black, white and every grey in between—create a sexy yet professional style. Nappi compares his clothing to that of James Bond: “No one exactly remembers what Bond was wearing,” he says, “but they do remember that he was likable and that he looked incredible.”

Nappi drives to L.A. in search of the finest Italian and Japanese denim for his custom jeans. After years of experimenting with high-end materials, he has perfected long-lasting, comfortable and runway-worthy denim. Although Nappi Clothing does not do custom jeans with complete measurements, Nappi understands that each body is unique and is happy to tailor denim to the customer. “We can make those small adjustments as we make a new pair,” he says. “If someone needs thicker calves or for it to be tighter in the thighs, we can make those adjustments.”

Currently, Nappi Clothing is only online, but Nappi is scoping out local places to open a storefront. “The concept I want to do is a small retail front,” he says, “and then the sewing machines in the back. So you come in to buy something, peek around the corner, and there’s the production of things being made.” Nappi says that he is also currently looking for experienced sewers to help him produce a larger quantity of clothing.

The best aspect of Nappi Clothing is Nappi’s understanding of outsiders. “I never felt like I used to fit in,” he says. “My clothing is for all the people out there who don’t have a clique, don’t have a label, but they still want to look sharp and feel good.” Check out Nappi’s espionage-worthy designs at nappiclothing.com.