BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was a celebration of style and community in Downtown Buffalo on Friday as eager customers lined up for the launch of an exclusive line of hats and clothing.
Buffalo-born lifestyle brand "Cafe" teamed up with New Era Cap Company on the highly anticipated hometown collaboration. The launch event was held at New Era Headquarters on Delaware Avenue.
"The best hat maker in the world, just gave one of the best hats in the world a chance to rival with the greats," said Billie Essco, Founder and CEO of Cafe, "I think that today is just another signifier that we can bring culture together."
The Cafe concept was born in 2015 and evolved during Essco's years as a student at Buffalo State University where the first Cafe hats were created. Friday's release included 10 different designs of hats along with a Cafe hoodie. Essco says the Cafe/New Era collection merges both style and comfort.
"It's for everybody that is for everybody," said Essco," We are trying to build a community off of creation and culture, things of that nature, and Cafe is just another social signifier that we can come together and be among each other, as different as we are, but we can shine together."
The collaboration with New Era marked another impressive milestone for Cafe and was a celebration of years of hard work by Essco. Friends and family flocked to be on hand to celebrate the occasion, including Essco's mother Dorothy Richmond.
"I'm proud, I'm so proud," said Dorothy Richmond, "I've seen him working, not only him, his community, his friends. They stay together, they work hard together, so hard to get here. I'm so proud, I didn't think I was going to cry, but I did," Richmond said with a smile.
"It's funny, I'm still one of those kids that are shy around their mom, like come on mom," said Essco," at the same time it's beautiful for me to be able to give her something like that."
And for Essco finding success in Buffalo, with an internationally known company from his hometown, makes the new Cafe launch even that much sweeter.
"Today is just a showcase of how big our hearts and minds are in Buffalo."
