Amongst all the things to celebrate in May, we want to take a moment to shed some light on a cause close to our heart. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). May is ALS Awareness month and for good reason. There is little known about this disease and even less awareness. It’s not a pretty subject, but one that needs conversation.

Aside from a spike in 2012, there has been zero growth in the number of people diagnosed with ALS. The reason being, that for every diagnosis (one every 90 minutes), another person loses their fight against the disease. That’s a staggering statistic.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord, then from the spinal cord to muscles throughout the body. As motor neurons die, the person living with ALS loses control of their muscle function. So, a person living with ALS loses the ability to perform the most basic of tasks, like putting on a pair of socks.

If this weren’t enough, the brain is completely unaffected and remains completely intact.

ALS can look different case-by-case, but on average, the life expectancy of someone diagnosed with this disease is 2 - 5 years. It is an aggressive disease that quickly affects a person’s quality of life. Even so, there has been little to no development in finding a cure for ALS in 18 years. 18 years. There is only one drug on the market and it was introduced almost two decades ago.

The misconception is that this disease strikes later in life. That, however, is not always the case. There are many people living with ALS that received their diagnosis in their 20’s. We’re friends with one such person.

Kevin Swan was diagnosed with ALS before his 30th birthday. He was in the prime of life. After graduating from Arizona State University, Kevin took a summer internship with Blender magazine in New York City. He promptly set down roots in the concrete jungle with no formal job lined up and nowhere to live. He found himself on Madison Avenue working in the cutthroat world of NYC advertising. His advertising gig was followed by a stint at a “fledgling” television company. From there, he headed to the Windy City. While in Chicago, Kevin worked as a Director of Communications for an infrastructure provider. He moved back to his native Florida once he was diagnosed with ALS.

Kevin’s diagnosis has not stopped him. In fact, it’s fueling him. Kevin knows better than anyone the bleak landscape of this disease. He does not choose to accept it. He started A Life Story to increase awareness of ALS and to raise money for research for a cure. His mission is to create awareness one story at a time and to obliterate this disease.

We’re inspired by Kevin’s tenacity and determination to make strides in ALS research and to provide a cure for the 30,000 Americans living with ALS. We are joining the fight. Be on the lookout for a sock dedicated to A Life Story Foundation. The sock will be sold exclusively on richer-poorer.com and all proceeds will go to A Life Story Foundation.

For more information, or to donate, visit A Life Story

One shouldn’t underestimate the importance of Mother’s Day. Whatever your definition of mom is - the woman who gave birth to you, or the woman you love who is also the mother of your children - we celebrate them all.

Here’s to the mom’s of Richer Poorer:

Iva (Currently expecting this month!)
My mom's favorite thing to do is spend time with her grandkids, regardless of where that is. We love visiting cabin on a lake in eastern Canada.

Joe
She loves to knit and watch the sunset from her little house on the hill in Laguna Beach, CA

Amy
My mom is someone I admire. I love her for all the memories she created for us - she makes everything better.

Andrea
My mom is a social butterfly. She loves to play cards and tennis with friends. One of our favorite traditions is brunch on our birthdays.

Taylor
My mom is a Mother in every sense of the word. She loves to be anywhere family is... or just the bookstore.

Melissa
My mom is my dearest friend, you can find us sharing a laugh over a homemade martini. She is happy anywhere, as long as it’s nowhere that sucks.

Katherine
My mom loves to take walks at the beach and the Huntington gardens. The best is when we can get together with all of our family and get dim sum lunch.

To all the mom’s out there, Happy Mother’s Day.

P.S. Get 25% off all Women’s socks now through Mother’s Day.

Cinco de Mayo is this weekend, and we are here to tell you to forget the sombrero and go south of the border. That’s right—lose the hat and show people you are ready for a serious fiesta with your socks.

Be honest. Cinco de Mayo isn’t a costume party. But you can still be festive without looking like a bandito. We recommend revealing your style through your socks—that’s when the party really begins.

So put on a pair of what we like to call The Fiesta Five, grab a bottle of tequila and you’ll be ready to go:

Brigadier Cream: Red, gold and green on a sweet cream background shows you’re in the Cinco spirit, but classy—you’ll be drinking margaritas, not taking shots.

Veteran Mint: Green light these socks on party night, and they’ll look great sticking out from the tops of any shoes you choose. Keep an eye on those stripes—if they start to blur, you’ve definitely been hogging the tequila bottle.

Walker Teal: Honor the native Mexico with Walker’s south-of-the-border pattern. Without saying a word you’ll be showing off your historical knowledge, and smart is the new sexy.

Visionary Yellow: At a party, it’s always good to seem a little mysterious. Hide these Visionary no-show socks away until you’re good and ready to let loose.

Swindler Cyan: Become a Mayan god for the night by sporting Swindler’s pyramid pattern under your jeans. Who knows? Maybe they’ll inspire someone to climb on up and see what’s at the top.

This Cinco de Mayo, make sure you stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re taking a swing at the piñata or swinging from the chandelier, you’ll be happy knowing Richer Poorer has you covered. Save your beer money - shop your favorite styles and get 25% off when you buy 5 or more pairs. Plus free shipping.

Summer’s around the corner. Just because the days are getting warmer doesn’t mean you have to toss your socks to the back of your drawer.

This summer we’re introducing the new Richer Poorer ankle. The trends of the season offer smart shorts, tailored shirts, casual jackets, loafers, and of course, low top sneakers.

The idea for the ankle was planted by our friend, Michael Saiger, Creative Director and Founder of Miansai, one of the best accessories brands around.

We met up with Michael at a tradeshow where he proudly showed us his Richer Poorer socks. The difference? He had pulled his socks down and folded the toe over so they hit right above his ankle. Perfect to wear with his Converse all Summer long. Thus, the idea was born.

RP: What do you do?

MS: I’m the Founder + Creative Director of MIANSAI, a Miami based watch, jewelry and accessories company.

RP: What are your design inspirations?

MS: MIANSAI isn’t really a trend-focused brand. All our designs are classic and timeless (or so I'd like to think, hah), so while I'm inspired by lots of things I come across in my day-to-day life, travels, etc. there's always a consistency to what we put out. The brand definitely consists of nautical and utilitarian undertones (a lot of our cuffs were inspired by rigging equipment). It's classic, but with a modern edge.

RP: How would you describe your style?
MS: I'm a pretty simple guy when it comes to my wardrobe. I like classic and timeless items that look good, but don't make me think too much about what I'm putting on in the morning. And being from NY but living in Miami, I guess you could describe it as city meets the beach.

RP:One piece of clothing you can't live without?
MS: A vintage military jacket from Vietnam that my dad gave me.

RP:Favorite pair of shoes for the summer?
MS: White sneakers are a go-to of mine year round; I usually wear Converse.

RP: Which pair of ankles are your favorite?
MS: The Veteran black

RP: How does Miami influence your style?

MS: Aside from the fact that I don’t wear true winter clothing down here, it doesn’t really change it much at all.

Michael’s focus on simplicity, timeless appeal and basics strikes a chord with us. Richer Poorer designs are created to stand the test of time and last past current trends. Thanks for the inspiration, Michael.

Summer in Los Angeles is about escaping the studio and enjoying some rays. Best way to do so is by pulling a Ferris Bueller and sneaking in to a Dodger day game. Sitting on the baseline, heckling the opposing team is an easy departure from the stress of the city.

Here is my Los Angeles back to basics to summer kit:

1. Keep the sun out of your eyes with a classic Dodgers hat from New Era.

2. My favorite accent during summer is a pair of khakis from Levis.

3. The best light reflecting shirt is the Hanes Tagless White Pocket Tee. The pocket makes a great place to stash your tickets.

4. This shoe from Converse has the looks of a Common Projects shoe at a quarter of the price.

5. Let your ankles feel the breeze while you're wearing our new Rookie Solid No-Show in Black (Available to purchase 4/23/13). Roll your pants up Two 1”-2” sized cuffs.

6. Add another dash of color with a Miansai Bracelet in Dodger Blue.

7. While perusing the web we found this incredible Dodgers ticket from May 13th, 1958.

Introducing our exclusive collaboration with Coachella! Music plays a big role in the world of Richer Poorer. It is one of our biggest sources of inspiration. From the music itself, to the fashion and lifestyle it inspires. It fuels our creative process. We were honored, excited and inspired by the opportunity to collaborate with music’s biggest festival – Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

The Coachella Boutique is a highly curated shop focusing on artists, collaborating with them, and offering limited edition merchandise. We worked with veteran, Edorado Chavarin, to create socks that communicate and connect with the spirit of the festival. The socks say music, art, desert and fashion all without being kitsch. Available only at the Coachella Boutique. Three pack – 3 for $30, limited edition. If you can't make it to Coachella this year, leave us a comment below to be entered to win a set. Winners will be announced Friday 4/12.

Update: Winners have been been announced! We wish we had more to give, but unfortunately we could only select two winners.

Tony Todoroff
Jonathan Boral

Getting Inspired For A New Season

We worked tirelessly into the night to get our Autumn/Winter 13 collection locked, loaded and tucked safely into the Richer Poorer vault. As soon as we wrapped our AW13 collection, it was time to start thinking about Spring 14.

So, how do we kick off a new season? It starts with the inspiration which drives the look for the season. Our inspiration comes from our own real life experiences - from coffee at a favorite spot to jet-setting to a favorite destination, and most importantly, everything in between. Getting lost in warehouses, yarn shops, museums, vintage stores, old films, music, haberdasheries and flea markets is the best way to get the creative process rolling.

The Richer Poorer team consists of a diverse group, who stretches the coast of Southern California from Long Beach to San Clemente. You can imagine the Monday morning stories of raucous weekend experiences. Sometimes even these are enough to drum up a new design, collaboration or product.

There is far more than combed cotton woven into each pair of socks. Maybe that’s what makes them so good. Check out some of my top haunts for sourcing and inspiration below:

Film: classic film in modern settings: LACMA

Pattern Inspiration and all around good stuff: Brooklyn Flea

If you could shop anywhere: The Marais

Architecture: Palm Springs, CA

Vintage Shopping: East Coast (Stella Dallas) to West Coast (Wasteland)

Magazines:
Lula
SOMA
Nylon
W
Details
GQ

Melissa Pihl
Production Manager & Product Development