Let's Be Friends

Our Story

This city is an original, and every corner tells a story.  From Downtown to Dogtown, Patch to Penrose, Saint Louis is both a work in progress and a work of art.  We are particularly enchanted by four-family flats, dudes in leisure suits, cobblestone alleys, graffiti walls, MetroLink trains, toasted ravioli, that muddy river, and the 249 years worth of soul packed into this city's streets.  Why?  Well, because it's Saint Louis, that's why. This town is overflowing with idiosyncracies, and that unique local flavor should be a source of pride, not embarrassment.

So in 2001, we made it our mission to create a new line of apparel that reflects this seasoned old city as we see it.  There are enough t-shirts out there that cater to tourists.  STL-Style is all about striking a chord with the natives.  We rolled out a few early designs with references to Saint Louis neighborhoods and inside jokes and it snowballed from there. 

Two years later: enter designer Kadie Foppiano, whose help we enlisted to take our ideas and transform them into colorful expressions of civic pride.   Since beginning this venture, STL-Style has grown from a basement t-shirt shop to a bona fide force in the local scene.  Today, after 10 years in business, STL-Style has polished its act.  With a talented and dedicated team of cohorts, a fully functioning storefront in South St. Louis, more than 50 t-shirts, underwear, hats, onesies, messenger bags, stickers and additional products in the pipeline, we are taking our love for the City of Saint Louis to a whole new level.  And we thank you for helping us get there.

For too long, the Red Brick Mama has been overlooked, misjudged and underappreciated.  But today, a renewed spirit is emerging.  Inspired by our passion for the Gateway City, we are doing our part to put the STL back in STyLe! 

Who We Are...

Jeff Vines & Randy Vines - Creators

Identical twins and St. Louis dynamos, Jeff and Randy are unapologetically proud of their gritty, lovable hometown. Though they spend nearly every waking moment thinking up the next cool STL design, they are also passionate urbanists and historic preservation advocates. Active with urban revitalization organizations across the country, the Vines boys are known to hop around to cool cities near and far, but they always look forward to returning to the Red Brick Mama. They have dedicated their brand to sharing the greatness of St. Louis with the rest of the world.

Kadie Foppiano - Senior Designer

When she's not busy being a mom to two boys and pumping out kick-ass designs for STL-Style, Kadie spends what little free time she has focusing on her own freelance creative design business. Be it invitations, greeting cards or custom graphics, she has built herself a decidedly illustrious career. Kadie has been an instrumental part of STL-Style for more than 6 years, and we never intend to let her go.

Will Gilbert - Retail Renaissance Man

According to some, Will Gilbert is overly obsessed with St. Louis. Or maybe, he just understands that the place he was born and raised is fantastic for all of the reasons that he is more than willing to share with you. He's going to school to teach, and enjoys trivia, hockey, beer, and of course, St. Louis.

Kara Clark - Associate Designer

Kara Clark is a graphic designer, photographer and artist, born and raised in the City of St. Louis. When not designing objects of beauty for STL-Style, she teaches art classes at St. Louis Community College. She enjoys moonlit walks through alleys and candlelit picnics in vacant lots across the city.

Jon Swegle - Associate Designer

Having committed the cardinal sin of moving away from St. Louis, Jon's talent and long-distance love for his former city have kept him in our good graces. An accomplished shoe designer by day, Jon's creative heart still beats for the Gateway City all the way from his new home of Philadelphia.

Emanuel Taranu - Retail Design Guru

Romanian-born Emanuel Taranu is looking to bring carpentry, art, and working-by-hand to St. Louis through community engagement. When he's not shaking sawdust out of his hair, he's sketching, designing, and discussing ways to improve the St. Louis community and environment. He lives in South City with a fine lady and a particularly cantankerous cat.

Dan Levinson - Systems Mogul

After living in Los Angeles for several years, Dan finally came to his senses and moved back to his hometown of St. Louis, where he was quickly snatched up by STL-Style to streamline its computer and business systems. Without Dan, we'd be issuing our customers hand-written receipts and creating invoices on Microsoft Word, so we owe him a debt of gratitude for making us look at least half-way professional. We always expect Dan to say something unexpected.

Janice Villet - Operations Consultant

If not for Janice, STL-Style would be in deep trouble with the City of St. Louis, the IRS and the Department of Corrections. She's the perfect counter-balance to our frenzied creative minds. When we have a busy week or special event, Janice is there to ensure that we don't drown in a sea of our own distraction. It's a good thing she moved back to St. Louis from DC, because we'd be up a creek without her.

Frankie - Hepcat Shopcat

Hailing from the mean streets of South St. Louis, Frankie is no pussy. Whether she's jumping on ladders, hiding in boxes or zonked out in the window displays, she consistently attracts droves of customers who would otherwise simply walk past our store. When we start slacking, Frankie is there to keep us in check. Thanks to her, many of our products come with free cat hair.