Military-Minded Brooklyn Clothier Storms East Village

cadetev5 Owner Brad Schmitt shows The Local his tuxedo stripe shorts.

A new store selling military-inspired clothing has marched onto East Ninth Street.

Cadet carries a line of menswear that’s hand-crafted by the owners along with four sewers in a Bushwick, Brooklyn factory. The brand launched with a Williamsburg store in April of last year and expanded into Manhattan last weekend.

“Our collection or sort of aesthetic is based on a post-war military academy styling,” said Brad Schmitt, 39. “It’s a modern twist on military academy, but we try to feed some basics, so slim cuts mixed with some fashion-forward elements.”

Mr. Schmitt runs the company with his life partner Raul Arevalo, a graduate of F.I.T. who has been in the fashion industry for over 17 years. The duo scouted Nolita a bit but eventually settled in the East Village, where they’re in familiar company: Meg, another locally-made clothing boutique, shares an entrance with Cadet’s Williamsburg store and has another location across from the East Ninth Street store. “We’re friends,” said Mr. Schmitt of proprietor Meg Kinney. “We talk all the time. She lives in Williamsburg, we live in Williamsburg, and she actually vetted this street for us.”

cadetev1

Cadet stocks a few basics year-round (their oxford shirts are occasionally featured in “spot colors”) but most items are produced in small numbers — so once they’re sold, they’re gone forever. Prices range from $100 to $250 for pants and anywhere form $40 to $150 for shirts.

Launching a clothing line without investors has been an “exciting yet scary” experience, said Mr. Schmitt. “We are real people and we’re doing it ourselves, as much as we can.”

The label’s Camouflage Collection will hit stores next month.

Cadet, 305 East Ninth Street (between First and Second Avenues)

Correction: March 6, 2013. This post was revised to correct an error. Brad Schmitt is 39, not 35.