SHOP
Make Way for the Duke
Seun Olubodun—proprietor of Philadelphia’s Duke & Winston—
shares his favorite haunts around the City of Brotherly Love.
BY JOANN GRECO
The Duke & Winston flagship store
Seun Olubodun and his bulldog, Duke, one of the inspirations behind the brand.
A
lthough he was born in
England, there’s no doubt
that Seun Olubodun
loves Philadelphia. After
all, one of the most popular T-shirt
designs at Duke & Winston, his
Rittenhouse Square boutique, sports a
graphic inspired by a vintage Phillies
emblem. Still, he hasn’t forgotten his
roots. Take his brand’s name and its
playful logo, each of which reference
a pair of English bulldogs—his own
14
genial canine companion (Duke) and
a certain iconic politician (Winston
Churchill)—of distinctive mien.
Or, consider his distinct preference
for the understated and avowed avoidance of the flashy. “We’re a little less
trend-driven,” Olubodun confirms.
“Our T-shirts will still be relevant
years from now.”
A techie with a degree from
Temple University, he started Duke &
Winston six years ago after growing
disenchanted with his job at a web
design firm. Noticing the popularity of
graphic tees, he thought he could fill a
niche. “There was a type of 30-something guy who wasn’t getting a lot of
attention from Philadelphia retailers,”
he says. “Everything was either corporate or hip-hop.”
Now, Duke & Winston has lines
for women, kids and even pets (a nobrainer, given that the brand’s namesake is often found sitting at the shop’s
entrance). And Olubodun’s love of
things vintage has spawned a secondary business that has him curating and
selling a quirky assemblage of 19thcentury British and American antiques
and furniture.
This sideline—along with his interest in fashion, retail and restaurant
design—keeps Olubodun ever-vigilant
for what’s hot in the City of Brotherly
Love. Here, he shares the places that
inspire him most.
Loews Magazine: What
are some of your favorite local places
to browse?
Seun Olubodun: I love
walking through Freeman’s auction
[house] to look for knickknacks that
will appeal to my customers who want
authentic furniture and unique items
with a story. For men, that might
mean a 19th-century globe or a paper
cutter from the 1920s, while women
really like utility items, like old crates
they can use in their kitchens to
display spices.
LM: Philadelphia’s clothing stores
are so diverse and interesting. Which
ones do you like?
SO: United By Blue in Old City
is cool. We actually share a graphic
designer and I love the quality of
their shirts, which they cut and sew.
Plus, they have a great coffee shop up
front—what a genius idea.
LOEWSMAGAZINE.COM
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4/10/15 7:46 AM