REMEMBERING OUR FOUNDER
Bryan built WORN the same way he lived his life: by getting outside, pushing his gear hard and paying attention to what could be better.
In his twenties Bryan lived and worked in advertising in New York City. He was a surfer and would get up before dawn to go surf before work in the freezing cold Atlantic off Jones Beach. He started to realize just how difficult it was to get his wet suit on and off of his feet, something you want to do quickly in the winter. He looked, but couldn’t find a product out there to help him. So he developed a frictionless sock designed to be worn under his wetsuit and booties that helped him get in and out of his wet suit easily. And that started his first company, Wetsox.
From there he became interested in better socks in general. Ones that were technically better than what was on the market. Ones that didn’t wear out after just a few months. So he started developing a fabric out of premium merino wool and technical fibers. That is how he created our patented Arrowool.
So in 2020, with Arrowool in his backpocket, he left New York City and returned to his country roots and moved up to the Hudson Valley and founded WORN. The idea was simple: make better socks that could not only hold up to wear and tear, but handle all the different conditions people like him need them for.
Bryan was one of the most active people I’ve ever known. You couldn’t get him to sit down. He was constantly planning a trip to surf, sail, hunt or snowboard. Or he was outside working on the house, chopping down trees, playing with the dog, etc. He did all of it in all in his WORN socks, and then decided why not use that same technology for his base and midlayers. So he created and launched a whole new range of products including briefs, TShirts, long Sleeves, Midlayers and sweatshirts.
He lived in his products. Not because he wanted to be a walking advertisement, but because the products he built fit his lifestyle. He wore the TShirts to mow the lawn and play pool at local dive bars. He wore the base layers for long rucking hikes to prepare for elk hunts in Idaho, and then wore the entire kit while out there in the wilderness.. He truly tested every product until they were perfect and ready to be marketed. He put shoulder reinforcements not because they looked cool, but because his shirts started wearing under his ruck vest. He made the sweatshirts with higher gsm so they could be the only outer layer he needed for shoveling Hudson Valley snow, and made the Rugby socks come up so high so he could tuck his joggers into them and be warm head to toe.
I’ve never seen someone pour so much time and effort and love into creating products and a company.
When he got sick in September of 2025, he lived in his products on the way to chemo and radiation treatments and recovering in bed. He refused to wear hospital socks when he was stuck there for months at a time, and instead wore his own socks. Everything he made feels like a warm hug when you wear them, and what better time is there to be be comfy and hugged then when you are sick.
Bryan passed away in May. In one of his WORN long sleeves. There are no words to explain the hole he has left in all of our hearts. And I am heartbroken he didn’t get to see WORN grow to the stage he wanted to. But I am beyond honored to continue his legacy, and continue bringing WORN to people who value well made gear that lasts.
