NEW YORK – Barking Irons was founded in 2003 by brothers Daniel and Michael Casarella and today stands as a bastion for independent fashion brands. The Casarella brothers long shared a fascination for stories in history and the ways in which history changes through each retelling and the traditions therein. In the creation of Barking Irons the Casarellas discovered that t-shirts and fashion pieces were an inventive means of retelling some of these old stories and passing them on with a uniquely modern twist in keeping with the age old tradition of storytelling.
In 2004, the first collection of Barking Irons t-shirts appeared on the shelves of Barneys nationwide. The runaway successes of the first season lead the brand into the national marketplace and into the embrace of top-tier stores in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Japan. In 2005, Barking Irons deepened its collection to include men’s shirting and accessories including an acclaimed collection of antique spoon jewelry
Later that year Daniel and Michael launched an experimental tradeshow in Tokyo entitled, Frog & Toe, which spotlighted highly unique, underground New York designers in Japan. During this time Barking Irons received numerous accolades and was selected by Japanese fashion collective Nave to design a collection for their Fall and Summer seasons. In January 2006 Barking Irons was the feature of the New York Times Magazine article, “The Brand Underground” which highlighted the brand’s distinctive historical point of view and sophisticated branding methods.
Barking Irons has been celebrated for its uniquely modern spin on American heritage and has been sought out by major American heritage brands such as Anheuser-Busch and Levis-Strauss for special projects. Other key collaborations include: Onward-Kashiyama, The Highline, Gilded Age, Urban Outfitters, Vanson Leathers, Chimera Music, and Rockstar Games.
In 2009 Barking Irons began designing limited-edition tour t-shirts for rock bands including Kings of Leon, Sean Lennon, and PT Walkley. In the summer of 2009, Barking Irons partnered with online marketing firm, Phearcreative to create The Collect music series, a striped-down, folk-style performance series that channels modern musicians through the lens of an old Bowery music hall.