Mid-December last year we met some new friends and fabulous photographers, Paige Newton and her assistant Bri Nicole. Paige found us through our mutual friend Caroline Fontenot and her ever popular blog, Back Down South. She was coming up to Nashville from Austin and decided to take some time to capture the life and times of the Co-Founders of Brier and Moss. I’m not sure if she was expecting to show up, hang for a bit, and shoot just a few pictures, but we decided to show her a good time and a little taste of Nashville in her short time here!

We started with a little lunch at Mas Tacos on the East side. It was jam packed! Apparently we showed up on the same day that ScoutMob was having a free taco giveaway…oops. But the food was fantastic as always-fresh and authentic.

After lunch the cameras started rolling, and they didn’t stop all day…..

Woodland Street Bridge overlooking the Nashville skyline

Then a short stop at Crema for a Pumpkin Spice Latte…

Next we took the photgs downtown to Broadway for a little honky tonk history lesson at Robert’s Western World and Hatch Show Print.

And finally on to our friend and advisor, Mark Hagood‘s house to pop open to champagne, turn up some tunes on the vintage Marantz, and dance the night away…

Paige we want to thank you for the wonderful photos, you truly are an exceptional artist with an eye for candid, expressive photos. We truly enjoyed the story line you put together on your blog.

To see the entire photo shoot with Paige click here.

For current updates on all things Brier and Moss make sure to follow our Facebook Page.

Over the past several months, Jonathan and I have been planning the photo shoot for our Southern Stripes collection and this weekend we will see the fruits of our labor and our vision come to life on film.

We’ll be sending some tweets and pics during the shoot and will post a few images when the edits are finished. However, all of them will be available on our soon to come, re-designed website and online store! I am grateful to the Head family for the use of their home and excited to work with Photographer Chad Davis, and models Carson Nicely, and Mary Jane Carney.

Nick Barnes of Brier and Moss with Caroline Bell (@blonde_bell)

The preceding photo of Brier and Moss Co-Founder, Nick Barnes, was captured at the Sony Music CMA after party at the historic Hermitage Hotel in downtown Nashville, TN. Before the Hermitage, Nick and his date Caroline Bell attended the 45th annual CMA award show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Nick is wearing a black and red silk bow tie from the Brier and Moss Prep Stripe collection.

Stay tuned for the the launch of the Fall/Winter 2011 silk bow tie line.

B&M Co-Founder Jonathan Snyder

The preceding photo of Brier & Moss co-founder, Jonathan Snyder, was captured earlier this fall by Cameron Adams, street fashion photographer, photojournalist, and proprietor of the blog Atlanta Street Fashion. He writes:

With waistcoats and sweater vests returning to popularity, stylish neckwear will provide the finishing touch. Brier & Moss look forward to serving the needs of online shoppers this fall season with an outstanding selection of bow ties.

Adams is a resident of Atlanta, GA and travels all over the southeast meeting new folks and capturing their unique looks for his website. Since first being photographed, the Brier & Moss team has had numerous opportunites to meet with Cameron and discuss menswear and the “style of the south.” We look forward to doing it again soon!

Stay connected with Cameron:

Blog: http://atlantastreetfashion.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/CameronAdams

A few weeks ago I sat down for a coffee and some conversation with Caroline Fontenot from Back Down South. I’m a bit late posting this because we have been quite busy around here gearing up for our Fall Photoshoot-scheduling models, touring locations, and getting wardrobes set.

While I’m on the subject of photographers let me say that Mrs. Fontenot is quite a skilled one. When she isn’t writing, blogging, and shooting candids of fashionable southerners, Caroline shoots professional photos for a number of southern fashion companies, including fellow Nashvillian Mason’s line, Volunteer Traditions, and also does wedding photography.

Caroline and I talked about our upcoming bow ties in depth and I really enjoyed sharing our passion and vision with her. Below you can read more of what Caroline wrote about Brier and Moss and see some photos she snapped while here in Nashville.

Be sure to follow Back Down South on Twitter and add them to your Reader.

Raised in:
Hendersonville, Tennessee

Lives in:
Nashville, Tennessee

Favorite thing about the south:
Southern music – the unique traditions of southern music that proliferate worldwide – such as all the different brands of country in Nashville, rockabilly country, country swing, blues tradition in the Delta, and the jazz and jazz funk scene in New Orleans, particular to Frenchman’s Street. These musical traditions are unique to the southern US and influence musicians and musical culture worldwide.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Nick, half of Brier & Moss, a bow tie company launching mid to late Fall. Nick and his fraternity brother Jonathan are creating a line of high quality collegiate bows and are “working hard to ensure that our first production run will be up to the high standards of gentlemen everywhere.” The bows are designed with official school colors, stripe prep patterns, and 100% silk. The first line is for fans of Samford (worn by Nick), Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. It was such a pleasure to chat over coffee with Nick in Nashville last week, to hear the dreams of a company who is getting very close to launching, and to jot down phrases like “bow tie wearers are a certain breed. They want to set themselves apart.” Add the Brier & Moss blog to your readers to stay up to date!

This is the official first post from the Brier and Moss blog! As I told someone in an interview earlier today it has been rather difficult to keep mum about our plans for the last 6 months. I have never been able to keep a secret for very long. Even at Christmas I want to tell everyone what they are getting simply because I get so excited about the news. Brier and Moss has been a good exercise of my patience. As William Shakespeare once wrote:

He that will have a cake out of the wheat must tarry the grinding.

But patience and our desire to be silent until our product is absolutely perfect has been beneficial. I keep getting asked “What is Brier and Moss?” by friends and acquaintances who have heard the words on the tips of our tongues-the buzz is building. Also, it has helped us focus on the task at hand; perfecting our product until it is something that we ourselves would wear, from the finest fabric, and made to high standards of craftsmanship and style.

So, what do we make?! Bow ties! My business partner, Jonathan Snyder, and I decided to go into the business when he had a discovery at a wedding in Athens.  In a crowd of bow-wearers, not a single Georgia Bulldogs Bow tie was to be found. No one seemed to know where to buy one. Jonathan and I have been into men’s fashion for some time, always trading blogs and sending pics of our latest find. It was only natural to go into business together producing a fine quality men’s product that not only was needed in the marketplace, but needed in our own closets.

Jonathan and I formed our relationship in Sigma Chi at Samford University. We understand Fraternity culture and the needs of the Prep man and we have been working hard to ensure that our first production run will be up to the high standards of gentlemen everywhere.  Check back mid fall when the first of our line is to launch, including fine 100% woven silk bow ties for fans of: The University of Tennessee, the University of Georgia, the University of Kentucky, and Samford University.

See More at BrierandMoss.com