The RL Q&A: Victor Netland

Where are you from, and what kind of work do you do?

I’m originally from Houston, but I’ve been living in New York and working in the menswear space here for three years now. I was managing a made-to-measure tailoring program, but now I’m pursuing content creation and starting my own brand full time.

What drew you to the vintage side of things when you were first getting into clothes?

I loved the story behind vintage clothes. How every piece has some kind of cultural significance or was worn in such a way that it now tells a story of who came before. Take a faded pair of jeans, for example. You can tell what the guy before you used to do and how he wore them by the fade pattern. I loved that. And when I first started vintage shopping, old Ralph was the first thing I started collecting. I was interested in the history and the fabrics, but also, it’s just what I was familiar with. My mom was always a fan, and it’s what we wore when we were kids, so it just felt natural. I started with Polo Sport and the big graphic pieces from the ’90s. The big prints, the huge lettering, tons of color—I loved all of it. My interest kind of grew outwards from there into other looks, but I think that’s what’s so beautiful about Ralph Lauren. He can dress you for any occasion. If you need a casual, sporty look, he’s got you. If you want to look like a country club prep guy, he’s got you. When you need to dress up for your friend’s wedding, he’s got you for that, too. I fell into all the different worlds.

Do you have any favorite finds from all your vintage collecting?

I definitely have a few, and I wore some of them for our shoot. One of them is my 1992 Stadium jacket. It’s kind of destroyed, honestly, and I know that a lot of collectors of these kinds of pieces like them to be pristine, but I thought it was so cool how it was so worn in. The graphic was cracked and faded; the neck was all torn up. It’s lived a full life before, but it’s still super wearable for me now.

You worked for Ralph Lauren at one point too, right?

When I was going to school in Boston, I was really keen to work at the flagship store there since I was obsessed with the brand, from the specific pieces I was collecting to the whole story behind it all. They happened to have an opening for weekends, so I’d go to school during the week, and then I’d work at Ralph Lauren on the weekends. It was really special and helped launch me into the menswear scene that I’m in today.

What would you wear to work? That’s a pretty high-stakes environment, outfit-wise.

I wore a lot of pieces from my vintage collection. I was especially into Double RL and workwear at the time—this was before I had any interest in tailoring—so it was a lot of casual, heritage kind of outfits. I think my style has evolved since then into something a little more prep and something a bit more mixed. These days, I combine lots of things together to get a well-rounded outfit that feels unique to me rather than trying to match or reproduce a specific look.

How would you describe your personal style now?

I’ve been starting my own label, actually, so I’ve been really thinking about how to accumulate and concentrate and describe everything that I like aesthetically. I’d say it’s fairly preppy, with a mix of Americana and workwear, to throw around some buzzwords. I like casual outfits that still feel a little dressed up. Nice sweaters, for example. You’ll usually find me in chinos—maybe an oxford button-down or a clean T-shirt under a great jacket. I’ve collected a lot of vintage Ralph sweatshirts that I love, and I love to mix in a hat, too. A good hat can dress down some tailoring, or just pair with something casual—whatever you need. Those are an essential for me. For footwear, I’m usually in loafers. I think I have, like, 10 pairs of them … it’s probably too many. But they’re versatile, and you can dress them up or down. I wear a lot of tailoring, too, from my past work life. I used to wear a jacket and tie every day, and I loved having that excuse to dress up every day.

It’s a great look, but not a lot of young guys wear jackets and ties these days.

People think tailoring is uncomfortable or stuffy, but it’s just all about the fit and the fabrics you use. In my work, I got to dial in my own personal fit and learn all about the art of tailoring—what works best for a body type—and I think that’s really the key. In terms of fabric, I usually go for something casual and durable. In the summer months, it’s a lot of linen and cotton and high-twist wools, and in the winter, I love a good flannel or tweed. Something bulletproof. What’s so nice about those is how they’ll never go out of style, and they’ll last you a long time. I like to mix in a bit of juxtaposition, too, like Ralph. So maybe I’ll wear some kind of sportswear with a tailoring look or a ski hat with a flannel suit. Just something to keep it interesting, fresh, and different.

How about Westernwear, being from Texas?

I’ll usually wear a Western belt; I like that with most outfits. For the photo shoot, I wore a vintage Western turquoise one. I’ve got a couple pairs of cowboy boots, and I love denim jackets and denim Western shirts, if I can find them in my size. I also wore a shawl coat for the shoot, which actually is from the women’s line. I got it from my friend’s mom who used to work at Ralph Lauren back in the ’90s, and I was able to let the sleeves out enough so that it fits me. The Western look is kind of everywhere now, so I don’t feel so unique in it these days, but I like to think I’m a little more authentic since I come from Houston.

Is it difficult to find vintage stuff that fits? You’re a pretty tall guy.

That’s the big problem for me. I’m 6'5” and skinny, which is basically impossible to fit off the rack. It’s the sleeves that get me, usually. Sometimes I’ll get lucky and find an extra-long shirt or jacket, and they’re usually still a little short, but close enough to wear casually. But I sew at home, so a lot of my clothes I’ve either mended or made from scratch on my own. I got a sewing machine for my 18th birthday and just taught myself through internet videos and trial and error. It was born out of necessity, because I was finding all these cool clothes at the thrift store, but I couldn’t wear any of them because they’d never fit me. Like camp-collar shirts from the ’50s, I loved how those looked but they’d never fit me in the sleeves, so I decided I’d just take details from all the styles I’ve seen and loved and make my own. It’s just a total game changer. And that’s how I made the first samples for my own brand, too.

What made you want to get into content and sharing your point of view? And then starting your own brand?

I was scared at first, honestly. But I think and talk about clothes all day long, and I’m just kind of obsessed in general. So, I thought, it’s kind of silly that I’m not putting this on the internet. I could build a community, I could make friends, I could maybe even make a business of it one day, if things go well. So I started posting my outfit every morning, and it grew from there. I started doing more produced videos where I talk about an outfit concept, what I’m wearing, why it’s special, and making it all feel lighthearted. I think people sometimes take clothing too seriously, and I wanted to make it feel a little more relaxed and less driven by rules. I want to spread a more lighthearted take on clothing. For the brand, I’m starting with just one piece: a chore jacket with details that are an accumulation of all the little things I love from other ones I’ve found. I’d eventually love to build things out and make everything men like to wear, just like Ralph. He’s obviously a big inspiration for his aesthetic but also for how he built his business. He was able to build something across every world—it’s amazing.

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