Sometimes, the accessory makes the outfit. And here, in a land of relaxed, coastal style, liveable accessories are key. Footwear with vintage appeal made from recycled materials. Leather bags that not only withstand sun and sand, but age gracefully from it. And truly customizable, artisan-level western hats and boots destined for family heirloom status. SeaVees. Homer Maker. Grand Central Fashion. These makers represent our home. Come, take your time, and find something that helps tell your story.
SeaVees: Where History Meets the Future of Footwear
SeaVees is for seekers, the ones who find magic in the stories behind every stitch. For those who love the hunt of flea markets, the charming pieces from their parents’ closets, that treasure on the vintage shop shelf, SeaVees offers more than just shoes. It offers character and history.
Left on a shelf for nearly 40 years, SeaVees was rediscovered when Steven Tiller stumbled upon an original 1964 pair in a secondhand store in Tokyo. “When I discovered that vintage pair, I was instantly captivated—not just by the design, but by the spirit it embodied,” says Tiller. “In 1964, SeaVees was ahead of its time, being one of the first brands to position sneakers as casual, everyday wear beyond the gym. That resonated with me.” Inspired, Tiller brought the brand back to life in 2018, blending timeless design with a modern purpose.
Every sneaker tells a story of renewal, and the materials honor the planet as much as the past. “Making shoes responsibly isn’t just a box we check, it’s a lens we look through in everything we do,” says Tiller. “Early on, we committed to better materials: recycled rubber outsoles, recycled cotton, even recycled plastic laces. But that’s just the baseline.”
More than a shoe brand, SeaVees transforms discarded objects into good-looking shoes built to last another lifetime, and leaves as light a footprint as possible. seavees.com
Homer Maker Crafts Quiet Luxury in Montecito
This boutique brand, headed by fashion veteran and former Tommy Bahama CEO, Terry Pillow, makes handmade leather bags that blend tradition with contemporary design.
When Pillow set out on this passion project, he partnered with developer Steven Soria, who has a saddle-maker lineage, and employed a team of artisans to execute the designs. Steven took Terry to the Carriage and Western Art Museum of Santa Barbara to show him the winning saddle his great uncle made from the Old Spanish Day’s Rodeo in 1956. “As a child I was able to watch the artisans do their work,” says Soria. “I got to learn from the best.” Terry was inspired, and named Homer Maker after his grandfather.
They started with the Vinters Collection of wine carriers and bags rooted in classic Americana. Homer Maker sources raw materials from Hermann Oak Leather in St. Louis, one of the last domestic suppliers and tanneries using the centuries-old vegetable leather-tanning process. The result is durable, elegant leather goods that speak to discerning customers seeking heritage and sophistication.
You are invited into their showroom on Coast Village Road. The intimate space showcases one-of-a-kind handmade items, and smaller accessories like eyeglass lanyards and belts. Leather-scented candles complement the brand’s tactile experience.
For those seeking custom, they will collaborate on a personalized leather bag that reflects your individual style and needs. homermaker.com
Grand Central Fashion Makes All the Stops
Founded by Edgar Alvarez in 2019, Grand Central specializes in handcrafted hats and boots. This brand leads with heart. “Every hat and every boot we make tells a story—and that story always begins with family,” says Alvarez. “The name, Grand Central, represents a meeting point, a crossing of paths where stories come together.”
These aren’t mass-produced pieces—they’re wearable heirlooms made with love and appreciation. “As an immigrant, I dreamed of creating a space where tradition, craftsmanship, and community could coexist,” say Alvarez. “My Jaliscan heritage instilled in me a deep respect for handmade work, for preserving cultural trades, and for sharing what we create with pride and purpose.”
Though rooted here, Alvarez sources where the best artisans are, creating jobs across continents. For example, their Panama hats are woven in Ecuador and Colombia using traditional methods, and then sent to their workshop in San Francisco del Rincón, Mexico, to be reshaped, refined, and finished to meet their standards.
From their custom “Hat Bar” experience to developing private label products for other brands, Alvarez and his team stay busy. And the team at Grand Central is as warm as the sun. Probably because that’s Alvarez, who says, “Santa Barbara is my safe haven, my nest, the place where I am truly happy.” grandcentralofficial.com