About Essex Harlan

Essex Harlan is a family-run brand founded in 2023 by a designer from Yunnan, China, and a software engineer from Istanbul. Inspired by the heritage of New York’s Lower East Side and its iconic Essex Market, our name pays tribute to the place where our story began. Rooted in sustainability, every piece is designed, sourced, and made locally in NYC using deadstock, recycled, or end-of-roll fabrics. We work with trusted local partners—from fabric recyclers to family-owned manufacturers—to create limited runs of truly one-of-a-kind garments. Because we use rare and discontinued fabrics, no style is ever mass-produced. Most designs are made in runs of 4–5 pieces—sometimes only one. We embrace this constraint to create slow fashion with purpose, craft, and individuality. Read their story