Jeff Abrams, founder of Rails, takes his brand global

Amsterdam - Those in search of the perfect button-down plaid shirt need to look no further, as LA-based contemporary apparel brand Rails has your back. Chances are you have already spotted one of their famous shirts, or customised denim jackets, being worn by leading celebrities and social media influencers including Kate Moss, Olivia Palermo and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Now Rails founder, the charismatic Jeff Abrams has set his sights on expanding his brand across the globe and into new product categories.

Jeff Abrams sets his sights on Rails global expansion

During a preview presentation of Rails women’s, men’s and children’s wear Spring/Summer 2018 collections in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, FashionUnited took a minute to sit and talk with Abrams to learn more about Rails new collection, his vision of Rails current market expansion and plans for the future.

Founded in 2008 by Abrams, who first launched a black hat and later a zip-up sweatshirt, the brand has grown a strong following over the years. “Matthew McConaughey was buying it, Jessica Alba was buying it, so I knew that I had stumbled onto something special with my hat and my hoodie,” said Abrams. Rails is best known for its buttery, soft button-down shirts which epitomise the brand’s relaxed Californian vibe, but over the years has expanded to offer more products with the aim of becoming a fully fledged lifestyle brand.

“We’ve tried to infuse this concept of the really relaxed Californian-lifestyle into the entire collection, every category we do, whether it’s the shirting, denims, dresses - that is really the focus in each of our collections.” Rails SS ‘18 collection presentation in Amsterdam coincides with the brand’s official launch in the Netherlands, at premium department store de Bijenkorf. The move follows on Rails men’s wear debut in the UK this autumn, which launched exclusively at Harrods. Rails is currently available in 50 countries at 1265 retailers, including Harvey Nichols, Intermix, Selfridges and Saks Fifth Avenue, but Abrams is keen to continue building the brand’s presence overseas.

“It’s been a long and steady road and I think going around I really like to go to each [new] market and do what I did in the beginning of Rails - which is be very hands on and don’t sit back and say ‘oh we’ve made it’ because there are so many things that we could be doing as a brand.”

Stay tuned for FashionUnited's full interview with Jeff Abrams, which will published later this week

Photos & Video: By Blanca Heise, for FashionUnited