Why ERL Is Redefining California Cool

Eli Russell Linnetz launched ERL in 2018 and immediately disrupted the idea of what California fashion could look like. Instead of the sleek minimalism of The Row or the skate-punk energy of Supreme, ERL channels a psychedelic, sun-bleached nostalgia for a California that exists somewhere between memory and fantasy.

The aesthetic pulls from Venice Beach skateparks, 1970s surf culture, and Hollywood party scenes, but filters everything through exaggerated proportions and haute-couture-level construction. Linnetz trained under Hedi Slimane and Karl Lagerfeld, and that technical foundation shows.

The Dior collaboration is the clearest evidence this is more than a mood board. Kim Jones brought Linnetz in to co-design the Dior Men spring 2023 collection, shown on the beach at Venice in Los Angeles in May 2022, the first time Dior had staged a men's show in the city. Seeing ERL proportions cut in Dior's ateliers made the point that the exaggeration is drafted, not accidental.

The puffer jacket, particularly ERL signature oversized down puffer in sunset gradients, has become the brand most iconic piece. A$AP Rocky wore it, Pharrell adopted it, and it now appears in fashion conversations as a reference point for maximalist outerwear.

Be clear about what a four-figure puffer is. It is a print and a silhouette, not a technical garment. The shell and the fill are ordinary and you are paying for the gradient and the volume. If you want warmth for the money, Montbell and Rab sell down jackets with far better fill power for a fifth of it. Buy the ERL because you want that specific object, not because you are cold.

Beyond the viral pieces, ERL produces surprisingly wearable basics. Tie-dye tees, distressed sweatshirts, and wide-leg shorts in heavyweight cotton form the collection foundation. These pieces carry the brand aesthetic without the visual volume of the statement outerwear.

Sizing runs enormous. ERL drafts its sweats and outerwear oversized on top of an already generous base, so a medium sits like a large with a dropped shoulder and a wide sleeve. Take your usual size if you want the intended look, and drop one if you plan to wear the pieces with anything slim. The shorts are the exception, running true to size and wide at the leg by design.

ERL won the ANDAM Fashion Award in 2023. Pricing sits in the $100 to $300 range for basics and escalates to $1,000-plus for outerwear, positioning it as accessible by designer standards.

The brand California identity is not performative. Linnetz is based in LA, shoots campaigns in LA, and draws his creative community from the city art, music, and skate scenes. Explore the full range at https://www.erlstudio.com.

The basics are where the brand makes sense at retail. Tie-dye tees around $150 and sweats at $250 to $350 turn up 40 to 60 percent off in the Ssense and Mr Porter sales twice a year, and they carry the aesthetic without the volume. The statement outerwear moves in the other direction, holding and sometimes exceeding retail on Grailed and Vestiaire, which tells you which half of the collection the market actually values.

ERL matters because it proves California fashion is not a monolith. Between The Row quiet luxury and ERL psychedelic maximalism exists a spectrum as diverse as the state itself. If you want clothing that feels like permanent golden hour, this is the brand to watch.