OCCAM’S RAZOR - INSIDE MEADOWS SS26 WITH DESIGNER ANDREW SALOMON

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JASON ISIP
STYLED BY DAEMONTE

ANDREW SALOMON ON THE SS26 SET CAPTURED BY JASON ISIP

Pastoral name, dirt-caked reality. Meadows sounds like a picnic blanket in the countryside, but designer Andrew Salomon would rather drag that blanket through the Arizona dirt and stencil ‘RIP Positive’ graphics across it. Born not from serenity but from semi-spite, Meadows is a perfectly unsettling take on fashion. Graphic design training morphed into tech packs and wash sampling, resulting in nu-metal nostalgia all made in LA with Italian leather.

In this interview, we discuss everything from boredom as a catalyst, motocross scars as moodboard material, and what it means to build a brand that’s brash and completely fucking sick.

MERDE: Was Meadows born out of obsession, boredom, or spite?

Andrew: Honestly, it was both—which is funny, because I can hear a bit of MERDE ethos in that question. I was out of school, working at a branding agency, and I really hated it. I thought that was going to be my career path. Out of boredom and in spite of that job, I just made the switch and started a fashion brand. 

MEADOWS SS 2026, ‘OCCAM’S RAZOR,’ MODELED BY CHLOE SPENCE

MERDE: The name Meadows sounds pastoral and calm, but the clothes are anything but. Is that contradiction intentional?

Andrew: Definitely. That’s the point. I think it’s more interesting when people hear the name, have a preconceived notion of what the brand is going to be, and then are caught off guard by the product. Maybe it makes them think differently, or it’s just not what they were expecting. That’s always been the goal: a brash, in-your-face pieces behind the serene name.

MERDE: That ties into your hat with the graphic that reads  “Completely Fucking Sick” hat. First, where did that saying come from? And do you design for yourself, for the community, or both?

Andrew: Both. The phrase actually came from a newspaper clipping about the band Cannibal Corpse. Someone described their new album as “completely fucking sick,” and I thought it was really funny. I put it on a T-shirt, not expecting much. But people loved it—it became the most popular piece in the collection. We made it into a hat, and that just took off. So it started with something I personally liked, but the community took it and ran with it.

Molly: People usually react strongly to merch with obscenities. Have you gotten negative feedback?

MEADOWS SS 2026, ‘OCCAM’S RAZOR,’ MODELED BY MASON JORDAN

Andrew: Not really. It definitely turns heads—people look, maybe look away—but no one’s ever said anything negative. Actually, the feedback has been surprisingly positive. My friend’s grandma even loved it enough to put it on her Facebook. I think people pick up on the irony.

MERDE: You’re a trained graphic designer, but now you’re doing clothing design, tech packs, everything. How much of Meadows is about the product versus the attitude?

Andrew: Half and half. The attitude and messaging are important, but the product matters too. Even though I started in graphic design, I’ve grown to love working hands-on with my team in LA. There’s a lot of thought and care in the fabrics and construction, not just attitude. People expect ”statement pieces”, but when they touch the product, they’re surprised by the quality and attention to detail. That balance is really important to me.

MERDE: That connects to the question of making noise versus making meaning. How do you approach that?

Andrew: There’s so much noise in men’s fashion. The challenge is cutting through it—not to stand apart for the sake of it, but to make something genuine. A lot of my ideas come from my own upbringing—things I experienced as a kid. That’s what makes it feel real, and hopefully it resonates with people who also have these core memories.

MERDE: Can you give an example?

Andrew: This new collection is heavily inspired by motocross culture from 2006. I was 10 then, growing up in Arizona—X Games, Metal Mulisha, No Fear, that was all I knew. Those influences, the people and brands from the early 2000s, I still reference.

MERDE: Cool. I like the dirt on the shirts—I can see dirt biking references there.

Andrew:  Also, this is a way bigger can of worms, but it’s an interesting time to be American in general, and to be an American designer. I  was raised Hispanic—my dad’s from Mexico—so a lot of this collection is about looking at what’s happening in America and poking fun at it too.

MERDE: You use French terminology ‘printemps and ete” in reference to the seasons of your collections. Why that choice, as an American designer?

ANDREW: It’s part of the contradiction—an American brand using French fashion language. It breaks the expected norms, brings in a sense of luxury, and plays with high/low dynamics.

MERDE: Who do you imagine wearing Meadows?

MEADOWS SS 2026, ‘OCCAM’S RAZOR,’ MODELED BY CHLOE SPENCE

Andrew: Having worked for both luxury and for commercial brands, I’m really focused on an inclusive price point. Our pieces are well made and sit more on the expensive side, but I still want them to be attainable. Typically someone in their mid-20s, usually male but not exclusively, with a curated sense of style. Our price point isn’t fast fashion, but it’s not luxury either. I want it to be attainable without sacrificing quality.

MERDE: But do you feel Meadows exists in line with other brands, or is it its own thing?

Andrew: The concept of being “its own thing” doesn’t exist—you don’t design in a vacuum. Of course there are contemporaries, those who came before, and conversations happening in real time. But I don’t think competitively. I’d never expect someone to dress head-to-toe in Meadows. I like seeing how people style it with other brands. That inspires me—seeing someone wear it differently than I imagined. I’ve been into fashion my whole life. It’d be ignorant to say I don’t look at other brands. I do—but more as a way to bounce ideas. Like, “That’s cool, how can we also speak to that person in a different way?”

MERDE: Do you want Meadows to stay niche, or would you like it to blow up into something mainstream?

Andrew: Definitely bigger. I’d love to be in retail stores, grow our DTC business, and eventually own flagships. I want the brand to reach more people and tap into different cultural spaces. That’s the ultimate goal. Although if I had a couple million dollars right now, I might just open a store and not even bother with wholesale. 

MERDE: What scares you more—running out of ideas, or people getting tired of the ones you have?

Andrew: Neither, really. I keep a running list of ideas for future collections on my notes app. Most of my inspiration comes from childhood experiences, so I couldn’t run out. Of course, people liking the work matters for the business, but I don’t dwell on that fear either.

MEADOWS SS 2026, ‘OCCAM’S RAZOR,’ MODELED BY MASON JORDAN

MERDE: How do you balance the internet’s demand for constant newness with your slow-burn approach?

Andrew: You don’t. Big corporations need to chase trends, but smaller brands should focus on longevity. I think about where Meadows will be in 5, 10, 20 years. That means slow, steady growth—staying aware of trends but not beholden to them.

MERDE: Do you see yourself as a designer, an artist, or just someone who makes completely fucking sick stuff?

Andrew: I’m a designer, but my role is shifting more into curation and creative direction. I still design, but I also bring in experts—patternmakers, sewers, etc. who have been doing this since before I was alive—who execute the vision at a higher level. 

MERDE: Since Meadows is rooted in your childhood, do you feel it’s also a way to protect your image of yourself?

Andrew: 100%. It’s not about protecting an image, but there is a persona I curate. Designers play roles through their work. Meadows is inspired by the characters I loved as a kid—dirt bikers, musicians. It’s not a mask, but it’s a role I step into.

MERDE: Do you ever wonder who you’d be without Meadows?

Andrew: I wouldn’t be the same without it, but I’m also still me outside of it. Meadows is how I communicate ideas to the world—it’s part of me, but not all of me.

MERDE: If Meadows were a band, what genre would it be?

Andrew: Nu-metal. Early 2000s stuff—Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Slipknot. It was corny, but it infiltrated pop culture for a short time and hasn’t been touched since. It’s a time capsule in that way. The imagery, the merch, the contradictions—it’s nostalgic and funny now, but it really shaped me and feels in-line with Meadows.

MERDE: Tell me about your upcoming collection.

MEADOWS SS 2026, ‘OCCAM’S RAZOR,’ MODELED BY MASON JORDAN

Andrew: It’s called Occam’s Razor. The idea is that the simplest solution is often the right one. My mom used to say that to me a lot. This season I really leaned into restraint—simpler graphics, pared-back silhouettes, focus on fit and attitude. There’s about 20 pieces: tees, hoodies, suiting for the first time, some outerwear, an updated bomber. I wanted to strip it down to what felt essential.

MERDE: What’s the campaign idea?

Andrew: It’s about America—both my personal upbringing and today’s strange times. The imagery is inspired by “redneck” culture in a way: bullets, taxidermy, an old house. It pokes fun while also making a statement.

MERDE: Last question—if Meadows disappeared tomorrow, what would you want people to remember?

Andrew: Honestly, not for me to say. I’m an emotional shopper—I buy things that make me feel a certain way. So I’d want people to remember how Meadows made them feel. Not the clothes themselves, not the hat with the F-word, but the emotion. That’s what lasts.