After a six-year stint on Glee and starring in Broadway’s Finding Neverland, actor Matthew Morrison is tapping into fashion with a line of men’s accessories and apparel called Sherpapa Supply Co. Morrison and his partner, longtime pal Zach McDuffie, have partnered with Gilt on a curated selection of exclusive and favorite items from the line that’s about to make your Father’s Day shopping a whole lot easier. We caught up with Morrison, a dad-to-be, and McDuffie (already a father!) on the range and why they decided to join forces in the first place…
Matthew, this is your first fashion project. What sparked your interest?
MM: It wasn’t so much about being in the fashion world, it was just about giving back. I started this project before my wife Renee and I found out we were pregnant, but I just knew that we wanted to be in the next phase and I was just so excited about this company. I couldn’t help but feel this magical energy—our company is trying to inspire the next generation of modern dads. It’s mostly about the mom and the woman, and sometimes dads don’t feel like they have a place. This is our effort to inspire people.
Zach, tell us about the line.
ZM: The idea really came with the birth of my daughter. She’s now two-and-a-half. I have a business in Costa Rica that’s been running smoothly and my wife still works—she models—so I ended up a stay-at-home dad. I prefer to call it a “stay outside” [dad] since I’m an outdoors kinda guy. But I realized that there’s not much geared toward dads, especially dads that still have style and want to have their own version of stuff, and not just carry their wife’s bag. My wife and Matthew’s wife are really good friends, and we’re all good friends. We had a long weekend together and I started to talking to Matthew, and he was the one who pushed me into saying, ‘Hey, we really need to make this a reality, there’s people that need this.’
What kind of products can we find?
ZM: Our anchor product is the gear bag. It’s like a mechanics bag but modernized with a shoulder strap so dads can take it through all seasons of fatherhood, whether going to the hospital to deliver the baby or a cooler version of the diaper bag. We’re doing a lot of cool collaborations with companies that make awesome stuff and will do a spin on it to make it very specific. We have vintage-style baseball bats that say “Papa” and neat paddles that have a custom paint job that say “Family” and “Adventure.”
What are each of your roles in the company?
MM: Zach is the creative director, and I’m the motivator. We talk about everything and really consider this a family business, including our wives.
Has this project made you more interested in fashion?
MM: As an actor you use a certain compartment of your brain, and this took me out of my comfort zone. I’m using my mind in a different way, which is really exciting for me. It’s a new adventure—creating a new company from the ground up, and the things we make and the things we’re learning make it an exciting ride.
How are your styles different?
ZM: From the design perspective, Matthew and I have a lot of places where we come together on style, but we come from different backgrounds. Matthew’s got Broadway and is more urban, and my background is the outdoors—lots of camping and fishing. I’m also a photographer and have traveled all over the world, so I’m no stranger to gear and knowing how it works. We’re putting both of our experiences into “dad terms.” We do things kind of slow when it comes to the design to make sure everything is really practical for that person’s lifestyle. But we’re similar in that we like classic, like Paul Newman—style that’s iconic and multigenerational.
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- WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – MAY 31: Zach McDuffie and Natazha McDuffie attend the Gilt & Sherpapa Supply Co. Launch Event at Catch LA on May 31, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Gilt)
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- WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – MAY 31: Renee and Matthew Morrison attend the Gilt & Sherpapa Supply Co. Launch Event at Catch LA on May 31, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Gilt)
Matthew, what’s your personal style?
MM: Dope! [Laughs]. I love comfort and that modern-meets-classic vibe. I get the opportunity to wear a lot of suits, so I like to make sure they fit the right way. I have always loved style, being married to someone who modeled her whole life and is so stylish, she makes me and encourages me to dress up and not wear sweats every day.
ZM: We want to break the stereotype about dads, since most are usually negative, like dad bod, dad joke, dad jean, etc.
You announced a few weeks ago that you’re expecting a child. Have you gone to anyone for advice?
MM: I look to Zach. He’s so present and proactive and always there for his daughter and family. I talked to my own dad and it made me think about the mistakes he was making, but as you get older, you understand it more.
How do you guys see the brand evolving?
MM: We want to keep our look of “cool dads” and we’re going to do big/little pairing with fathers and kids. We also want to make it easier for families to go out and enjoy the outdoors together, so we’re going to put together kits, such as first aid with sunscreen, bug spray, etc., whether you’re going to the park or the beach. We want to encourage those family experiences. We want to show our kids why our planet is worth persevering.
