SWAE

What SWAE does

SWAE (legal name: SWAE; DBA: SWAE Research and Development Studio) is a privately held, Columbia Falls, Montana-based outfitting and apparel brand that also operates as a custom automotive R&D studio. Founded around 2020 by Trevin Hermosillo and Colton Hermosillo, the company blends two complementary revenue streams: (1) a direct-to-consumer apparel and accessories line sold via a Shopify storefront at swae.us, including premium SUPIMA cotton t-shirts, heavyweight organic cotton hoodies, technical patrol parkas priced up to $750, reflective patch sets, sticker packs, and the collectible SWAE Volume 001 publication; and (2) high-end custom vehicle builds such as the SERPENS (Ferrari FF), AURUM (Lamborghini Huracán with gold-strand carbon fiber by 1016 Industries), and PISTRIS (McLaren 720S with 3D-printed titanium wing supports), produced in collaboration with 1016 Industries, Boston Dynamics (ARGOS/Spot), and others. Underlying technology includes Markforged 3D printing for titanium components, proprietary gold carbon fiber fabrication, and in-house pattern design for custom vinyl wraps.

SWAE serves adventure and automotive enthusiasts seeking limited-edition, statement-making apparel and supercar owners seeking one-of-a-kind vehicle builds. Go-to-market is purely DTC e-commerce supplemented by event-driven activation (SEMA, goldRush Rally, SWAE Day) and a community-led content layer (The SWAE Dispatch weekly newsletter, the SWAE Journal blog, and Instagram @swae.us). Pricing is uniform unit pricing across SKUs with no subscription or licensing model; most products are explicitly not restocked to maintain scarcity. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, operates with 14 employees, and distributes globally via DHL.

Name

SWAE

Legal name

SWAE

Website

https://swae.us

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SWAE is a Montana-based privately held R&D studio and apparel brand that sells limited-run premium apparel and accessories DTC via swae.us, and produces high-end custom supercar builds (SERPENS Ferrari FF, AURUM Lamborghini Huracán, PISTRIS McLaren 720S) for adventure and automotive enthusiast customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Apparel and Automotive Outfitting

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear) (IMAOAFAI), Outdoor Travel Gear (Duffels, Packs, Dry Bags) Retail (CRAMAAAI), Outdoor Performance Footwear & Apparel Retail (Trail/Hike) (CRAMACAI)

Keywords

• Premium apparel
• Automotive outfitting
• Custom vehicle builds
• Supercar customization
• Designer streetwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Apparel and Accessories Sales: Direct product sales of branded apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, parkas, and accessories like patches, stickers, and books. Products are sold through their e-commerce platform with prices ranging from $10 to $750.
2. Custom Vehicle Builds and Merchandise: Custom automotive builds (Ferrari FF SERPENS, Lamborghini Huracán AURUM, McLaren 720S PISTRIS) and related merchandise including patches, books, and limited edition items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SWAE operates as an outfitting and apparel brand that explores concepts in automotive and material sciences, designing and selling premium apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, parkas, hats), accessories (patches, stickers, books), and undertaking custom supercar builds (SERPENS, AURUM, PISTRIS) from its base in Columbia Falls, Montana. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform and engages in product design, prototyping, and limited-edition releases tied to its automotive design exploration work.

Product overview

SWAE is an apparel and outfitting brand that explores concepts in automotive and material sciences. The product portfolio centers on premium apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, outerwear, and accessories featuring the ouroboros symbol. Core apparel products include the Ouroboros Tee series (Black, White, Fluorescent variants), Logo Tee, Logo Hoodie, and the FW 2023 collection with Mountain Shadow and Return of Dreams Patrol Parkas. The Logo Capsule sub-brand showcases logo-focused designs. Accessories include patch sets (Gold, Orange, Black, Dispatch Member), sticker packs, and the SWAE Volume 001 publication. Beyond retail, SWAE undertakes custom automotive projects including SERPENS (modified Ferrari FF), AURUM (gold carbon fiber Lamborghini Huracan), and PISTRIS (modified McLaren 720S) in collaboration with 1016 Industries, with vehicles built for goldRush Rally participation. The brand also operates The SWAE Dispatch newsletter and hosts SWAE Day events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ouroboros Tee Premium graphic t-shirt available in Black, White, and Fluorescent colorways; designed for fashion-forward consumers who value limited-release streetwear.
• Black Logo Tee Standard black cotton t-shirt with the SWAE wordmark logo; positioned as an everyday premium staple for brand enthusiasts.
• Black Logo Hoodie Premium black pullover hoodie featuring the SWAE wordmark logo; targeted at cold-weather wear and brand-loyal customers.
• Patrol Parka Series Heavy-duty outerwear parka offered in Mountain Shadow, Return of Dreams, and SWAE x OTTE variants; built for cold-weather utility and explorer aesthetics.
• Mountain Shadow Bucket Hat Outdoor-style bucket hat in Mountain Shadow pattern; designed for casual lifestyle wear and exploration branding.
• Patch Sets Embroidered patch collections offered in Gold, Orange, Black, and Dispatch Member colorways; targeted at collectors and brand enthusiasts who customize apparel and gear.
• HD Safety Reflective Patches High-visibility reflective patch variants in HD Safety Black, HD Safety Orange and White, HD Safety Orange, and HD Transportation Green; designed for safety and visual identification on apparel or gear.
• Sticker Packs Branded sticker bundles offered in 4-pack and 12-pack formats; designed for brand fans, laptop or vehicle decoration.
• SWAE Volume 001 Book Limited-edition print book documenting SWAE's first volume of brand exploration, design, and automotive project content; targeted at collectors and brand loyalists.
• SERPENS Custom Vehicle Project Bespoke custom build of a Ferrari FF with proprietary SWAE design and material exploration; delivered as a commissioned supercar project.
• AURUM Custom Vehicle Project Bespoke custom build of a Lamborghini Huracán incorporating gold carbon fiber and unique SWAE material applications; delivered as a commissioned supercar project.
• PISTRIS Custom Vehicle Project Bespoke custom build of a McLaren 720S featuring airbag suspension and unique SWAE design treatments; delivered as a commissioned supercar project.
• Logo Capsule Collection Curated capsule of logo-driven apparel and accessories offered as a unified brand collection for new and existing SWAE customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Custom Ferrari FF SERPENS featured at goldRush Rally 2022 with 50+ hours of custom wrap design and application
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Boston DynamicsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for the ARGOS project involving Boston Dynamics' Spot robot dog. SWAE partnered with the robotics company to bring a special guest to goldRush Rally 2022, creating custom body kit designs for the Spot robot that synchronized with the SERPENS Ferrari FF design.
• Lamborghini Club AmericaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022SWAE joined Lamborghini Club America, an elite group of Lamborghini drivers that travels to luxurious locales for epic adventures. SWAE participated in club events including visits to Montana.
• 1016 IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021SWAE collaborated with 1016 Industries to create the AURUM Lamborghini Huracán and PISTRIS McLaren 720S. 1016 Industries, led by Peter Northrop, contributed custom body kits, exhaust systems, and wheel designs. The partnership transformed stock supercars into unique vehicles with gold carbon fiber bodies and custom modifications.
• OTTEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative outerwear partnership producing the SWAE x OTTE Patrol Parka, combining SWAE's brand identity with OTTE's technical fabric technology including 3-Layer eVent fabric and Direct Diffusion technology.
• JetsonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership for the release of Jetson Astro Robot Dog, featuring collaborative content on SWAE's Journal platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Novitec: Long-established tuner specializing in Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren performance and aesthetic upgrades. Comparable to SWAE's PISTRIS-style builds because both target the same supercar segment with premium modifications and branded content.
• Huckberry: Curated DTC retailer and brand for adventure, outdoor, and gear enthusiasts. Comparable to SWAE because Huckberry sells a similar premium apparel/accessory mix to an overlapping 'adventure and Automotive Enthusiast' customer and uses content/journal-driven marketing akin to the SWAE Journal.
• Mansory: Established European luxury tuning house that customizes Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Rolls-Royce vehicles. Comparable to SWAE's automotive build side given a shared focus on highly bespoke, content-rich supercar modifications, though Mansory operates at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• 1016 Industries: Custom supercar body kit and performance specialist that is SWAE's primary automotive partner (AURUM and PISTRIS). Closely comparable because both serve supercar owners with bespoke, high-visibility modifications at the premium end of the market.
• Topo Designs: Heritage-inspired outdoor and adventure apparel brand with DTC-led growth and a strong brand identity rooted in Colorado/outdoor lifestyle. Comparable to SWAE because both sell premium outdoor-adjacent apparel DTC at similar price points and lean on a lifestyle/place narrative.
• Singer Vehicle Design: Boutique restoration and customization house for Porsche 911s, with a strong cult brand and visible content/marketing engine. Comparable to SWAE because both are small, founder-led studios that turn bespoke vehicle work into a halo brand that supports adjacent merchandise and apparel.

Others

• Bremont: British luxury watch brand with deep automotive and motorsport partnerships (including custom-modified vehicles). Comparable to SWAE as a premium lifestyle brand that uses automotive collaborations and adventure storytelling to sell differentiated, high-AOV products to a similar enthusiast buyer.

Emerging players

• Represent: Premium streetwear-meets-luxury DTC apparel brand with strong direct-to-consumer focus and high drop pricing. Comparable to SWAE because both operate premium DTC apparel with limited drops, founder-led brand voice, and a similar price-anchored marketing strategy.
• Rhone: Premium men's DTC apparel brand with technical fabrics and a performance/lifestyle positioning. Comparable to SWAE's technical apparel line as both sell premium DTC layers at $100–$300 price points and emphasize community-driven storytelling.
• Mission Workshop: Premium bags and technical apparel brand with an urban-adventure identity. Comparable to SWAE's accessory and apparel assortment because both serve design-oriented, function-conscious buyers via DTC and cultivate a strong brand-led community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swae_us
• Instagraminstagram.com/swae.us
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swaeofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SWAE