Welcome to the Club: Say Hello To Sendero Provisions Co.

A conversation between Hunter Harlow, the founder of Sendero Provisions Co., and Brand Assembly-

What inspired you to start your brand, was there a moment that made you say, this is it—I have to do this?

We started off in 2014 as Sendero Hat Co,. but we quickly rebranded to Sendero Provisions Co. with the anticipation of being much more than a hat brand. I was a geologist at the time and spent a lot of time in the Four Corners region of New Mexico and Arizona—hiking in national parks, fly fishing, sort of becoming an adventure junky in a way. That love for geology and the outdoors is really what Sendero was born out of.
We started out making hats we thought were fun and selling them to friends and family, and soon enough we realized there was a resounding demand for us in the marketplace—this self-depricating, fun brand with a unique perspective that people really identified with.
The brand really blew up in 2017 when we got good at social media and storytelling, and Sendero transformed from a part-time thing we were doing for fun into a brand we could make something truly special with.

How did you get into the fashion industry?

I was really thrown into the fashion industry by accident. When Sendero started to gain ground, I was on track to get my PhD in Geology. I really loved the work I was doing there, but when things took off, I just knew this path was going to be better for me and my family. So I made this transition from hypereducated geologist to hypereducated hat salesman designing full-length dresses. It’s been a self-taught journey, learning as I go. I’ve always done things a bit differently from my peers—even in my geology days—and that trend continues today. We’re a bit off beat by design. And we’ve brought in awesome folks who believe in what we’re doing and can add in their own incredible expertise. People that have been in the industry forever but are blazing trails in their own way.

What are the core values of Sendero?

Our internal mission statement is love people, have fun, work hard
—specifically in that order.And our team has really adopted that philosophy. We want to be a good partner you can trust with your order as well as a brand you can lean on to connect with your customers in a retail relationship. Sendero is all about telling authentic stories in and around the industries we’re selling into, but we’re not co-opters. Some of us are Western and into rodeo. Some aren’t. Some of us are expert flyfishermen, and some aren’t. Some are really into fashion, and others aren’t. We’re here to be authentic, have fun, and make cool stuff we think our customers are going to love.

Where does the name come from?

Sendero is Spanish for path or trail. As geologists we were literally out on the senderos all the time. And when you go to south Texas, where we have deep Hispanic roots, if you say you’re runnin’ the senderos, everyone knows what you mean. So part of the name is a nod to where we come from, but it’s also metaphorical in the sense that we’re finding our own path. Both as a company and as individuals, we’re making our own way as we go.

What's the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration for your brand?

Without letting the cat out of the bag too much, I’ll say our upcoming fall launch will be our most different yet. Sendero is loosely Western adjacent, which is really in vogue right now, and I just thought “Everyone’s going Western right now. How can we go so over the top that we’re the most Western brand that exists?” And I had this wild idea: If you keep going west, you’re going to end up somewhere that’s not the West at all. This is a place I’ve personally loved for years, and we’ve pulled a lot of inspiration from—the craftsmanship and dedication to storytelling—for our fall 2025 season.

What’s one piece from your collection that buyers must check out at the show?

We’re really proud of our men’s woven program for one. We’ve vastly improved here with a ton of Western details that really pay homage to the history of these types of pieces—high quality denim from some of the best suppliers in the business, custom pearl snaps that we developed in house, and just a lot of inspiration from vintage Americana that we’re weaving into every piece. The second thing I’d say people need to check out is our women’s line. We tiptoed into women’s clothing in 2023, and now we have a complete collection of dresses that have been a hit for us. We’re experimenting with silhouettes, shapes, and fabrications and playing with how things drape, gather, and fit. Our women’s collection is quickly becoming one of the more exciting parts of our brand.

When you're not building Sendero, where might we find you?

I’m a dad now with two kids that are nine and six. Before they came along you’d find me out on a river, fly fishing or heading down rapids on a raft. That was my quiet place and where I liked to recharge. But these days you’ll find me in my garden. We’ve turned our whole backyard into a sanctuary for birds and butterflies, and we harvest tomatoes, peppers, and all kinds of things from the garden year round. So nine years ago I would have been on a river, but these days I’m sitting on a chair in my garden drinking tea, just soaking it in.

Anything else you want to share about yourself or the brand that you think our community would want to hear about?

The main thing I want the Brand Assembly community to know about Sendero is that while we are fun and self-depricating and like to have a good time, we also stand for quality in our garments. We want to make things that people wear day in and day out. We didn’t invent the pearl snap or the denim shirt—these things have been done a thousand times. But we like to think we’re adding to the story and bringing something that’s truly Sendero to the people that like what we’re doing. We like to say that we’re not reinventing apparel. We’re reintroducing folks to the way it used to be. It’s incredible how far we’ve come in such a short time, and we’re thankful to all the people who love what we’re doing and want to be along for the ride with us.

RSVP HERE to shop Sendero Provisions Co. and more at the Brand Assembly Show,
Los Angeles / June 16 - 18. We can't wait to see you there!