Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Finally: US Postal Service To Debut Its Own Clothing Line
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 21, 2013
Modified Feb 21, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 21, 2013
Modified Feb 21, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
To satisfy overwhelming demand, the United States Postal Service is developing a clothing line. Named "Rain Heat & Snow," presumably for the post-apocalyptic conditions necessary for people to actually purchase apparel inspired by a vast, underfunded arm of the government, a press release promises that the clothes will be technology-laden "smart apparel." “This agreement will put the Postal Service on the cutting edge of functional fashion,” USPS licensing manager Steven Mills said in a release. The USPS: cutting edge for fashion; dull, rusty, butter-knifed edge for pretty much everything else.
A representative from the Postal Service hasn't gotten back to us, but they explained to Yahoo what "smart apparel" means: "If you like your iPod, you can plug it right into your jacket, regulate the volume and make your selections right on your sleeve." You're gonna need to realllllly crank up the bass to drown out the mirthful shrieks while you're walking down the street.
The USPS scoured the globe for a fashion developer that shared its vision. Would it be a boutique producer in Lille? A scrappy start-up in San Francisco? Lo, out of the Fashion Capital of these United States (Cleveland, Ohio), comes The Wahconah Group, charged with turning this desperate, Project Runway-inspired dream into a reality. "The company is establishing a showroom in the garment district of New York City to showcase their apparel lines to the fashion industry," the release adds.
We're huge fans of the Postal Service (9 out 10 Discerning Grandmothers Choose USPS), and we don't need to be reminded at the end of their press releases that the flagging industry "receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations." So if this is a frenzied cry for help, we hear you loud and clear: put us down for six Zune Snow Hats.
Tagged
bad ideas
high fashion
post office
postal service
usps
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Hochul names NY AG James as special prosecutor on alleged rape case at Cornell University
The governor said she does not have faith that the police and the Tompkins County DA effectively investigated the case.
By
Jon Campbell
Published Oct 1, 2026 at 9:04 p.m. ET
Founder of NYC LGBTQ therapy practice charged with rape after alleged sexual assaults
Joseph LoGiudice is the second therapist at Liberation Psychotherapy to be accused of sexually abusing a patient.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Founder of NYC LGBTQ therapy practice charged with rape after alleged sexual assaults
Joseph LoGiudice is the second therapist at Liberation Psychotherapy to be accused of sexually abusing a patient.
By
Giulia Heyward
US judge in NY indefinitely blocks ICE from making arrests at immigration courthouses
By
Arya Sundaram
Lawyer challenging NYC rent freeze releases Mamdani officials’ emails and text messages
By
David Brand
Push to strengthen NY sexual assault laws gathers steam after Cornell rape allegations
By
Walter Wuthmann
and
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .