República graced New York City's Agenda Tradeshow earlier this week. For readers that may not know, the event is a gathering of streetwear and lifestyle apparel lines, both commercial and independent, that converge to promote and meet with potential buyers. In other words, a melting pot of personalities and fashion creatives. That said, we were able to link with a few of the more outstanding names--brands that were less concerned with the superficial "sell, sell, sell" and more about their story and staying true to vision.

Check out eco-entrepreneur Brian Linton (United by Blue) and chief rocker Aaron LaCrate (Milkcrate Athletics) as they individually break down why their lines appeal to savvy consumers despite a saturated market in "Part 1" of our tradeshow coverage: