Elder Statesman wares get a lift from private plane charter firm XOJet

Los Angeles-based Elder Statesman, notable for its way with cashmere, is taking stealth luxe to new heights — literally — thanks to a partnership with private plane charter company XOJet.

Elder Statesman is crafting warm and fuzzy feelings for the jet set, including custom versions of its multicolor striped cashmere house socks, long travel blankets that button into pillows (complete with a subtly embroidered XOJet logo) and versions of the Elder Statesman knit cashmere patchwork teddy bear with an XO embroidered on the bottom of one foot.

“We’re constantly working on stuff for them; it’s a nice symbiotic relationship,� said Elder Statesman’s founder Greg Chait, who sells the custom items to XO. “If you think about it, we essentially have the same clients.�

Although it may be retail branding of the highest order, it’s not exactly retail. XOJet, based in Brisbane, Calif., isn’t selling the soft swag but, rather, giving it away to select clientele. “Aviation is a fast-paced business,� Chait said. “And there’s always some kind of special occasion that needs to be recognized. Maybe there’s a new client or a renewal, or sometimes a client has just had a baby, that sort of thing.�

Meanwhile, the air passengers are introduced to the Elder Statesman brand and its luxury wares. (Similar, non-custom versions, available on the Elder Statesman website, are $350 for a pair of socks, $500 for a teddy bear and $2,295 for a blanket pillow.)

The partnership is still in its infancy, but to hear Chait talk, a deeper relationship could take wing.

“Flying is a real serious and personal business,� he said. “And what Elder Statesman does is very personal. We’re both taking care of people in ways that there’s lots of synergy.�

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