INNES was founded in 1996 by brothers Matt and Chris Hensley....

INNES is the Scottish clan name of Matt and Chris’s late mother. The INNES clan dates back to 1160 AD and they played their full part in the tumultuous and bloody history of Scotland. The clan motto is “be traist” or “be faithful”. This simple message can be both an inspiration in everyday life, and a reminder of the ancestry and history behind every INNES Clan member.

The Hensley brothers named the company in her honor.

The INNES logo is a swallow. The swallow is a noble bird, with a rich history. It is a symbol of honor, faith, love and hope. To sailors in olden days, it represented everything from luck to loyalty. It served as a reminder of family, friendship and honor.

The swallow is also a symbol for returning home safely. Swallows cannot fly very far from land and so when a sailor at sea spotted a swallow he knew that land was near and he was close to home.

Possessing a swallow tattoo used to be a sign of status among sailors. The meaning behind it was that swallows protected the sailors from harm on their journeys. It was a great comfort, as well as a status symbol, to sailors out at sea.

According to legend, after sailing for at least five thousand miles, a sailor could get a swallow tattoo symbol put on his chest, to mark the occasion. Sailors with two swallow tattoo symbols on their chests, instead of one, were especially sought after. It meant that they had weathered many storms and gotten through many challenges.

The INNES brand represents an attitude that has always been inspired by it’s roots in music and the skateboarding lifestyle. All the collections focus on timeless silhouettes as well as some more daring contemporary themes. Our objective is to provide the world with creative and authentic lifestyle/streetwear.

Matt Hensley interview – looking back on a stormy start...