TAVIK designer Jordan Rath. Images by @humblegiants.

Most men would agree: versatility is a good thing in a garment. To that end, TAVIK makes comfortable menswear that works perfectly for everyday chilling or-with updated cuffed trousers and button-up shirts-the new-school dress codes of the workplace.

You'll notice a similarity to the off-duty surf aesthetic of designer brand Saturdays NYC, but TAVIK is doing its own thing-and has been making a better board short since 2004, when the company began in a garage in Laguna Beach, California. (Board shorts were stupidly long back then.)

To learn more about TAVIK's history and what's in store, we spoke with designer Jordan Rath, creative brand director Mark Powell and founder Erik Paulsen on the phone at their design space in the heart of Costa Mesa's arts district.

Forgive my ignorance, but how do you pronounce "TAVIK"? I've been saying it like Tavis Smiley's first name, but with a k. And what slogan would you say captures TAVIK's approach to modern beach culture?

Mark Powell: You're saying "TAVIK" right. Sometimes we get more exotic pronunciations, like "Ta-vique." Or "Tah-vik." And when it comes to modern beach culture, we say: "Beach born, city raised." That is the lifestyle we live. We come from beach culture and we love it. But we have expanded beyond the sand. The activities we're influenced by come from beyond the beach. We're always evolving, always on the move and looking toward the future.

The brand's not very logo-heavy, and I think the shapes of the clothes help them speak for themselves. I feel like TAVIK combines a designer's sensibility with a lower price point. I'm thinking of pieces like the Channel trouser, which doesn't hang on a graphic treatment, but the details of the design make it what it is: the carrot fit, the cuff, and the lightweight, stretchy material.

MP: I think you nailed it better than I could have said it. When it comes to the design of the clothes and how we translate modern beach from lifestyle to apparel-surfing is a great sport but surfing style comes from so many areas, and we wanted to bring that to life. Skating is super influential, too. And we wanted to connect it all to higher fashion, premium clothes, to make that jump but make sure the price was accessible.

How long has TAVIK been around, and how have the designs changed over time?

Eric Paulsen: The concept started in my garage in 2004. We started doing boutique, premium, more sophisticated versions of what was on the market in the active sports world. In the last six years we've really evolved that concept, not just in men's but women's and accessories, to complete that story. We've fine-tuned our products over time to really sell that day-to-night story.

When you started the company, were there any essential pieces that you felt were mantadory to launch with?

EP: For menswear, we were really focused on knits and board shorts. Not just your standard long shorts. We were more focused on cool shorts that were more able to transition.

What's upcoming for TAVIK that you're excited about?

MP: The Interface collection, which is about to launch at Nordstrom this fall. Great outerwear pieces that are premium, elevated, and have key functional features. It has a refined style that goes really perfectly with the Channel pant, which you mentioned. It transitions from day to night really easily.

Jordan Rath: I would say the same thing. The design of Interface has a heavy emphasis on function and transition, between different environments: day to night, city to sand, formal to casual.

EP: The Ruger jacket is the main parka, and the Nomad is an insulator that zips into that jacket, and there are fleece pieces like the Thermite. You can buy a shell and separate liners, and they're all sold separately. You can wear them together or apart and it doesn't look hokey. Everything stands on its own and together.

MP: The Interface collection is about how the pieces relate together, and also about how they relate to your devices. There are specially designed pockets for your phone chargers, to route cords. For photographers we have memory-card holders and pockets that can easily snap open. The core concepts of beachwear-exploration, creativity-go beyond the sand. I look at our customer as creative, period.

Jordan, what's your relationship like with the West Coast?

JR: I grew up in the Midwest, in Wisconsin, skating and dreaming of California. When I got here I found it was very much what I thought. But I brought some of my outerwear enthusiasm out here, some of my Midwest cold-weather knowledge. I think that makes our clothes good for California on colder days as well as sunny days, and for trips to Vancouver or Seattle or wherever.

So you feel you've left a mark on TAVIK?

JR: I think so.

MP: If I may interject: he definitely did. I grew up all over, my dad was in the Air Force. We all come from super different backgrounds. About that California dream idea: I think California inspires creativity in a really raw way. And it isn't as formal as other places. That and all our backgrounds combine to create these pieces, which are so refined, so premium, yet approachable.

Erik, what did your garage look like when you started the company?

EP: It was domestically made board shorts, which was a lot of work. And it was focused on select products. We started in T-shirts. We wanted to make a few things for a select group that understood our movement. The foundation of what the brand's about was not about going overseas and making large quantities. We wanted to hit the festival culture, and that kid who just has a lot of facets to his life. Maybe he's an artist, a deejay, and just wants to get out there and experience life. It was more directional in the thinking. That's how it started. Trends change over time, and we were able to hone it into a more modern aesthetic and really focus in on the story.

What was behind that initial motivation to make your products in the United States?

EP: It was about the apparel industry, and it was just so outdated to me. I thought it could be done better. And most of my friends from all over the world wanted something on-trend, sooner. It was quicker not to wait nine months and just do it ourselves.

What fashion void did you fill when you launched? What was the game missing?

EP: We wanted a shorter board short. We wanted that 18-inch board short, and at the time 23 inches was the standard. It wasn't the aesthetic we liked or wanted to wear. And for the imagery and graphics, we wanted something cleaner than just a huge logo on your shirt. We wanted to be thoughtful and forward but also useful.

How did you put together the current assortment at Nordstrom?

EP: We built a modern selection for Nordstrom that ties back to our other pieces. The Channel pant is maybe more fashion forward, but it's all really accessible and goes together. And it all goes perfectly with the Interface system launching in fall, so hopefully customers will follow along and see that it's all part of the same ecology. We really want to move forward with Nordstrom. We aren't interested in selling to a lot of retailers. We want to build something here.

JR: It's not a mass appeal that we're going for right out of the gate. TAVIK's not a me-too brand. Oh, we need a $59 sweater, let's make one like everyone else! That's not us.

MP: And I just want to say that beyond the aesthetic, we're so focused on fit and attention to detail. When you have a good aesthetic, the focus can easily shift and you can coast on that. But we don't slack on quality.

-Andrew Matson