Crooks & Castles
Crooks & Castles is a Californian streetwear brand founded in 2002 by Dennis Calvero and Rob Panlilio. It blends hip-hop culture with a luxury sensibility in graphic apparel and accessories.
| Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Dennis Calvero, Rob Panlilio |
| Origin | California |
| Relaunch | 2018 |
| Website | crooksncastles.com |
What is Crooks & Castles?
Crooks & Castles is a streetwear label from California, co-founded in 2002 by creative director Dennis Calvero and business partner Rob Panlilio, who both grew up in Cerritos. Before Crooks & Castles, the pair ran an earlier streetwear line, L5 Landscape, which sold exclusively through United Arrows in Japan in the late 1990s.
Products and positioning
The brand fuses hip-hop culture with luxury references, producing graphic tees, sweatshirts, outerwear and accessories. It became a prominent Los Angeles streetwear name of the 2000s and ran retail in the city, including on Melrose and Fairfax.
Distribution
After a brief pause in 2017, when it closed its Los Angeles store, Crooks & Castles returned in 2018 under a new business partnership. The relaunch centred on a stronger e-commerce site and a renewed focus on selective wholesale, with closer attention to garment quality and detail.
Why it matters
Crooks & Castles is part of the first generation of American streetwear brands that turned music culture into a fashion business, and its comeback reflects the shift of such labels towards direct online sales and curated wholesale.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Crooks & Castles?
Crooks & Castles was founded in 2002 by Dennis Calvero and Rob Panlilio.
Where is Crooks & Castles from?
Crooks & Castles is a streetwear brand from California, closely associated with Los Angeles.