About Us
Mildblend Supply Co.: Designed with a rustic and recycled interior offering premium Japanese denim and outstanding selection of men's and women's casual and fine clothing, shoes, bags, and grooming products. Built on the values of design, quality and service, Mildblend Supply Co. aims to improve the lives of our customers, community and suppliers by offering fairly priced products made from the best available materials that retain their beauty and function over time. We are excited to be one of the pioneering supporter of the Made in USA movement. Our ultimate goal with Mildblend Supply Co. is to bring people and ideas together through an evolving mix of limited editions, exclusives, and the highest quality staples offered in a comfortable retail environment, and online. Our clients enjoy looking and feeling great, sophisticated in style, understand quality, value, and appreciate our offerings of tested heritage brands, local design talents, and new up and coming labels.
EST 2009
1. Fashion Pioneer and Entrepreneur
- A University of Illinois Chicago alumnus (fine art & communications), Luke Cho began his fashion career in 1989, launching a couture-inspired label called Black Moon. He cut and remade garments from designer remnants, running small-run productions until the brand closed in 1994.
- He then founded Untitled in 1990, a retail streetwear business that introduced UK street and rave styles—famously pioneering “phat pants” in Chicago—and eventually expanded to multiple storefronts across the city in the late ’90s. You would have found brands like Box Fresh, Duffer of St. George, Fresh Jive, X-Large, Stussy etc.
- In 2001, Cho founded Syndrome, a vertically integrated graphic streetwear brand, collaborating with top graphic designers and graphiv agencies from around the world. All graphics used on garment had hang tag with brief biography of artist and designers. Syndrome gained traction in the U.S. and Japan before being acquired by Threadless around 2008.
2. Founder of Mildblend Supply Co.
- In 2009, Cho founded Mildblend Supply Co., aiming to celebrate timeless, well-constructed clothing that evolves with age—a blend of Japanese raw denim and durable American-made goods.
3. Chicago Veteran & Teacher
- Based in Wicker Park, Chicago, Cho has built a devoted customer community—ranging from denim enthusiasts to casual browsers—serving them with expert in-store repairs and chain-stitch hemming, often personally overseeing them.
- His approach is deeply educational: staff are trained to know the backstory and technical details of every item they sell. Cho emphasizes value over branding, ensuring customers understand garment construction and sourcing.
- In short, Luke Cho is a Chicago-based menswear tastemaker whose decades of background in upcycling, streetwear retail, and denim manufacturing have culminated in the enduring retail concept of Mildblend Supply Co.. He is the creative and curatorial force behind the brand and continues to shape its direction today.
Mildblend Supply Co.
Brick and Mortar
1342 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago IL 60622
Tel. 773.772.9711
Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:00-7:00PM Sunday 12-6PM.
Central Standard Time.
contact@mildblend.com
