Lucali Capsule Collection

Trailblazers shaping the city’s culture.

ft. Mark Iacono

Born and raised in Brooklyn's Carroll Gardens neighborhood, Mark Iacono frequented a candy shop on Henry Street as a child. Steps away from his home and elementary school, the childhood favorite eventually closed. Iacono reinvigorated the space in 2006, making it his own with a restaurant rooted in unfussy, trend-resistant Italian food. Combining the names of the former confectionary's owner Louie and his daughter Kali, Iacono dubbed it Lucali.

Nearly two decades later, the pizzeria has become a favorite of tourists and locals alike. Through celebrity visits, social media fame, and press buzz, Iacono has preserved the level of quality and authenticity his restaurant was founded on. His achievements and Lucali’s cultural impact encapsulate the passion and drive that define New York.

Ahead of the launch of our capsule collection with Lucali, Iacono invited us to his iconic eatery, located blocks away from rag & bone’s Court Street outpost. From an uncharacteristically silent kitchen that would be bustling just hours later, Iacono delves into his roots in the neighborhood, relationship with New York, and intent behind keeping Lucali first come, first served.

Why open Lucali on Henry Street in Carroll Gardens?

I wanted to open up my own business and it felt natural to do it on the block where I grew up. I played stickball and every other childhood game under the sun on this block. My father did too. He was born and raised right across the street from the restaurant.

What is your favorite memory in the kitchen?

It’s not so much in the kitchen. It’s coming home from school and seeing my grandmother hunched over the stove cooking for the family.

What’s your secret to making such a big cultural impact with food?

That wasn't my intention. I was unaware of the pizza fanatics out there. Ignorance is bliss and it just happened. I had no clue Lucali was going to turn into what it’s turned into.

Why is it so important to you to maintain the no-reservations policy you founded the restaurant with?

It gives anyone who wants to eat here the opportunity to do so. All you have to do is get here early enough and get in line.

The city has changed so much since you were a child, how has your relationship with it evolved over time?

I just roll with the punches and take it as it comes. A true New Yorker knows how to pivot and adapt to situations. You really need to be bad ass to live here. New York is for a special type of person.