ABOUT
Oak Brook was founded in 2021 by me, Luke Berg.
Oak Brook was catalyzed by an overflowing closet. I began selling on eBay and Depop simply to clear space, but it quickly became something much bigger.
I grew up in Oak Brook, Illinois, a small town in the western suburbs of Chicago. When I left to study at Carnegie Mellon, I realized how much that small neighborhood had shaped me. Naming the brand after my hometown felt like the perfect way to carry a piece of it with me. Oak Brook is a tribute to where I grew up and the memories that continue to inspire me.
Oak Brook truly found its identity during my senior year at Carnegie Mellon University, when I served as a Depop Campus Manager in Spring 2025. I hosted monthly vintage pop-up shops across campus, selling vintage Carnegie Mellon apparel alongside other secondhand clothing.
Those experiences taught me something important: people weren't just buying vintage because it was old. They were drawn to unique graphics, colorways, typography, and the stories behind each piece.
That inspired the next chapter of Oak Brook.
Instead of solely sourcing vintage apparel, I began designing my own vintage-inspired collections. I then established Oak Brook as an official business and obtained the license to sell officially licensed Carnegie Mellon University apparel.
In Oak Brook's first release in collaboration with CMU, the "Tartan" Sweater Collection, we upcycled one-of-one vintage plaid sweaters into officially licensed Carnegie Mellon apparel. Each secondhand sweater was individually sourced and embroidered, making every piece unique. Inspired by the university's Scottish heritage, Tartan identity, and the individuality of the Carnegie Mellon community, the first release sold out in under 24 hours, and this collection remains our best seller.
We followed with the Upcycled Sweatshirt Collection, where we recreated Carnegie Tech and Carnegie Mellon graphics from the 1950s and 1960s as seen in The Thistle, Carnegie Mellon's yearbook. Once again, these were one-of-one upcycled sweatshirts with screen printing and embroidery on individually sourced vintage blanks.
Most recently, we launched "The Bagpiper" Collection, a collaboration with Carnegie Mellon School of Art student Henry Wang. Featuring an original painting of various Carnegie Mellon elements, the collection highlighted student creativity while continuing Oak Brook's mission of creating thoughtfully designed collegiate apparel.
I hope Oak Brook becomes more than a clothing brand.
I aspire for Oak Brook to be a platform for student artists, designers, and creatives to collaborate, tell stories, and transform their ideas into tangible art. Carnegie Mellon is filled with incredible talent across art, design, computer science, business, and countless other fields. Oak Brook exists to bring those creative worlds together through thoughtful collaborations.
As I think about the future of Oak Brook, I often return to an idea Sal Khan shared in his commencement speech to my graduating class: to leave your own dent on the universe.
This is the beginning of mine.
Luke Berg
Every piece has a story.
