TM: What inspired you to start the brand?

Ha Mai: A combination of boredom and depression. When I worked (as a graphic designer) for various companies and agencies, my creative input was always overlooked, shot down or stored away for another day only to never to see the light of day again. It was very frustrating, draining and was robbing my passion to create.

I was tired of listening to those ‘above’ me and tired of the same day to day routines of a set career. I was worrying that this was gonna be the rest of my life! I needed an outlet where I could totally be myself and have total control of my creativity. That’s when I spontaneously just decided to do my own thing…..a T-shirt brand called Fur Face Boy.

TM: What made you decide to name your brand after your dog, Fur Face Boy?

Ha Mai: I thought that it was a memorable, funny, quirky and random enough name so I just went with it.

TM: You mentioned on your site that you always loved cartoons, are there any specific cartoons that inspired you to start your brand?

Ha Mai: Nope. No specific cartoon. I grew up in the late 80‘s and early 90’s, where I pretty much watched ALL cartoons…
Alvin and the Chipmunks, Super Mario Hour, Pro Stars, Muppet Babies, Ninja Turtles, Thunder Cats, Heathcliff, Garfield and Friends, Hanna Barbara, Tom & Jerry, Video Power, Dungeons & Dragons, Captain N, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Batman the Animated Series, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Freakazoid, Spider-man, Dinosaucers, C.O.P.S, Bionic 6, SilverHawks…you name it, I’ve most likely watched it.

TM: How difficult was it trying to convince your parents that you could make a living from art?

Ha Mai: VERY. To this day, my parents still have no clue what graphic design truly is. I have very traditional Asian parents, so anything outside of mathematics, science and law would never be good enough. As I grew older, they realized that I was kinda good at what I did and more important- that I loved what I did! It took LOADS of explanation, recognition and proving them wrong, but now, my parents are probably my 2 biggest supporters. HALLELUHAH!

TM: What’s the creative process for making a t-shirt design?

Ha Mai: I’m quickly inspired by my surroundings, if I’m intrigued by something I like, I keep it in mind and hopefully I remember to write it down. Next, I loosely doodle / sketch the idea on paper. Then I scan the sketch into my computer and start reworking it with a graphic application, in my case, Adobe Illustrator (I LOVE vector!). After I refine the graphic / illustration to the last final tweak, I create mock-ups and spec guides to submit to my screen printer. They do the rest! (Separating colors, burning screens, and the actual screen printing)

TM: How do you promote your brand and what are your most effective marketing methods?

Ha Mai: Mainly thru my blog and social media sites (twitter, facebook, tumblr). I also mail personalized box sets of shirts to certain boutiques, magazines, blogs and newspapers that I admire. It’s never a sure thing, but the response is pretty good when I do this. Doing events/parties, having random contests (via my blog and social media) and having a mailing list helps too, but the most effective marketing method (IMO) is simply being myself.

TM: What do you hope people feel or notice when they see someone wearing one of your shirts?

Ha Mai: I hope that it intrigues them, makes them smile and makes them want to be apart of a secret ‘super cool kids’ club.

TM: In your opinion, how has Fur Face Boy grown? Has it been a difficult journey?

Ha Mai: The brand has grown so much since I started in 2009. It’s grown from simply working hard and more importantly, just having fun. Basically, it’s grown via me simply living my life. As for if it’s been difficult? Honestly, no…it hasn’t. I take Fur Face Boy VERY seriously, but at the same time I don’t ever try to think too hard about it. I just go with the flow and if I come across a hurdle I try my best to get through it. And if I fail (which I do a lot)? I just learn from my mistakes and keep moving on.

TM: What are some of your favorite brands?

Ha Mai: Pretty much every brand out there. Big or small. I’m a BIG t-shirt fan! My closet is made up of 99.75% t-shirts. I have a mix of alot of today’s labels and many vintage tees. I shop online, at specialty boutiques, Department stores as well as Thrift shops. My T-shirt collection is pretty damn ridiculous.

TM: Are there any other brands or artists that you would like to collaborate with in the future?

Ha Mai: Yes. John Lennon’s ghost.

TM: What are your plans for next year?

Ha Mai: Honestly, I have no idea. I just go with the flow and with what I feel at the current moment.

TM: Any final thoughts for all of your old and new fans?

Ha Mai: It truly astonishes me to see how much this little random brand of mine has grown and there’s zero way it could’ve made it this far without everyone’s continued love and support! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I’m gonna do my best to see just how much further I can take Fur Face Boy! Stay tuned…

For more Fur Face Boy, check out the online shop.

TM: What inspired you to start your brand?

Alan: The desire to produce t-shirts that were different and stood out from the crowd. Also the prospect of being able to work with some amazing and very talented artists was a massive pull to start the collaborative nature of our brand. We’re very proud of our close affiliation with our artists.

TM: Why did you decide to name your brand Dirtyface?

Alan: Dirtyface came from my friend, Lucy. We were just sitting around one day discussing possible names that would work and she bleated out “call it dirtyface”. It just stuck and that was that. Thanks Luce!

TM: How do you decide which artist you want working with your brand?

Alan: The artists we collaborate with are all selected by me. I just choose who I like and admire. There is no rigid selection process, it’s just who catches the eye with original work. It doesn’t matter if they’re super famous or an unknown but more that I like the art and that it will sit well with our brand image.

TM: What do you hope people feel or notice when they see someone wearing one of your shirts?

Alan: There’s a feeling I used to get when I bought a new pair of trainers as a kid. I’d wear them around the house because I was so chuffed that I had these spanking new air max. I guess I kind of want our customers to feel the same when they crack out a Dirtyface for the first time.

TM: How do you come up with these crazy designs for Dirtyface?

Alan: Crazy designs are what we specialize in. When I discuss the plan for the shirt with the artist I pretty much say “go nuts, it’s your shirt”. I only select artists that I like and that produce weird and magical pieces so I guess it stands to reason that the shirts turn out the way they do. We try and not set a brief and that way it allows the project to flow from the artist, without constraints. I think the artists enjoy working with us because of the free nature to the project.

TM: What qualities does an artist need in order to work with Dirtyface?

Alan: Qualities we are looking for are a really professional approach to their work. We’re not really fussed about how they approach it but as long as the finished article shows a high detail of craft then we’re happy. We want originality to the design and so you must have your own style and be able to express that in the shirt. It should also sit well with our brand image.

TM: What’s the creative process for making a t-shirt design?

Alan: Creative process for me is to not specifically work on a design for a shirt. I can’t speak for the other artists but I don’t set out to make a design for a shirt but generally make artwork. Things then evolve and you realize that the piece would sit well on a shirt. Again I think that’s a better way than having a brief to work to as it allows a more organic development to the overall design. You have to be good at working with a limited colour palette, which I’ve always found difficult. Theory One is amazing at working with a small range of colours but still allowing a great depth to his designs. You also have to be good at matching the fabric colour to the pantone refs or the whole shirt will look wrong. That can be a tricky part of the process.

TM: How do you promote your brand and what are your most effective marketing methods?

Alan: We do a lot of online promotion through social media and the like. We also attend trade shows, festivals, art events etc. In fact we’re working on our own gallery event coming up next month. It’s called Dirtyface Ten/Ten and will feature artists from our previous ranges such as: Mr Gauky, Drew Millward, Mr Penfold and DXTR. It will also include new artists to the label such as: The Low Bros, Matt Sewell, Tom Newell and a few more…

TM: What are your 3 favorite clothing brands, besides your own?

Alan: Three favourite brands, tough one! I’d have to say Upper Playground first, simply because they set the way for us smaller brands and Jeremy Fish is simply unbelievable. Addict were also a big inspiration to us and I love the quality of what they produce. Finally, I’ve always quite liked imaginaryfoundation’s stuff. It’s metalness personified but they have a really nice style to their garments.

TM: Are there any other brands or artists that you would like to work with in the future?

Alan: As I mentioned before we’d love to collaborate with Jeremy Fish but I can’t see him being peeled away from Upper Playground to be honest, shame. We’ve always wanted to work with French artist ILK and I think he’ll be part of our next collection if we can afford him!! We’d also like to work with some of the new guys taking part in our exhibition, The Low Bros for example are amazing artists are we really dig their style. They’re getting bigger by the day.

We might have a brand collab in the pipe with a really well established brand but I can’t really tell you about that until it’s developed a bit more.

TM: What are your plans for next year?

Alan: Next year is to go bigger and bolder. Keep pumping out new designs and expand the range. We’ve had a lot of requests for a female friendly collection so that’s a work in progress. We also want to work more on the gallery events like Ten/Ten. It’s a great way to celebrate the brand by bringing all our talent together under one project and allowing them to do something away from clothing design. Oh and a DVD is going to be released of the event so more work of that nature would be really nice.

TM: Any final thoughts for all of your old and new fans?

Alan: Keep an eye on our blog for new projects and lines and thanks for all your support, it’s much appreciated. Feel free to come and say hello at our gallery event during August. Keep it dirtyface…

For more on Dirtyface, check out their website at Dirtyface.co.uk

TM: The brand’s history dates back to several decades ago. Can you elaborate on the beginnings of the great “Topo Ranch”?

Alex Kump: This is the long story short: Topo Ranch was settled by my Irish ancestors who survived the now amazing 5th grade history lesson called “The Donner Party.” In 1843, my great great, great grandfather joined up with the wagon train called the Donner Party in Independence, Missouri and headed for California. After taking a wrong turn, they got caught up in the Sierra Nevada for about 8 months in the snow. Eventually, they were rescued and made it to Sacramento. From there, they made their way down to San Juan Bautista. In 1860, my great, great grandfather, Edward, went out looking for gold and came back with the equivalent of $200,000 (in gold). With that money, they bought the Topo Ranch in King City, CA and began to raise cattle. Eventually, the economy turned south and the bank foreclosed on the ranch in the 1930′s. My great grandfather Edwin Breen stayed on as the head foreman through the 1940′s. Eventually, after my Nana passed away, we ended up inheriting all these amazing photos, journals etc. that inspired me to start my own company.

Here’s the real Donner Party story (cannibalism included) HERE

Some Ranch history HERE

TM: In what ways do you incorporate the ranch’s history in your clothing?

Alex Kump: We use a lot of subtle symbolism. On our t-shirt labels, I’ve included the “Big E” logo which is our old cattle brand. I also try to keep a foot in the past with our graphic design. In our hoodies and jackets, I actually include some patches of my Nana’s or Great Grandfather’s journal entries. I try not to get too attached to it though because a big part of my family’s rise was through the pioneering spirit, which, for me, means I need to come up with great new ideas and stay culturally relevant.

TM: What was it like opening up your first Topo Ranch retail store? Can you give us a briefing on the process for those who might want to do the same one day?

Alex Kump: Eric and I had just invested in a ton of inventory, and we’re trying to get rid of it. We had finished driving across the country, and we had only opened up 20 doors. We got real used to rejection. What we had left for a marketing budget we ended up investing into a store. We signed a 3-month lease, and Eric and I, along with a few good buddies, built the store out. We opened in November (highly recommend) which was great for hitting the holiday shopping season. Things started going well. We thought we were going to close up in February, but the local neighborhood just kept coming in for our t-shirts and hoodies, and we started to build a community. My business partner, Eric, helped start a merchant event on the street called “First Friday’s,” and we started having music those nights and our fans just kept showing up. It’s been a great experience so far.

TM: Was opening the next store easier since you now had some experience?

Alex Kump: Not necessarily. The distance was difficult and hiring a qualified staff was challenging. Managing from afar is always hard. We have a great crew in Boulder right now. Heather, the Boulder Store manager, has a great handle on building community around the store through live music. The great thing about the second store was having a little bit more money to realize the Topo Ranch brand at the store level. It’s also been cool to see how a different demographic reacts to our product.

TM: What are the major differences between running your retail store and running your online shop?

Alex Kump: The online shop is less management. Although customer service is important, it’s all done through email and phone which is easier. At the retail store, you’re really building a close-knit community, and you need to be able to instill that in the people you hire. It’s also a lot easier to post a web page telling people who you are rather than creating a brand experience run by people.

TM: In 2009 you were the official merchandiser for the Sundance Film Festival. How did you hook that up?

Alex Kump: My partner mostly made the connections on that. I believe we made that connection through a trade show. You never know whom you’re going to meet at those events. If you can successfully set up appointments before you do a show, they are usually worth doing. Don’t do it if you have no way of setting up appointments with retail buyers beforehand.

TM: What are your 3 favorite clothing brands, besides your own?

Alex Kump: Eric really likes Paul Smith. He makes great quality clothes with an amazing attention to detail. I grew up in Newport, so my favorite brands tend to go more surf. I was brought into the Quiksilver fold way back, and I have recently been into their Limited sub brand. I’m also a big fan of Jeff Yokoyama and his daughter’s brand Generic Youth – creative hand crafted clothes.

TM: What are your 3 favorite t-shirts you’ve ever released?

Alex Kump: The Topo T-Shirt, Saddle Up and Sun Rise Tour Bus

TM: What does Topo Ranch have planned for 2011?

Alex Kump: Grow wholesale. We’ve discovered that the easiest way to hit minimums with factories and mitigate the risks is to grow your volume through the wholesale channel. Both Eric and I want to open up more retail stores down the road, but it’s usually an expensive proposition. We are focusing on growing volume, brand exposure and building great product this year. The rest will fall into place.

TM: Tell us something not too many people know about Topo Ranch.

Alex Kump: Most people think we are bigger than we are. We’re a small company trying to do big things on a tight budget. We’ve also been around for 5 years now. It takes time to build your brand one t-shirt at a time.

For more on Topo Ranch, check out their website at TopoRanch.com.

TM: When was Make Believe Clothing Co. founded and what inspired you to start the brand?

David : Make Believe Clothing started in December of 09. Brandon and I had met about a year before that through a mutual friend at my record label. He had just moved to Seattle to work for a company called Squad Studios, and I was there working on an album. The fact that we didn’t know each other at all was what sparked the initial idea. we both had a passion for music and design and experience in band merchandise. It was definitely one of those “right place, right time” kind of things.

TM: Where do you get inspiration for your designs?

David : We definitely have a love for Americana, the 50s and nautical designs. As a company, we always want our designs to stand out and be strong on their own. However, its also important that they complement other clothes the buyer already has. (button down shirts and jackets). A lot of brands popping up might have great designs, but may clash with everything you try to pair it with. Subtle designs are key with our company.

TM: Are there any artists or designers who influence you?

Brandon : Andy Warhol and Shepard Fairey are two artists that stick out to me. A lot of their work is very simple but has a huge meaning or message behind it. It’s definitely something we try and incorporate in our clothing and design work as well.

TM: In your blog, you mentioned that you have a moleskin notebook to keep track of all your ideas for Make Believe. Is that a big part of your creative process?

Brandon : I think it plays a huge part in the creative process. Not even with just the clothing line but any kind of art/design project I’m working on. They don’t have to be anything perfect, but it helps to get that idea on to a piece of paper. It’s always a cool process of taking a rough idea and seeing it come to life.

TM: You guys take put in a lot of emphasis on branding. Your various shirt designs have the same overall feeling and you have woven tags sewn on the bottom of each shirt. How important do you think branding is to a t-shirt company?

Brandon : When starting this we wanted to make sure that each line we put out was really cohesive. Even though each shirt is different, as a whole line they play well off of each other. The 3 stars or Make Believe show up on almost every tee but didn’t want people to feel like they were wearing a billboard on their chest. It’s been cool experimenting with different ways to do that.

TM: How do you promote your brand and what are your most effective marketing tactics?

David : Because our company is so new, we are given the freedom to experiment on marketing a little more. of course we do the whole twitter, tumblr, facebook sort of thing, but it has been most effective to get it into stylists hands. a big part of our branding is letting people see who is wearing it and what makes it stand out from other brands as young as we are.
Our shirt was worn by Kristen Stewart on the tonight’s show with Jay Leno a few months back. that has really opened up some doors for us and really gave us the opportunity to go whatever direction we wanted.
We are looking into getting on 7 shows at this year Van’s Warped Tour, releasing a new line this summer and a few limited edition tees. You’ll be able to find out more info on our blog.

TM: Have you collaborated with any other artists or brands before? Is there anyone who you would like to collaborate with?

Brandon : Make Believe hasn’t collaborated with any other brands just yet. We want to try and grow the brand on its own before we decide to work with anyone else. But, our friends Jeremy Beasley and Danny Jones of YASLY helped out on a few of our shirts. They are both extremely talented at what they do.

What are your plans for Make Believe in 2011?

David : Our biggest focus in 2011 is expanding the brand to be something more than a t-shirt company. graphic tees will always be a focus, but we do want to branch out.

For more on Make Believe Clothing, check out their website at MakeBelieveClothingCo.com

TM: When was Creep Street born and what inspired you to start the brand?

B: Creep Street was conceived back in October 2006, when this kid I worked with, named Chip, said “Yo Boris! F*** this sucky 9 to 5, we gotta start something real f****** rad!” Chip & I had a lot in common (weirdos) and we were both pretty much obsessed with bad commercials, ghouls & goblins, 80′s and 90′s memorabilia, TV, music, toys, movies and hood culture. I always wondered what would happen if we mixed our love for the skate culture and our don’t give a f**** attitudes with those elements. Whether or not I was the one who was obsessed with girls and boobs and butts cannot be confirmed at this time.

TM: How did you come up with the name Creep Street?

B: One day, Chip said, “Yo Boris, we gotta come with something like epic, or out of this world, but like dark, crazy, and creepy…” So I said, “Hmmm…YO! I got it! CREEP STREET!”

TM: Where do you get your inspiration?

B: Hmmm… I guess you can call us “creative people?” Creep Street was a combination of both of our personalities. We were both inspired by pretty much all we could remember growing up, and all our current experiences as make-believe adults. That damn “streetwear scene” was really starting to turn into what is today around that time as well, and we felt we wanted of piece of the pie. But we wanted to make cooler stuff for cooler people! Make fun of $#!+ you know? This is a small independently run company on that hustle magic to get funds man, we were inspired to get that money! LOL But seriously, at some point, I knew that since Creep Street was on some different $#!+, I decided to just f*** the pie (get it?) and bake a f****** cake. One like those Carvel ice cream joints sans the nasty ass frosting.

TM: What’s the creative process for making a t-shirt design?

B: Formulate a concept. Write, sketch and organize a buncha $#!+(plan the line out). Then scour my endless supply of collected imagery from being a professional internet lurker, and start putting some ideas together. Then I pray to the the ancient Mayan gods, sacrifice a few animals and naked chicks and hope for a fruitful season.

TM: Who are your major influences?

B: Who? Ummm…I don’t really know. I mean do I name the directors of all my favrite horror movies and TV shows? Freddy Kreuger? Photographers? My grandmother for beating me into who I am today? My two major influences are hot chicks and my friends. Two groups I want the clothes on and I will always go outta my way for (unfortunately usually at my expense). But for real my homies allow me to stay refreshed & focused on creating new creepy stuff.

TM: How do you promote Creep Street and what are your most effective methods?

B: The internet. I think there is this very interesting concept called “sex” that seems to sell well, too. Stupid, I know.

TM: Creep Street has an in-your-face/I don’t give a damn attitude. I can see it across your whole brand- your t-shirt designs, your newsletter, and your blog. How did your brand develop this personality and how important do you think branding is to a t-shirt company?

B: Brand development takes a lot of commitment & time. I focused on really just creating a product I personally liked, and wanted people with the same lifestyles and mentalities to think was awesome as well. A brand is a sum of all its parts, and I wanted to make sure all elements with the Creep Street stamp had its residue of pure filth! Ultimately, branding might be the most important asset a company possesses. Real talk, who the f*** are you unless people know what you stand for? A buncha t-shirts? Creep Street started out to be way more than a T-shirt company from jump street. Only time will tell whether or not we’re gonna become everything we’ve wanted it to be. And more.

TM: Have you collaborated with any other designers or brands? Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with in the future?

B: Hmmm…man I like to keep things secret but I guess I’ll drop a few teasers. I’m not a big fan of that corny ‘Hey let’s drop our logos on a tee and get on Hypebeast with some brand and call it a collab!’ tip. I like collaborating with actual people more than “brands” to be honest. We’ve been working with some cool filmmakers, illustrators & photographers. We got an ongoing sexy thing with Supercult’s Chase Lisbon & Apnea, some super cool shades with Crap Eyewear, and this rad little drop with Lurk Hard Skateboarding, just to name a few.

Don’t really know who I wanna collaborate with in the near future, but if I could do whatever the f*** I wanted it’ll probably be with Howard Stern or something.

For more Creep Street visit the Chopping Mall at MadCreepy.com!

TM: What made you decide to start a label named “Vicious History?”

CM: The idea for Vicious History came together at the very beginning of the planning stages. I’ve always had a passion for clothing design and knew that I wanted to start an independent brand. There are so many different brands out there and I really wanted to find an image that set my brand apart. I have always been a history buff with a small obsession with Napoleon Bonaparte.
I’m in college majoring in marketing but I always seem to fit in a few history courses each semester. It eventually hit me that I should incorporate my love for history into my brand image. Many people can find history pretty boring, so my mission was to hire great artists that could give my design ideas a contemporary feel. That’s basically the philosophy behind Vicious History and I try my best to incorporate that into everything we put out.

TM: What do you hope people feel or notice when they see someone wearing one of your shirts?

CM: I mainly want to spark someone’s curiosity when they see somebody wearing a VH shirt. Many people feel that history is a boring subject and my goal is to give it a contemporary and interesting feel that speaks for itself on our shirts. I try to work with artists and incorporate that message into every shirt we make from the brainstorming stages all the way to the final pressing.

TM: Are you passionate about current politics and world events?

CM: I always try to keep up with current events but that isn’t where my historical passion is. The areas of history that I find most interesting are 19th and 18th century European history. In terms of more current subjects, I am really into secret societies, conspiracy theories and astronomy. These are some of the influences that are going to influence the next VH line in late spring.

TM: Who creates these designs?

CM: I am not a very talented illustrator so I work with freelance artists to create the designs. I like to provide the artistic direction while the illustrator puts it all together in their specific style. I come up with an original concept and then research an illustrator who I feel has a style that can best relate to my ideas. I feel that doing it this way gives my brand a nice mixture or variety of artists and styles that make every release a little bit different.

TM: When did you decide that history would be the main theme of your brand?

CM: Like I said before, the history theme came in the very early planning stages. My main goal was to create something different in the independent clothing world but also being able to relate to my brand on a personal level at the same time.

TM: Besides history, do you have any other artistic influences that you work with or enjoy away from Vicious History?

CM: Besides history, I find photography to be a very big influence in my brand. I constantly visit websites like Tumblr, Flickr and independent blogs when searching for ideas. When I find an image or photo that I like, I save it into a folder that I call the “Inspiration Folder.” Since the start of VH in February 2010, this folder has collected over 40,000 images. When I am planning for a future release, I will sort through many of these photos and write down ideas as they come to me.

TM: Which one is your favorite design and why?

CM: I’m not sure if I can pick a favorite design, but Wild Wolves, Napoleon and Scholars & Thieves are definitely up there. I am obsessed with Napoleon Bonaparte and I was absolutely thrilled to work with Keaton Henson again. Gabriel Gozzer designed Wild Wolves and Scholars & Thieves and I was blown away when I saw the finished product. I feel that Gabriel and I have a powerful artistic connection that allows him to create some of my favorite VH designs yet.

TM: Ever bumped into someone you didn’t know wearing one of your tees?

CM: I haven’t bumped into anyone wearing a VH shirt yet but I am always looking out for one. I have several customers tell me what people have stopped them on the streets to ask where they purchased their shirt. Things like that are what motivates me to keep moving forward with my brand with new and exciting designs.

TM: If you could go back in time and meet a historical figure, who would you choose?

CM: I think it is pretty obvious, but Napoleon Bonaparte. I became attracted to him early on in high school and it has been an obsession ever since. I collect pretty much anything relating to him such as Napoleon Chess sets and copies of rare historical documents. I would really love to just pick his brain to really capture his power hungry mindset. Although it may be intense and frightening, I couldn’t imagine passing up an opportunity to follow him around on his daily routine.

TM: I see you have a zombie Marie Antoinette. Any other Zombie historical figures coming up in future releases?

CM: There weren’t any plans to have anymore zombified historical figures but there have been several requests to bring that style back. Marie Antoinette was one of our best selling shirts and many people want to see it back in the store. Although zombie shirts aren’t on the schedule for the near future, I wouldn’t be surprised if I did something in that style later this year.

TM: Any chance there will be a Vicious History underwear line in the future for those that want to keep their history close to home?

CM: Haha there actually might be! For the summer I want to create some booty shorts for the girls to wear as underwear or maybe to stay cool in the heat. Those will most likely be happening but there aren’t any plans for mens VH underwear.

TM: What’s next in the pipeline for Vicious History?

CM: Next up for VH is our spring 2011 collection. I honestly feel that this collection will be our biggest and best ever. It is going to be a secret society themed release called the “Occultus Collection.” I can’t say much about it now but expect to see that release in late spring.

TM: If the undead rose again and started feasting on brains, what would be your weapon of choice?

CM: The weird part about this question is that I actually think about this on a pretty regular basic. I am a pretty avid gamer who plays a LOT of Call of Duty and Left 4 Dead 2. I personally think sniping zombies from half a mile away would be pretty awesome so that would be my choice, that or a pump action shotgun.

TM: Any final thoughts for all of your old and new fans?

CM: I just want to thank you guys for this opportunity! I never expected VH so grow so rapidly and have so many fans. Your support has helped me continue doing what I love and I hope this never stops. VH wouldn’t be where it is today without you guys!

For more Vicious History, check out their online shop at ViciousHistory.com

TM: How did you feel when you couldn’t get the job because of your tattoos?
TH: I was pissed! I couldn’t believe that someone would be so discriminating. Tattoos have become more and more acceptable it today’s work place. It was unfair and this is my Redemption against “the man”. We will see who gets the last laugh at the end of the day. In a way I’m almost glad it happened because it inspired me to start Redemption.

TM: How many tattoos do you have? Do you plan on getting more?
TH: I have a half sleeve on my left upper arm, wrist tattoos and some on my right upper arm. I plan on finishing my full sleeve on my left arm this year.

TM: Why do you think people are so quick to judge someone that’s different?
TH: It’s more about people fearing what they don’t know. People tend to find what they are doing “normal”. But this is usually farthest from the truth. If we all took the time to understand why a certain person is “this” way or “that” way, we may grasp their reasoning. People may also judge others to distract from their own insecurities or weaknesses. I often use the quote “Judge yourself before you judge others.”

TM: On your site, you mentioned that you helped run another clothing company in the past. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
TH: I helped run a clothing company called Ceerius Apparel from 2003 – 2009. We loved what we did and we had fun doing it. I met a lot of amazing people, like the guys in Conditions and Across Five Aprils. It was a great learning experience!

TM: How do you come up with ideas for your designs? Are they inspired by tattoo art?
TH: My mind is always working. I might hear about how someone was judged or someone judging someone else and I’ll try to flip it into a shirt design. I have a journal I carry around with me all the time for when those moments come about. It’s filled with ideas, some great, some terrible. Most of my ideas are not tattoo inspired. I do have to give a lot of the credit to the designers. They take my rough idea and expand it into something that’s amazing.

TM: I see you use a lot of symbols, like swords and mythical creatures. What do they represent?
TH: Crest: The snake means wisdom and in the military sense, the sword means justice or honor. So a snake wrapped around a sword would translate into wisdom guards or the protectors of justice. Protect Your Heart: The griffin is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the wings and head of an eagle. Griffins are known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions. You must always be on guard of others trying to make you into who they want you to be.

TM: What are your most effective marketing tactics for promoting the brand? Do you only promote online or do use old school methods as well, like passing out flyers?
TH: A little of both. Word of mouth is huge also. One person may tell another and then so on and it becomes a snowball effect. Technology helps out a ton. Social media sites such as facebook are big helpers. Then you have t-shirt blogs to help get my brand reach out to people that may not have heard of Redemption yet. This year I’m making more of an effort to get out to concerts and pass out black & white fliers like I did with my old company. I like to think people like to see the man behind Redemption. I want them to know my story and build relationships with each one of them.

TM: I noticed Matthew Skiff designed some of your tees. How did that collaboration come about? Have you worked with any other artists?
TH: I stumbled upon Skiff on Emptees.com and have been a fan of his work for a while. When I first came to him about doing a design, he was really excited to do something outside of what he normally does and do shirt he would actually wear. I have worked with Kyle Crawford (Authentic, Icon), Derek Deal (Beholder) and SaintGraphic (Script).

TM: Are there any other brands or artists that you would like to work with in the future?
TH: Chazzy from Vicious History and I threw around an idea of collaboration last year. I hope that works out this year because VH is one of my favorite indie brands! I’d also like to work with David Smith and Same Kaufman.

TM: What are your future plans for Redemption?
TH: I would love to be in stores by summer time. I also plan on releasing a new line around that time. I’ve got an idea that could change the t-shirt game for a long time. So be on the look out for that before summer hits.

TM: When was Yellow Velo founded and what inspired you to start the brand?
YV: Well I never intended on starting a brand to begin with. I was working at Marty’s Reliable Cycle at the time, in Morristown, NJ. My boss’s wife finally conceived so I silk-screened bike designs on a bunch of onezies for their then unborn child. My co-workers loved the onezies and asked me to make them t-shirts, so I did, simply out of friendship, and they wore the bike shirts to work. I didn’t even think to start up a t-shirt line until customers started asking my co-workers “Where did you buy that? Where can I buy a shirt like that?”

TM: Yellow Velo is a really catchy name. How did you come up with it?
YV: I was having a hard time thinking of a name until one day this father and daughter came into the store. The little girl must have been four or five years old and she didn’t like me. They were a very well educated family, both being fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Hindi. The little girl refused to speak to me in English or Spanish. Luckily she spoke to me very rudely in French, which I can understand but cannot speak well. She said “Un jaune velo!” a yellow bicycle, which we didn’t have. But she kept demanding “Un jaune velo! Un jaune velo!” Those were the only words you could hear in the shop for a good 20 minutes until I convinced her to get the “rouge velo” (red bicycle). I was impacted by her words, needless to say, and “Un jaune velo!” was stuck in my head. Then it hit me– jaune means yellow in French, and yellow rhymes with velo, the french word for bicycle. So I came up with Yellow Velo. Yellow is also a culturally relevant color among avid cyclists because in the Tour de France, the person who was winning the previous day gets to sport “the yellow jersey.”

TM: Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
YV: I get my inspiration going to bicycle shops and hanging out with cyclists. I ask them questions on trends in cycling as well as clothing. I also look at fashion magazines, cycling magazines and art magazines for inspiration.

TM: Do certain artists or designers influence you?
YV: Illustrator J.D. Rich and other artists from the 50′s such as Jackson Pollock, and Die Brücke.

TM: Do you screen print the shirts yourself or do you outsource?
YV: I silkscreen the shirts myself. Doing them myself, I feel, makes them more exclusive.

TM: How do you promote your brand and what are your most effective marketing methods?
YV: I mostly promote through word of mouth. I go to cycling festivals, art openings and I visit shops, asking them to carry my product.

TM: Do you only sell t-shirts or do you have other types of apparel as well?
YV: One day I’d like to expand to other products like cycling caps, jerseys, saddle bags, etc. Right now it’s just t-shirts.

TM: Are there any other brands or artists that you would like to collaborate with in the future?
YV: I might be collaborating with Mark Jaworski of Vig Tees. And I am doing some work for Awjita, a New Jersey based metal band.

TM: What are your plans for Yellow Velo in 2011?
YV: To expand and sell at other places.

TM: Do you have any words of advice for aspiring t-shirt entrepreneurs?
YV: Get to know your audience. Get to work.

TM: Where can people buy your tees?

YV: Marty’s Reliable Cycle in Morristown NJ
173 Speedwell Ave. Morristown, NJ 07960

Index Art Center Record Shop
585 Broad St. Newark, NJ 07102

“…you can just see light bulbs going on for people and they say, ‘this is like you’re reading my mind! I have been wanting to develop something like this but haven’t been able to!!’.”

TM: How did you go about creating DecoNetwork? What were some initial challenges that you faced in the early phases of doing business?

DN: DecoNetwork is the culmination of about 5 years of development. It was originally called Pikiware and created by PikiCentral. Wilcom has since partnered with PikiCentral to create what is now known as Wilcom DecoNetwork .

The initial challenge we had was that the majority of people in the apparel and custom goods industry didn’t catch the concept of online retailing and the benefits of having an online t-shirt designer for their customers. We spent a lot of time listening and finding ways to better explain the technology and the vision of how it can benefit a business. In the mean time the GFC seemed to have sparked growth in online retail business, especially in the apparel market, proving more resilient than traditional retail. Compared to 12 months ago, this year we have seen an incredible increase in people really seeing the need for selling online and interest in DecoNetwork. People also realize that it’s really hard to try and commission someone to create this kind of technology from scratch!

TM: Is DecoNetwork more catered to t-shirt brand owners, t-shirt designers, or just any body who wants a custom t-shirt made?

DN: DecoNetwork is for everyone from consumer to t-shirt printer. In terms of the people who actually subscribe to DecoNetwork though – this is the person/business responsible for actually creating the products and shipping them out. We call these “fulfillment centres”. They have their own store and they can set up an affiliate network – offering free stores to t-shirt designers or those wanting to sell t-shirts, without the hassles of printing them and managing stock.

Of course, all these stores are designed for the end consumer who wants to order shirts online!

TM: At what point did you realize that DecoNetwork was taking off and on its way to become successful?

DN: The technology and the way people use it is changing so rapidly and we just realized that we have a solution in perfect timing. Just the responses we have when we demonstrate the capabilities of DecoNetwork – you can just see the light bulbs going on for people and they say, “this is like you’re reading my mind! I have been wanting to develop something like this but haven’t been able to!!”. It’s a real game changer for the custom goods and t-shirt industry.

TM: The DecoNetwork seems like an all-in-one service provider for t-shirt brand owners. How do you manage to maintain and handle all of these services? How many people are on the team?

DN: Yes! It’s very comprehensive and aims to cover all aspects of the business from providing a professional website you can manage yourself, to product catalogs, order management, marketing, production and shipping. We don’t have a huge team but we have a very passionate one. There are about 10 people committed to the research and development and then a team of service and support people to ensure people are getting the most from DecoNetwork.

TM: Out of all of the shops on DecoNetwork, what are some of your favorite ones?

DN: Hmm that’s a hard one.  I like Purpose51.com because of their goals for their site – they give 51% profits to charity. I also think that MyVisualpromotion.com is an excellent site. A cool Affiliate store is http://www.mscolbyart.deco-threads.com – cool tattoo inspired tees.

TM: I checked out the many other solutions offered on your main site, Wilcom. Which of these solutions would be best used in conjunction with Deco Network for serious clothing line owners?

DN:Wilcom is famous for our embroidery design software. Since partnering with Corel back in 2007 we now have two fabulous products for multi-decoration design. Whether you’re designing print, embroidery, appliqué, sequins or a multi-decorated design, DecoStudio and EmbroideryStudio are essential for production ready artwork. You can visualise the layers of print and embroidery effects on screen using the best of CorelDRAW and Wilcom combined. Wilcom is used by most fashion labels, sports apparel, right down to the start up or small business user.

TM: What tips can you give to t-shirt designers and brand owners looking to gain more customers for their business?

DN: Just read up on online marketing and e-commerce. It’s such a promising area and perfect for people just starting out or with low overheads. There’s a wealth of information about how to create excellent online stores and build customer engagement. Building trust and making your site easy for your customers are key!

TM: What’s in store for the future of Deco Network? How will you guys keep up with the changing technology and continue to reach new customers?

DN: We are currently pushing forward with an ever-evolving development schedule, we’ve been releasing improvements every two months. The improvements are based on customer feedback through our forums and also looking ahead at technology and what is needed to help all DecoNetwork store owners improve their results.

Wish I could tell you all the things we have planned…

The Thriving Ink shop in Pleasanton, California

“There is nothing better than having someone walk into our shop and look through our hundreds of tees until they find the perfect one.”

BM: When was Thriving Ink founded and how did the business come together?

JD: Thriving Ink was founded in 2007 by my family. We were at a place where all of us knew we wanted to work together and we all wanted to create something. At the time we were just getting into t-shirts and graphics and could not find any information on our favorite pieces or the artists behind them. It seemed like a no-brainer to create a t-shirt company that really highlighted the t-shirt as a canvas and gave you all of the information in regards to how it was created and by who. Our ideas kind of took off from there and we began talking to artists who were totally on board with the idea.

BM: What’s the meaning behind the name “Thriving Ink”?

JD: We were just throwing out ideas for names and I knew i wanted it to be an active word of sorts. THRIVING is such a great word. INK is just a staple of most artists, whether it be digital or actual ink. Plus, it’s just catchy.

BM: I have read that Thriving Ink is a family-run business. What’s it like going to work with your closest kin?

JD: Oh man! Working with family is probably one of the greatest learning experiences. We have found that it all boils down to respect. You have to respect each others ideas, thoughts, suggestions etc. Without respect it would be impossible to work together. There are definitely times that are harder than others but we have a very close family so we always find a solution to our issues and move past them.

BM: Do you print all the t-shirts in the Thriving Ink line yourself?

JD: We print our tees using Storenvy and Oaklandish from Oakland, California. We love to print locally most of the time but send things over to Storenvy when we need something special. Both are awesome to work with. We always recommend supporting your local businesses and that’s why we always try and print through Oaklandish.

BM: Thriving Ink operates both online and offline. What are the biggest differences in running an online shop versus a physical store? Which do you prefer more?

JD: I have to say I prefer running the store more than the online store. Working in the shop allows me to directly connect with the people wearing our tees. There is nothing better than having someone walk into our shop and look through our hundreds of tees until they find the perfect one. I am also able to answer everyone’s questions and tell them about each piece whether it is a Thriving Ink tee or from another indie brand.

BM: Do you plan on opening up any other retail shops? If so, are you thinking of opening them outside of California?

JD: We would eventually love to have more stores both in the Bay Area and beyond.

BM: Your retail location sells an array of products, including clothing and accessories from other companies. Do you plan on expanding the range of merchandise in your online shop to mirror the store in Pleasanton?

JD: Yes! We are currently setting up our very own photography studio in our garage so we can take photos of our new products and put them up on our site right away. Before we would have to schedule a photo shoot, wait to get the photos, upload them to the site and hope we still had inventory at the shop. Now we will be able to get a new product and photograph it immediately and not wait on anyone but ourselves. We are kind of impatient that way. We will soon be adding a line of dresses and tops that are made in Los Angeles that we cannot keep on the shelves here in Pleasanton as well as a selection of brands we carry in store.

BM: From reading your posts on Twitter, I’ve noticed that you often have community events. When did you start doing this, and do you feel that it is part of what Thriving Ink is all about?

JD: We opened a shop not knowing how it would be received here in Pleasanton. We are a small town about an hour from San Francisco and there is nothing like us around. As soon as we opened the doors it became very clear that this was going to be a community hub. We host many events in store that center around art– We have a live artist who comes out all the time to paint in the store. We are lucky to be part of a community that likes to come together and hang out. We work closely with Wente Vineyards from the Livermore Valley to host events in store that help our customers discover Art and Wine and Music in a really cool atmosphere. Our customers are the best!

BM: Can you give us an inside scoop on what Thriving Ink will be up to this year? Are any new artists or collaborations in the works?

JD: This year we will continue to focus on the success of our shop and continue to host community-driven events. We now have a resident artist, Cody Williams, who will continue to create pieces for us. We hope to expand our line to include more locally-designed art and help the community understand the importance of “shopping local” and supporting local businesses.

BM: Do you have any final thoughts to share with the readers?

JD: We would be nothing without our customers. It is not easy starting a t-shirt company and we are so blessed to have a family that can just go with the flow and tweak aspects of our business as needed.

Visit ThrivingInk.com to shop for some cool Thriving Ink tees.

We interview Matt Wigham, co-founder of Big Cartel.

“We had no idea it would get this big, and we have no idea how big it’ll get in the future.”

BM: How did you come up with the idea for Big Cartel and when did the site officially launch?

MW: The idea for Big Cartel came about when I needed a simple way to sell my bands merch online. I wasn’t too thrilled with any of the existing shopping cart systems out there, so being a web guy I decided to make my own. Pretty soon I realized that a lot of my other friends could use this for their bands, tees, art, etc. and Big Cartel officially launched in October of 2004.

BM: How many individual shops is Big Cartel currently home to?

MW: We have a little over 71,000 registered stores right now and we’re growing like crazy. Some of our stores are listed in our directory at: http://directory.bigcartel.com.

BM: Do you recall the first company to ever sign up for a Big Cartel storefront?

MW: I definitely do, it was Rob Dobi of Fullbleed. I’m not even sure if he knows he was the first.

We had a brief beta period where we had a lot of our friends and people we knew using the system, but Rob was the first person we didn’t know to sign up for a paid account on our first day. We couldn’t have picked a better first user either, Rob’s a great guy.

BM: How has Big Cartel changed since its first year? Did you ever think that it would be as widely used as it is today?

MW: The biggest change is that it has gone from a dorky little side project to the flagship product of a company of 6. We had no idea it would get this big, and we have no idea how big it’ll get in the future. The coolest part for us is that we’ve never done any paid advertising for it either, it’s all been from people telling their friends about how much they like it.

BM: What are some of the biggest lessons that you’ve learned from running Big Cartel?

MW: We’re learning new stuff every day, but I’d say the biggest thing we’ve learned is to work on things you love with people you love to work with. You never know what ideas are going to take off and take up all of your time, so be sure you’re working on things you’re proud of.

BM: Are there any new additions and/or improvements in store for Big Cartel this year?

MW: We’re very selective about the features we add, because adding too many features is what complicates and ultimately ruins good products. That said, we’re looking to improve and refine a lot of our existing features (store customization, discount codes, shipping, etc.) and we’ve got some great new stuff on the way too, like the ability to sell digital products (more on that very soon).

BM: Taking both shop aesthetics and product offerings into account, what are your top five favorite shops on Big Cartel?

MW: Oh man, that’s tough. Here are a few off the top of my head, in no particular order:

* Little White Lies – UK film magazine, the best mag I’m subscribed to
* Furni – really great handmade clocks
* Ligature, Loop & Stem – really cool store design
* Boompa -  another really great store design
* Sing Statistics -  great design and great posters

BM: What’s the most interesting item sold on Big Cartel that you’ve come across?

MW: Heh, well the first thing that comes to mind are the really naughty ones. Stuff like a spray to make erections go away, or some really intimidating S&M garb, but I’d say the most interesting might be a diamond encrusted skull.

BM: Is there anything else that you would like to share?

MW: Thanks a lot for the questions. To anyone not familiar with Big Cartel, we’d love to have you check us out at http://bigcartel.com. And to anyone interested in selling digital products, holler at us on Twitter at @bigcartel. Thanks!

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*Finally, Big Cartel themes available for sale at Theme Fiend! Check them out!*

I interview Cashletes co-founder, AJ Camara to get the inside scoop about the brand.

“A ‘cashlete’ is a person who is trained or skilled at money-making and contends for massive wealth on a journey to higher earning.”

BM: When was Cashletes born and where did the idea come from?

AC: I began developing the idea of Cashletes early 2009 and finally launched it by Spring. The brand started as a way to deliver the idea of the competition for wealth in the form of sports inspired merchandise. We’ve always been business minded and were always fans of sports, so the idea of a money themed sports league came natural. The brand also comments on the money side of the sports world; I mean you’ve got hundreds of sports teams tossing around a ball, but what are they really doing? Competing for money! Which is what we all do every day.

BM: For those who aren’t familiar with the term, would you mind explaining what being a “cashlete” means?

AC: A “cashlete” is a person who is trained or skilled at money-making and contends for massive wealth on a journey to higher earning. Anyone who plans on becoming wealthy one day will become a cashlete at some point in their life. If you have no plans of building your wealth and are content with being broke, then this brand is not for you.

BM: In your view, how is money-making paralleled to sports?

AC: The way I see it, the same principles and concepts of sport can be applied to the art of money-making. Five principles of a champion are coaching, teamwork, position, competition, and championship. These exist in both athletics and the practice of building wealth.

BM: I see that there are currently four teams in the Financial Champions League. Could you describe what each one represents?

AC: In general they all represent the same kind of money minded individual. The team names and mascots give an idea of what each specific represent. The Paper Chasers represent those on a constant money chase always looking for ways to make money. The Bank Heads represent those addicted to the bank, whether its going to the bank to cash checks or building on their account balance. The Rushers stands for ‘gold rushers’ and represent those who go for the gold, whether it be their financial goal or material luxuries. The Dead Presidents represent dollar bills and everyone who aims to collect as many dead presidents as they possibly can. Its pretty simple and even a little cheesy but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

BM: Which team do you belong to?

AC: I belong to every team, of course.

BM: How do you decide what to name different teams or what cities they belong to?

AC: We have alot of fun trying to decide on funky names relate to something about each city or state. For example, Bankhead is actually the name of an area of Atlanta, so the name Atlanta Bank Heads fits perfectly. The California gold rush of 1849 was inspiration for the California Rushers. And so on and so fourth.

BM: Do your customers purchase goods for one team or do you see them picking up gear for multiple teams? Along this note, what are your most popular pieces?

AC: Our customers are surprisingly not biased when it comes to the team merchandise. We have people from New York buying Bank Heads stuff, people from Beijing who are fans of the Rushers, and then some people who like every team. Our most popular team has been the Paper Chasers though.

BM: I’ve noticed that Cashletes tees are quite unique in that their size and care labels are stitched onto the outside corner of the shirt. What is the reason behind this unconventional placement?

AC: We draw inspiration from professional sportswear, and if you look at a jersey you’ll notice a label stitched in that same location.

BM:  Do you plan on releasing merchandise for new teams soon? What about other types of products, such as jerseys?

AC: We definitely have new teams on the way. The upcoming summer collection is sure to be full of new team merchandise. Our current collection has products ranging from sweatshirts and jackets to belts and pennants, and we’ll definitely be expanding on that.

BM: Last but not least, do you have anything else that you would like to share?

AC: T-Shirt Magazine readers can get 15% off with discount code “TMAG” over at Cashletes.com, so be sure to take advantage of that!

“…the true test is if you can last through the tough times, take valuable lessons from those times – and make sure to remember those lessons when things are going well again……..Or sell crack.”

BM: Could you state who you are and describe a little bit about yourself and your role at Jeepney?

KR: My name is Karlo Reyes and I am the founder/CEO and Janitor at Jeepney.

BM: When was Jeepney founded? What led you to start the brand?

KR: I owned a design firm before with some of the other owners of Jeepney in 2003 and we were hired to create tees for a company that was going to sell them at a local community festival in Seattle. The person that hired us backed out but we just decided to do the event instead since I already created all the designs. Though Jeepney had a Filipino based name – we wanted to show the world dope and creative apparel but still promote our heritage in a non cheesy way…thus the name Jeepney was born since it applied to the artistic elements as well. We ended up selling out of the tees and getting mad requests for reprints. We made a quick website and started selling online and it just snowballed after that.

Later that year, we then decided to gather up a team and make the business official. None of us had any fashion background but we had hunger and vision on our side. We did our first fashion tradeshow in Las Vegas early 2005, called POOL tradeshow with a lot of brands that you see now including Obey, RVCA, Tokidoki, 10 Deep, etc, etc. Back then, the industry wasn’t as fragmented since categories like “Streetwear” or “Hipster” weren’t popular yet)….That’s when it really changed for us – not just in sales but getting the advice of the other established designers was priceless.

In 2006, we started doing MAGIC tradeshow (largest apparel tradeshow in the US) and that’s when Jeepney became international and was brought into the streetwear world.

BM: Can you tell us how you came up with the name for the brand and what the meaning is behind it?

KR: The Jeepney is a mobile assemblage of signs and decorative motifs found along the streets of Metro Manila. After World War II, surplus American G.I. Jeeps were converted into public utility vehicles and decorated with lavish art and color with each owner’s individual, distinct look.

Today, Jeepney clothing has carried this same concept of expression into the apparel world. Our brand represents a unique style that is universal in appeal and crosses over into a diverse mix of genres in the global street culture market.

BM: Where do you get inspiration for your designs? Do you create the designs yourself or do you have a special team of artists?

KR: We get our inspiration from many places. Everything from pop culture to the staffs dogs gives us inspiration. I use to do more designs but these days I take on the Creative Director role and use a team of talented artists

BM: What are some of the most valuable lessons that you’ve learned since starting Jeepney?

KR: Pressure makes diamonds. Its easy and exciting to get your business going when everything is going well and your making lots of money, but the true test is if you can last through the tough times, take valuable lessons from those times – and make sure to remember those lessons when things are going well again……..Or sell crack.

BM: Are there any brands or artists that you would like to collaborate with in the future?

KR: We’ve done a lot of collabs already but I really want to do one with San Miguel beer. If you don’t know what that is, then your not cool. Just kidding – it’s a Filipino beer so if you’re reading this San Miguel beer executives – let’s do a collab Yo! (Free beer for me!)

BM: What can we expect to see from Jeepney this year?

KR: Scientifically proven sexiness. If you wear a Jeepney tee – you WILL get laid. (Hopefully by the preferred sex). Actually you will see some dope designs that no one is doing right now so just make sure to keep an eye out on our website.

BM: Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for T-Shirt Magazine! Do you have any last remarks that you would like to make?

KR: Make sure to check out shop.jeepneyclothing.com and www.jeepneyclothing.com – it will reveal secrets to life’s questions!

“We’ve accomplished things we never thought we would and met so many great friends, artists and musicians along the way.”

BM: To get things started, would you mind introducing yourself and describing your role at 410 BC?

410BC: I’m Nicole. I’m one of 410 BC’s co-founders. I handle any press correspondence, write most of the blog entries and design for 410 BC.

BM: When was 410 BC founded and how did it all come together?

410BC: 410 BC was founded in August of 2007. We started out hand printing shirts and when people started inquiring about our stuff we realized we could actually launch a website. It was important to us to be able to create a brand that promoted ethical consumerism. When we made the decision to stop hand printing, we went to Blue Collar Press and sourced our shirts from American Apparel, staying true to our mission to produce sweat-shop free clothing. We started out with very little money, saving what we could from summer jobs. As the brand grew we reinvested the majority of the money we made back into the company. We’re still growing, but we’ve definitely come a long way!

BM: Who came up with the name “410 BC” and how did you decide that it was a keeper? Were there several name options before you set one in stone?

410BC: We didn’t really have any options before we chose 410 BC. I think that we just knew that we wanted the name to have some meaning behind it. I was taking a class in ancient Greek Philosophy when I got interested in Greek history. I read about how 410 BC was the date that democracy was restored in Athens, I thought that had a really deep significance, especially considering the political climate at the time. Basically, the meaning behind the date and the ideals we knew we were trying to promote with our brand made a lot of sense, so it stuck.

BM: Your new packaging is absolutely incredible! How did you come up with the idea for the boxes, wax seals, etc.?

410BC: First, Thank you! We drew influence from our new designs, focusing on Victorian Illustration and monochromatic color schemes. We really wanted our packaging to be an extension of our clothing, something that the customers can keep and appreciate on its own and reuse. A lot of people have told us that they reuse the boxes, which we love to hear.

BM: 410 BC recently began selling cut & sew items. Did you come up with and design these products yourself? Will there be even more in the future?

410BC: Yes, we designed the new cut and sew items ourselves and we absolutely plan to have more in the future!

BM: Are we going to see the return of loud, colorful illustrations in future releases (e.g., “Skate Wolf,” “Classic Wolf,” and “From the Black Lagoon” tees)?

410BC: You never know what can happen, but I’m going to have to say, probably not. With our newer lines we’ve tried to return to our roots with simple designs and limited colors. By returning to our roots I think we were able to grow as both a brand and as artists. We’ve definitely found our niche within a design aesthetic that we plan to continue working in.

BM: In your opinion, how has 410 BC grown? Has it been a difficult journey?

410BC: Absolutely. 410 BC has changed and evolved so much over the past 2 years. We’ve learned a lot and at times it has been difficult, but for the most part it’s been amazing! We’ve accomplished things we never thought we would and met so many great friends, artists and musicians along the way.

BM: Where do you see 410 BC in 2010? In 2015?

410BC: I still can’t believe it’s 2010! We never thought we’d get this far. I think we will know when the brand is past its prime, but right now we’re still just beginning. So who knows what’s in store for 2015? I think we would really hope to open a brick and mortar store by that time. Hopefully that will become a reality in the near future. As for 2010, now that we’ve found our niche within a particular design aesthetic we hope to continue evolving within that aesthetic and also branching into other goods as well. We hope to introduce, as I said earlier, more cut and sew items. Personally, I’d also really like to create more accessories for the brand, but I don’t want to give too much away!

BM: Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions. Do you have anything else that you would like to add?

410BC: Thank you for the interview! It was great answering all your questions. I’d just like to say that everyone at 410 BC truly appreciates all the support of our customers, without our customers, we wouldn’t have been able to get to where we are today.

For more 410 BC, check out the online shop! By the way, Check out the 410 BC Commercial!

“…my success is due to my persistence and hard work because I really have been working my butt off for years!”

MC: During your career as an illustrator, designer, and painter, what are the most valuable lessons that you’ve learned? What challenges did you initially face, and how did you overcome them?

CD: The most valuable lessons I’ve learned are to never be shy about my art. The only way to succeed is to believe in yourself, and to show the world what you’ve got, while being humble about it at the same time. Network, network, network! Get out there, get to know people, chat them up. It is all about getting to know people, and in a lot of ways, about making friends. My biggest challenge was everyone’s negativity: initially my parents didn’t want me to go into comics, since they couldn’t see how it could give me a sound financial future. Then my teachers also advised against comics, and one teacher even told me I was a bad painter. I overcame them with dogged persistence! I never gave up. I never lost sight of my ultimate goal. I simply went for it and have never looked back.

MC:  Would you give credit for your success more to your experience at Capilano College, or were you more of a self taught artist who developed her skills outside of college?

CD: That is actually a tough question because I didn’t learn how to draw comics, how to tell a story in images, or the manga style at Capilano College. I didn’t learn to paint there, either. BUT I did learn a ton of useful skills and concepts that made me a better artist. I owe a lot of my design skills to them, and of course the use of computer programs like Photoshop. But truthfully, my success is due to my persistence and hard work because I really have been working my butt off for years!

MC:  How did you make the transition from being a successful comic book artist to becoming a successful painter? Did you leverage the knowledge and connections you gained in the comic book industry to help you succeed as a painter?

CD: Actually the two things are completely separate and I haven’t given up one for the other. I will continue to do both, simultaneously if possible. I have been drawing and painting ‘together’ all these years. I’ve definitely leveraged skills from both disciplines and crossed them over. One of the most notable of these is the story telling in comics, and since I love that aspect, I try to tell a story in every painting. This is why each painting has several elements, and why you can read three or four emotions simultaneously in every girl’s expression.

MC: Why did you decide to start selling t-shirts and hoodies with your designs on them, after a career as a painter and comic book artist?

CD: I absolutely LOVE merchandise! And I love having my images on merchandise. It makes me so happy. It’s like Hello Kitty everywhere, and I think that Sanrio is a model to emulate in that way; in the way they’ve spread their cute characters and made so many people happy. To me, spreading my art onto products is a natural extension of my art and clothing is one of the most fun and creative products to extend into. Clothing (or fashion) is how you can express yourself, and your individuality and it is also another expression of art itself, so it is a perfect mix for me!

MC: What marketing tactics do you use to promote your online shop? Do you rely mostly on people who already know about you through your artwork to buy from you, or do you reach out to expanding your fan base beyond your existing art fans?

CD: So far I’ve relied on the people who know my artwork to buy from the online store. I also attend a few conventions (anime, comic, etc.) in different cities, and that helps to grow my customer base as well. I’ve only just begun a real expansion of the online store and product offering, like this new clothing line, for example. Now I feel that I can try to reach a wider audience because I have a proper product lineup. And I’m doing this through specialty blogs and interviews and also through social media like my fanpage on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

MC: In your about page, it states that you’re “part of what may be the first art movement in Western History where women are not second-class citizens, but have an edge in the mind of the public especially when it comes to capturing the essence of the modern woman.”  What exactly does this statement mean? How does it feel to be part of this movement?

CD: This statement is really cool because it there are a lot of amazing, talented and visionary female artists in the edgy lowbrow/pop surrealism genre that I paint in, and we mostly paint women or girls. Some of these are Lori Early, Sas Christian, Audrey Kawasaki, Kukula, Silvia Ji, Stella im Hultberg, and so many more. Each of us has a different style, but generally speaking we all infuse a lot of emotion, sensuality and beauty into our girls. Men have dominated highbrow art for centuries, but there is such a huge difference when a woman paints a woman. I’m thrilled and proud to be part of this movement because I know we’re changing people’s perceptions of art, artists, and maybe even making a little history.

MC: What can we expect to see from Camilla in the future? What upcoming products and projects do you have in the works?

CD: I’m going to be concentrating on my comics a lot and towards the end of 2010 I’ll get back into painting my full color pieces. The first half of 2010 I’ll be working on the pieces for my solo show in Rome, which opens June 5th, and on some client work that I can’t disclose right now, but is very exciting! I’ll also be working on Tanpopo 3, the continuation of my self-published series. I plan on publishing two per year, until the final 10th installment. I’m really going to clamp down and try to focus as much time as possible on comics and paintings though. I want to get away from illustration and give myself over entirely to these two disciplines that mean so much to me. Two shows I will be a part of soon are the He-Man show in Los Angeles, at Gallery 1988 that opens January 8th, and a show for the Olympics, at the Ayden Gallery in Vancouver in February.

MC:  So what in-depth advice would you give to other people who want to work creatively for a living and leave an ordinary 9-5 job lifestyle? What are some steps in making this happen?

CD: This is a very personal question, because everyone’s life situation is different. But what’s always the same, I think, is that there is a fear factor; fear of the unknown, and leaving what could be a comfortable salary. You have to learn self-discipline so that you keep yourself on task, and you have to self-motivate, and manage yourself closely. What’s important is that you have a very clear idea of what you want to do when you leave the 9-5 job, and possibly start by doing your new creative work on the side, so that you have the safety net of your salary. Once you’ve dipped your toes into the creative waters, and you feel more comfortable doing this kind of work, and you’ve established a network (of friends, clients, mentors, etc.) you’ll have to dive in, cut that cord! There is never a perfect time to do it, so it requires a leap of faith. But if you’ve worked on the creative stuff already and sewn the seeds for the future, you’ll be able to take one step forward at a time, and plan continuously from there.

You can’t know exactly how it is going to be in at the start, so you have to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances. Definitely be sure that you know what you’re doing, in terms of your core (creative) competencies and that you’ve done research to make sure that there is a market for what you want to do, who the competition is, and what makes you different. That will be what helps you differentiate yourself from the others, and will be a selling point, whether you’re creating a product or simply selling yourself.

For more on Camilla D’Errico and her art work, visit her website, Camilladerrico.com.

MC: You started your career as a web and flash designer, right? How did that lead to you starting WilloToons?

WO: My design work stems from being an artist at heart. Fortunately, in addition to having corporate web, flash and graphic design clients for the last seven years, I’ve also maintained a fairly consistent clientele for my custom illustration work. Which I have to admit, is where my real passion lies. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to have my illustrations on products of all kinds, so launching WilloToons was the realization of that dream. Plus, so much of the design work I had done was online, in the virtual world, so I really found myself longing to create something tangible. A product, featuring my illustrations and ideas, that I can hand to someone and they can wear or give it to a friend.

I love music, and I’m a web geek, so to combine that with my love for cartoon illustration, seemed like the perfect idea for my line: WilloToons.com – where geek meets rock ‘n roll!

MC: So you sell t-shirts for men, women, toddlers, kids, and babies. When you launched WilloToons, what products did you start off selling? How did you then decide to move to selling all of the products that you sell now?

WO: I actually started out with the men’s, women’s & baby lines right out of the gates. As well as jewelry (earrings and necklaces), buttons and greeting cards. Since then I have added the toddler sizes (for kiddos up to 6 years old), due to popular demand for larger sizes.

While I will always have adult tees, moving forward I’m actually focusing largely on WilloToons Baby for the next year. I’m transitioning the line to 100% organic cotton and eco-friendly silkscreening, and opening it up for wholesale to retail stores. The baby gift sets (which include a onesie, pants and bib or hat) are a huge hit. Plus all my packaging is recycled, as well as recyclable and/or biodegradable.

MC: Who’s your target market and what methods do you use to reach those potential customers?

WO: My customers are either having babies themselves, or have friends and family having children. They love finding fun, unique alternatives to the overly pink or mainstream Disney, and take pride in supporting companies who have an integrity and awareness about the environmental issues we face today.

Through my website and blog on WilloToons.com, followers of @WilloToons on Twitter and Facebook friends and fans, I have successfully marketed my line and spread the word about my website. Twitter is one of the main referrers to my online store, and is responsible for the majority of my online sales, both domestically and overseas. Thanks to Twitter’s global reach, WilloToons orders have shipped to Canada, Ireland, India, France, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and Netherlands. My fans and followers are both customers and advocates, promoting my products through their own blogs & social networks, as well as being loyal, repeat buyers themselves.

In the traditional marketing arena, I’ve been very successful doing fairs and independent markets, selling to consumers directly. Throughout this sales cycle, I’ve leveraged my existing client base and store relationships as a focus group, regularly collecting feedback and data on what characters and style/color combinations sell and which don’t. My new organic line has factored in these constructive suggestions; nothing beats talking directly to a customer and figuring out his/her wants and needs firsthand.

MC: I see you also sell jewelry. How do you go about getting your jewelry produced? Are the pieces handmade or mass produced?

WO: Making jewelry started out as a crafty hobby, but took me by surprise how much I fell in love with it. Basically I make jewelry that I myself would wear. I like simple, delicate, unique designs. I’ve coined it “Rockin’ Jewelry for Crafty Ladies.” I don’t actually cut, mold or solder the actual pieces, but I keep my eye out for unique pieces, order a few at a time, and put them together by hand myself.

MC: From reading your blog, it looks like you have a fun and interesting life. What are some cool stuff you enjoy doing outside of WilloToons? Do these activities you do outside of your business influence WilloToons in any way?

WO: Well, I am a pretty avid music fan, and I go to a lot of shows here in San Francisco, hence the “rock ‘n roll” in my tagline. I have an awesome (huge) group of friends here, amassed between the tech and music worlds, so there’s always something going on. We’ve been known to gather 60+ for a ballgame, or completely take over bars on a quest to score a certain Foursquare badge.

In terms of if my personal life & good times out on the town with friends affects my business? Absolutely. My friends have been amazing supporters of my business from the very beginning, and I’ve found any new friends I meet often become new customers at some point, too… or at minimum spread the word about WilloToons.

Where I see this the most is at the local events & craft fairs. At every one, I’ve had handfuls of friends stop by, say hi and buy something. In fact, even when I did the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair earlier this year, it coincided with Internet Week NY and I had about 30 friends stop by my table! I loved that, considering I wasn’t even in my hometown.

WilloToons is very much *me* and my personality. Therefore, if you are geeked on the internet, music, or simply all things cute & unique – you’ll most likely get me and like the line I produce. Which means I can write off all my bar tabs, right? haha

MC: What’s in store for the future of WilloToons?

WO: Well, while I launched WilloToons in 2007, I feel like I only really got serious about making a living off of this business at the beginning of this year (2009). I still do some freelance illustration & design work, and have even moved into doing some social media consulting and speaking gigs, but for the most part have been trying to work WilloToons full-time.

At the end of 2008, I was awarded a grant enrolling me and my business into Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center’s Incubator Program, which has included office space in SOMA, as well as one-on-one consultation with business, marketing and finance professionals. I’ve now written a business plan, and am raising funds to take my business to the next level.

This will first and foremost entail streamlining my manufacturing and lowering my COGS so that I can move more into the wholesale market. Over the last few years I have had my line in a few stores locally, but haven’t quite been ready to expand it further until recently. Launching my new organic/eco-friendly line in August also marked my finally opening up my wholesale applications for retail stores. I’m really excited. It will be interesting to see where the next year takes me!

MC: What made you decide to follow in the footsteps of Jason Sadler (of I Wear Your Shirt) and become the ‘Las Vegas Stripwalker’?

DS: When I first saw IWYS this summer I was so thoroughly impressed with Jason’s idea and I kept thinking about how cool it would be to try something similar. Besides, I am always looking for some clever and fun way to supplement my income. I currently jog about 9 miles a week and have for years, and I was born and raised in Vegas, so it all came to me one night while watching TV — why not combine all of it and get paid to do stuff I enjoy? And thus Las Vegas Stripwalker was born.

MC: Do you know Jason Sadler personally? If not, do you plan on meeting him soon?

DS: I do not know Jason personally, but when I launched Stripwalker at the beginning of September I emailed him and introduced myself. I let him know that while I am basically copying his idea, I did add a unique twist to it and had every intention of giving him all due credit as the originator (which I do on my FAQ page, and also whenever I am asked about the idea). He said that he appreciated how I set things up and asked only that I do not go after his clients (which apparently others before me have tried to do). I never had any intention of doing that and I assured him that I was a copycat, not a thief He wished me success and offered a little advice on selling to the Vegas market. As for meeting him, sure, I’d love to. I told him to give me a shout if he’s ever in Vegas.

Being seen as a copycat was one of the main obstacles I wrestled with when deciding to launch Las Vegas Stripwalker. I have been an artist since I was a kid (drawing and painting) and have worked in advertising and marketing on the creative side for 17 years, so I am painfully aware of the challenges associated with positioning “copycat” brands. But after thinking about it, I realized that Burger King and McDonalds co-exist, as does Coke and Pepsi and countless other brands. In the end I decided that I could live with being called a copycat as long as I was actually adding unique value to the idea (which I am). It helps greatly that Jason is as cool as he is and gave his “blessing”. I have nothing but mad respect for him and his brilliant idea.

MC: Were you involved in the t-shirt industry, in any way, prior to starting Las Vegas Stripwalker?

DS: I have been doing graphics since 1992 and in my time have done my share of  t-shirt designs, mostly for clients. While I have never personally printed a T-shirt with my own bare hands I have worked with many T-shirt
shops and am well-versed in the process.

MC: How do you promote your “human billboard” services? Do companies come to you through your marketing tactics, or do you contact other companies directly about it?

DS: Both. The majority of sales at the moment are coming from Twitter and Facebook, as well as word of mouth from my own contacts. I am currently in the process of ramping up direct contact with potential clients so I expect that effort to start bearing fruit any time now.

MC: What challenges do you expect to face, once you officially start wearing other people’s shirts and walking the LV Strip?

DS: I am looking forward to the creative challenge of taking the same basic premise (The Las Vegas Strip) and spinning it differently 365 times to promote my sponsors. My wife is pretty creative, as are many of my friends and colleagues, so I already have some good ideas and good people to bounce them off of to get me started. Beyond that all other
challenges are purely logistical (i.e. scheduling, technology, weather, etc.), but I am pretty scrappy and resourceful, so it basically comes down to controlling what I can and improvising the rest.

MC: How long do you plan on being the Las Vegas Stripwalker? Are you going to continue beyond the year 2010?

DS: For right now 2010 is the goal. Obviously if there’s enough interest for 2011 then I’ll keep it going, but for now my focus is on 2010.

MC: What tips do you have for other people who want to make their ideas come to reality?

DS: Persistence. Persistence. Persistence. Did I mention persistence? My art teacher in high-school told me that if I felt strongly enough about an idea that it was my duty as an artist to express it, if only to get it out of the way for the next idea. They can’t all be gems and that’s okay, but the key is to just keep going. Also, keeping a positive attitude is
paramount, since you will inevitably run into opposition and resistance to your ideas. I have a quote from Einstein above my desk that says “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre
minds.” That’s not to say that I am necessarily a great spirit or that people who disagree with me have mediocre minds, but it helps me to keep in perspective the fact that being creative is all about taking risks, which is something not everybody is willing to do.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with a quote an artist friend of mine, Jayson Warnock, told me many years ago regarding the creative process: “When asked how he was able to create such an exquisite sculpture of a dragon, the sculptor replied, ‘It was easy. I just chipped away everything that didn’t look like a dragon.’”