This Is Not a T-Shirt

I believe the future of successful branding lies in genuinely bridging the gaps that divide people.

When young people come to me seeking direction, whether in life or career, my first suggestion is to travel. Even if it’s getting on a bus and going three towns up the highway. The fastest way to grow is by leaving your comfort zone.

“Right. As I grow, the company grows. And as the company grows, I grow. Doesn’t that make the work more authentically me than ever?”

As a young man, I’d realized that skateboarding didn’t reward tough guys, popular kids, or athletes. What mattered more than anything was if you could skate. And because it wasn’t a team or competitive sport, nobody cared how skilled you were. It wasn’t about talent. It was solely about how hard you tried. How much fun you had. How down you were. I... See more

It was never our aim to make customers of everyone. We just needed someone. Never underestimate the power of influence in one-on-one encounters. One person’s zeal can arouse a movement and compel a community to action.

The Hundreds had grown so fast that we’d never taken the time to pour the concrete, draw up a sound frame for our home, and implement strategy. We were patching holes with chewing gum, and the cards came tumbling down. One by one, and then all at once.

I remember watching “Gapgate” unfold. It bummed me out. Gap shouldn’t have ceded to vocal Facebook groups. It should have remained in control of its brand, even if it had to fake it. Gap should have dictated what Gap was, even if that meant being defined by amateur design. I understand that companies on Gap’s level are beholden to shareholders and ... See more

Back then, the prevailing media (television networks, newspapers, radio programming) controlled the flow of information. Nowadays, we are the media, and we can reach each other directly and intimately in a faster, smaller world.

My idea of streetwear is that it was born of the streets and is meant for the people. I want to reach as many of them as possible and connect them in the process. That means selling to accessible stores on their level, making quality, time-tested product that holds value, and keeping it at a place where they can get to it.