My nephews spent the last week at my apartment, learning how to live like true bachelors (no money, sucky couch, stay up as late as you want, etc.). While both of them are pretty fashionable dudes, one in particular is very interested in what I do with H1GHER LEARNING. We spent hours discussing things like DEFINING YOUR AESTHETICS and WHY BRANDING IS SO IMPORTANT in an effort to show him why (in my humble opinion) certain brands are as successful as they are. He wants to start his own line so in an effort to minimize his negative outcomes, we spent a lot of time discussing all the non-glamorous stuff most people don’t talk about before they take that leap. Streetwear boot camp, if you will.
In all of our discussions, one of the brands that I wish I would have mentioned was Cleveland based iLTHY®. It’s not that they aren’t “good enough” or anything like that, it’s just that for the vibe my nephew was going for, they weren’t relevant for our particular discussions. Except, in reality they would have been perfect examples of a brand developing and understanding its aesthetic, then subsequently riding that wave of success as high as it could go.
Today was the first time I visited their site in a while and low and behold, these cats are making major moves. How major? Just opening up their own self-branded store is all. Right in the Gordon Square Arts District near Lake Eerie lies the new permanent home base for all things iLTHY®. And seeing as how they don’t wholesale any of their products, you have at least one more way to getting your hands on some of their gear. This video in particular was created by Purple Films and shows some great artwork, good times, and dope products in under 3 minutes. For anyone trying to start there own brand, I hope you find this clip inspirational.
I know I did.
