From Paradigm Fall 2021, issue 6.3
Branded
The vendors have become as integral as the music and the food at shows these days, adding ambiance and ambition that gives new meaning to the word ‘merch.’ Meet the latest set of labels vying for real estate in your closet.
(L-R) PHOTOS COURTESY OF @_CHEWYALEGRIA, ASHLEY TREJO, @L0RD_SAVI0R777
PCP.CO
Founder: David Garcia
Founded: 2016
Headquarters: TVA Headquarters (Carson/Compton, Calif.)
Brand Name Origin: I started the brand as a freshman in Compton College. I wanted to choose a food that most people enjoy. I was thinking either tacos or pizza. The creme pie part came from oatmeal creme pie cookies. I would always be skateboarding with the homies, and we’re all straight out the hood. Anyways, I had a friend that loved honey buns and oatmeal creme pie cookies. You know, the ones with the filling. We’d usually be four deep, and he would always be willing to split it up into four. As an adolescent, that meant a lot to me. This dude hardly had anything, and he would break it even with all da bois. My friend ended up getting into legal issues and getting deported. This was around the time I was thinking of the name for my brand, Pizza Creme Pie. As a tribute to my friend, I added the creme pie part cause I really looked up to him. I was able to get him on his feet through some DIY sales. It’s a trip how far we’ve come.
PHOTO BY CHEWY ALEGRIA (@_chewyalegria)
Why You Started the Brand: I started the brand because I wanted to start a T-shirt business. I’m an entrepreneur, straight from the slums. It’s really easy to fall into gangs, drug usage and doing bad shit to get by (can you curse on here? Fuck it, why not?). I literally live in a city where there’s countless amounts of gun shots, sirens, graffiti, candles on the corners, crooked cops and burnouts on a daily basis. I just knew I didn’t want to go down a path where I didn’t reach my maximum potential. Creating a T-shirt business, or any kind of business for that matter, was more valuable to me than doing some quick money schemes and doing people dirty. I started the brand honestly to have people rep a pizza on their shirt! I started my first design on a skateboard. I grabbed a blank skateboard, a pencil, started sketching it out and went ham with a Sharpie and Deco markers my brother let me borrow. (Thanks Erik!). After that, my brother helped me upload it to the computer and I got a T-shirt press, Googled shit and figured it out. I probably broke even and stopped making tees for a minute. Then I met Papa Rick through a mutual family friend. I bugged Uncle Rick for years, until he was down to help me screen print some tees and hoodies. Boy, did the company hit different. I appreciate you very much.
Most Popular Item: Our most popular item are our hoodies. Especially our Halloween Drop. Man do those go by fast! Quick side story, I was first learning how to make a website for the brand and it was in the beta version. I wanted people’s feedback and wanted to make sure everything was on point before I released it publicly. The link must’ve hit different people in a matter of hours. I sold out of my entire inventory in less than 24 hours. Poor site wasn’t finished Haha!
“I’m an entrepreneur, straight from the slums. It’s really easy to fall into gangs, drug usage and doing bad shit to get by.... I literally live in a city where there’s countless amounts of gun shots, sirens, graffiti, candles on the corners, crooked cops and burnouts on a daily basis. I just knew I didn’t want to go down a path where I didn’t reach my maximum potential. ”
Ultimate Goal For the Brand: My ultimate goal for my brand is to bring a smile to someone’s face and eventually make a skateboarding company out of it. My passion is skateboarding and giving back to my community. I want to show people that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, as long as you have a goal in mind and the dedication to keep trying after failure, you can achieve anything!
What’s Next: We’re vending Oct. 2 (Hardtober Fest)
PHOTO BY CHEWY ALEGRIA (@_chewyalegria)
and Oct. 15 (Night of The Living Punk/Halloween Show)
We have been in contact with this skateboarding company that gives out to the skateboarding community all around Southern California (@ifskateco). They host these events called SUS Sundays (check them out). I’ll be posted with them every weekend!
Dropping a Halloween Collection:
New hats and beanies. Get yo head right. Hoodies, slappies, 3D prints, fingerboards, T-shirts, crop tops, booty shorts.
Send us a DM. We like exploring new ideas.
Collab with da homie TVAORDIE (@tvaordie). Stay posted!
Thanks for having us. Come by and say wud up.
KEEP IN TOUCH
▶ INSTAGRAM: @pcp.co
PHOTO BY ASHLEY TREJO
ALL BITE NO BARK
Founder: Daniel Morales
Founded: 2020
Headquarters: Carson
Brand Name Origin: From the saying “you’re all bark and no bite,” meaning you’re all talk and no action. A big example and influence was from the movie Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino in the scene where one of the characters (Mr. White) is yelling and talking shit to Mr. Blonde. Mr. Blonde calmly says, “Are you going to bark all day little doggy or are you going to bite?” All Bite No Bark.
Why You Started the Brand: I originally started off as a graphic designer under Art Crimes Creative. I was designing logos for customers and after some time I had some ideas for t shirts that I wanted to put out and one of the first ones was the All Bite No Bark tee. It almost instantly sold out. I made a couple other tees after that but didn’t do well and everyone kept asking me when I was restocking the ABNB tee. People seemed to love the message that the design had so I decided to continue the clothing line as All Bite No Bark.
Most Popular Item: Our most popular item is our original All Bite No Bark tee with the Doberman on the back.
Ultimate Goal: The goal for the brand is to be used as a platform to encourage and motivate people to do things in all aspects of life, (home, work, gym, etc.) without self doubt. Without the fear of failure. Not just talking about doing things, but getting things done through action. Whether you’re planning on starting a business or getting back to the gym or being a better parent/partner or asking your boss for a raise. I want this brand to inspire people to see that they themselves have the power to go beyond their own limitations. To strive for constant growth.
KEEP IN TOUCH
▶ INSTAGRAM: @abnbclothingco
“The goal for the brand is to be used as a platform to encourage and motivate people to do things in all aspects of life, (home, work, gym, etc.) without self doubt. Without the fear of failure. Not just talking about doing things, but getting things done through action.”
SATAN’S SPAHN DESIGNS
Founder: Ricardo Rodriguez
Founded: 2019
PHOTO BY @L0RD_SAVI0R777
Headquarters: Harbor City, Harbor Area
Brand Name Origin: In the summer of 2019 I had the first half of the name in mind, “Satan’s,” which alludes to the “metal/punk” influence in the T-shirt designs. In July of 2019 I watched Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and mentioned was “Spahn Ranch,” the Manson cult’s headquarters. Spahn (pronounced like ‘spawn’) is a great double meaning. The wacky behavior of the family during trial and Charlie Manson in jail interviews is the silliness I had in mind. MK Ultra was a hell of a program.
Why You Started the Brand: I started Satan’s Spahn because I wanted T-shirts that represented what I was into with a bit of a fun side. Growing up, I dug the silliness of “I’m with stupid” type shirts. At the same time, band tees were and ARE the epitome of fashion and sophistication. What pushed me into putting my idea into motion was the allure of creative freedom, which isn’t always the case in a band. Notably, the art of screen printing stimulates my desire to create just as much as writing a filthy riff.
Most Popular Item: The most popular item is the “Gnarlie Manson/Ben Davis tee,” the first T-shirt to be released.
Ultimate Goal: The ultimate goal (short term) for Satan’s Spahn is to get a crisp picture of someone, wearing a Satan’s Spahn shirt, delivering or receiving PUTASOS in the pit of a bangin’ lineup. The thought of a Satan’s Spahn shirt being a part of a person’s night involving “mayhem, desmadre, putasos y tacos” makes me feel fuzzy. The ultimate goal for Satan’s Spahn is to continue to create bangin merch with a bit of silly and to grow beyond the Harbor Area/L.A. County. SATAN’S SPAHN! JOIN THE CULT!!!
What’s Next:
• 10/2, Bilo & Bighead’s Birthday Show
• 10/2, New T-shirt “Satan’s ‘Spawn’”
• 10/16, San Diego Metal Swap
• 10/16, new sweatshirt
“Growing up, I dug the silliness of ‘I’m with stupid’ type shirts. At the same time, band tees were and ARE the epitome of fashion and sophistication. What pushed me into putting my idea into motion was the allure of creative freedom, which isn’t always the case in a band.”
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▶ Inflection Point: An Interview with Harbor Area Hardcore Band Deviated State