Behind the Design

Shopping for clothes is something all of us are accustomed to. We all go through the process of picking up a shirt we like because the design is something that catches our eye. Or we may put down some shoes because the color is one we just don’t like. But have you ever wondered about the designers behind the clothes you find in your favorite stores? Well here at Brooklyn Cloth we took a quick look into the world of graphic design with Conor. One of the few graphic designers for Brooklyn Cloth! We asked him to talk a little bit about himself and about our most recent designs such as the Bicycle Print Woven Shirt, the 90's Party Print Woven Shirt, and the Exploded Pineapple Reverse Print Woven Shirt!

 

 

So Conor, what is your job here at Brooklyn Cloth?

 

“I am a graphic designer and I split my time between Brooklyn Cloth and the NFL”

 

Can you explain the creative process behind the Bicycle Print Woven Shirt, The 90s Party Shirt, and the Exploded Pineapple Shirt?

 

“It’s [the Bicycle Print Woven Shirt] based on a classic bicycle print that our boss peeped on some fabric while he was overseas. [The 90's Party Shirt] Pretty much came from being a child of the nineties, watching a bunch of Nickelodeon as a kid and having a fondness for that over the top explosion kind of style. The Exploded Pineapple Shirt] Pineapples have kind of been trending over the past few years and we were trying to find ways to differentiate ourselves form other companies who were playing with the same ideas. It was a new take on a popular trend – We chose to make it a reversed print* because we haven’t been seeing it around much and we wanted to be different.”

 

*A reversed print is a design term describes the process of printing a design inside a piece of clothing, resulting in a more vintage or distressed look on the outside.

 

 

 

 

What are some challenges you face as a designer?

 

“One of the more challenging parts of designing is taking inspiration from other ideas but still holding on to your own aesthetic. And creating things that you like but still trying to appeal to what the costumer would like is always a difficult thing.”

 

 Can you explain the technical process of creating a design?

 

“We always start by pulling a bunch of inspo including stuff that may not be related, or just a bunch of aesthetics, such as color ways, and line widths. But most of it is just getting the designs out on paper or the computer”

 

Which is your favorite design out of the three above?

 

“I like the 90's print the most. It was something I made a long time ago, and we kind of sat on it until that old school 90's trend kicked back up and it became popular again which was nice.”

 

How long does it usually take for you to come up with a design?

 

“To be honest, it can vary entirely. Quick ideas can take a few hours while other ideas can take up to days and even into weeks with production and everything. The time it takes to design always depends on the final idea and how well you can realize it.”

 

Do you ever get nervous about what other will think about your work(s)?

 

“Not really, not around here. It’s a pretty good culture in the office where everyone is open and no one is nasty about anything. There is a lot of constructive criticism but it’s nothing to be nervous about.”

 

How would you approach a creative slump?

 

“It would be going back to the inspo pictures I pulled, even fine art work or what’s trending on websites. Also just drawing, yeah just sketching out ideas really helps.” 

 

What is your favorite part about being a graphic designer for a clothing company?

 

“I guess it’s the fact that I make artwork for a living and it’s what I’ve always wanted to do with my life.”

 

Lastly, how does it feel to see your work worn by so many other people?

 

“It’s pretty cool. Sometimes it’s really excited, I’ve caught some random people wearing it in commercials and in the street and its nice cause you’ve seen it from the early process and into its completion.” 

 

Check out our previous posts for more inside stories about our brand on brooklyncloth.com. Thanks and hope to see you soon!