Essentially, "Crockstar" was a nickname bestowed upon me by a good friend of mine during my undergraduate career at the University of North Carolina. This name stuck nicely and it was coined right around a period in my life when I was experimenting with art as a method of relieving stress. After buying one too many pair of sneakers on a limited budget, and realizing how much it costs to get custom kicks made up, I decided that it would be a smarter investment to buy a pair of Air Force Ones in All White and some leather paints, do some online research... and try my own hand. The outcome of this experiment was the below:
Excuse Image Size/Quality... Don't Have OrginialThese "Crock-Airs" as I liked to call them, were the first item I knocked out to carry the "Crockstar" nickname. Though this project was a nice experiment and the kicks were well received I found the work too tedious for the outcome (as it turns out it would have been cheaper in terms of Labor to just have someone else make them for me).
Fast-forward three years to March 2009, Still, with an extreme weakness for fresh kicks and dope designs I found myself extremely frustrated with my studies and in need of a creative outlet yet again. My passion was for development, but every time we read about the new "caveat" to international economic development and poverty reduction there was another author who discredited everything positive that had been published. Worn out from the "same-old story" about the hopelessness of economic development as an ends of an entire profession/industry I took heed from the likes of William Easterly and gave up trying to help others plan their way out of plight. I decided that I could employ my love for design and clothing to SEEK out a better solution. I intend to focus my efforts to do as much good for as many as possible.
I will certainly not pull the "developing world" out of extreme poverty, nor do I aspire to do so single handedly. I do, however, hope to meet cool people, help talented artists who might not other find a market for their work, and ultimately provide fresh and comfortable clothing that is unique enough to attract to a broad (though specific) audience. It is my hope, that more people will do what they do best (or enjoy most) and be conscious about ways in which they can help others. I'm not convinced that "professional" development is helpful for most poverty stricken communities. I am convinced, however, that there are creative people in every country and every slum who, through the right avenues and with a bit of luck, can help themselves and help others while they do so.
Crockstar is about doing the most good with what I've been given. Crockstar is about dope fashion, trendiness, and creating garments that are as unique as those who hope to wear it. Crockstar is about finding a spot in a crowded market: combining the comfort and design-focus of streetwear brands and the "cosncienscious" consumer who cares as much about what is on their shirt as where it came from and where the money goes.
Crockstar is about sustainability, it's about helping others, but mostly it's about "being fashionable" and being a "global citizen" at the same time. These ways of living do not need to be mutually exclusive.
Welcome to Crockstar.
Fast-forward three years to March 2009, Still, with an extreme weakness for fresh kicks and dope designs I found myself extremely frustrated with my studies and in need of a creative outlet yet again. My passion was for development, but every time we read about the new "caveat" to international economic development and poverty reduction there was another author who discredited everything positive that had been published. Worn out from the "same-old story" about the hopelessness of economic development as an ends of an entire profession/industry I took heed from the likes of William Easterly and gave up trying to help others plan their way out of plight. I decided that I could employ my love for design and clothing to SEEK out a better solution. I intend to focus my efforts to do as much good for as many as possible.
I will certainly not pull the "developing world" out of extreme poverty, nor do I aspire to do so single handedly. I do, however, hope to meet cool people, help talented artists who might not other find a market for their work, and ultimately provide fresh and comfortable clothing that is unique enough to attract to a broad (though specific) audience. It is my hope, that more people will do what they do best (or enjoy most) and be conscious about ways in which they can help others. I'm not convinced that "professional" development is helpful for most poverty stricken communities. I am convinced, however, that there are creative people in every country and every slum who, through the right avenues and with a bit of luck, can help themselves and help others while they do so.
Crockstar is about doing the most good with what I've been given. Crockstar is about dope fashion, trendiness, and creating garments that are as unique as those who hope to wear it. Crockstar is about finding a spot in a crowded market: combining the comfort and design-focus of streetwear brands and the "cosncienscious" consumer who cares as much about what is on their shirt as where it came from and where the money goes.
Crockstar is about sustainability, it's about helping others, but mostly it's about "being fashionable" and being a "global citizen" at the same time. These ways of living do not need to be mutually exclusive.
Welcome to Crockstar.
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