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Everyday Armor For the Modern Adventurer

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This week, we’re welcoming Verillas to Richmond. This LGBTQ-owned clothing brand, which specializes in creatively designed kilts and boots, was founded in Fredericksburg, but has officially arrived in Richmond on W. Cary St. as of the start of 2022. They’re embracing their new city with open arms, working to make Richmond their home and find a place within the river city’s LGBTQ community, and the community as a whole.

We recently caught up with Allister Greenbrier, who both founded Verillas and previously owned and operated Fredericksburg’s Greenbrier music for 17 years, to get the scoop on the move to RVA, the company’s creative design aesthetic, and their plans for continuing to grow the brand. Here’s our conversation.

John Reinhold: So how long have you been in Richmond?

Allister Greenbrier: Since March. We [Allister and partner Ivy] just got married and picked a house up here.

JR: Where were you before?

AG: Before that? I was in Fredericksburg for most of my life, up until 2021.

JR: I didn’t know that. So your original brand in Fredericksburg, what was that?

AG: Greenbrier Percussion. I started that in high school, ran it for maybe 16, 17 years, and eventually closed it to do this.

JR: So what made you switch to clothing in particular?

AG: One of the biggest factors is that the clothing industry is something I love more than I ever thought I would [before] I started doing it. I found the clientele, the customer base, and other stores and vendors — everyone that I work with — is really chill, really nice and pleasant. And the quality of life suddenly smacked me in my face.  I went from a very corporate music store to a very happy and chill art office, essentially. It was so much better, and I never thought anything would be better than music.

JR: So what made you get into the designing of clothes in particular?

AG: I always wanted to be really good at sketching, and I loved animated characters. I started on Dragonball Z, and lots of other things. I wanted to bring that video game clothing into real life, I just was never very good at it. Imagine a toddler crayon and a napkin. That was me designing clothing, and explaining “This is a zipper and this is an armpit seam.” I don’t even know how those work, but it was hilarious when I first started. 

JR: Have you gotten better at that?

AG: Since then? I have, I got better and better over six years. I went through a lot online, YouTube classes and stuff, to get to the point where I could do technical drawings. They still weren’t pretty, but they were technically correct. And then the last year and a half, I hired someone to take over almost all of the design work. She does amazing. She is so much better than I ever was.

JR: So on the technical side of drawing, I guess when it comes to clothing, there has to be some amount of the sketch equaling the sizing and what each piece would be cut to be.

AG: Right. Certainly, the framework of the piece is always done from sketch to first sample, and then through trying things on, and through comparing things to other pieces, we have to make not only the sizing for that garment [but make it] consistent with the sizing across the brand. It’s all a struggle, where we have to make something quite a few times before we bring it to market.

JR: So what is that process of creation to bring it to market, to mass production?

AG: Well, first we might imagine the same setup as a group playing Dungeons and Dragons, except that’s all of us debating what fashion item to release next. It’s hilarious. We’re all lighthearted. We’ve become old friends there. This business, once something stands out as what we think we need to do next, it goes from an aesthetic sketch to a technical drawing, to a sample, to something that I might wear around town for a month. I get feedback from friends. Is it comfortable? Does it fit? We go to grading, which is making every size of the garment, and if it survives grading and more people trying it on, then the thing goes into production and hopefully is good from there.

But sometimes on production we find [that the] sizing’s not inclusive, or something’s itchy, or what have you. And then we update things on the second round, or the third run, often as we get feedback.

JR: So in the beginning it was you who would have made a majority of the designs. And now its more of a collaborative effort with your head designer?

AG: Yeah. Kaia and Elyse do all the design work. I eventually had to give that up as the company got too big, and I have more duties around marketing, accounting, and managing. 

JR: So for them, where does the influence for the different designs come from?

AG: Originally, as it started, it was my love of video game characters and fantasy characters. But I’ve been a long time member of the SCA [Society for Creative Anachronism] and the Medieval groups — where I would swordfight, craft, and have a good time — and the Renaissance Faire-adjacent climate and looks. I’ve recently gotten into large groups, and some of those things steer my part in the design process, but the company has really outgrown just my vision. And now with our ten-member team, everyone has a little bit of a say in what things we release.

JR: One of the reasons I wanted to have the interview and talk to you is that your company is obviously very inclusive. As far as the designs being for male, or female, non-binary people, really anyone. Can you speak a little bit to how that’s changed and grown?

AG: Absolutely. When we started, we really only set out to sell kilts and boots and make those. [Since then], it’s become vastly inclusive, and just kind of easy to inherit what those things could be as the company grew. And we got into other types of clothing — especially signaling through clothing. Like, with our kilts, we have an entire line just based on the colorway, signaling your sexual preference or something interesting about you. We even did one that referenced different houses from different movies for a little while (like Harry Potter).

So, you know, we’ve had fun playing around with it, but in the process, stumbled into realizing, through our customer base, [that] we just wanted to do this. We realized they loved it more than a lot of our base designs. Now a lot of our Pride community line items are outselling our basic colors. We were lucky to have that take off.

JR: That’s great. So where would you like to see the brand go?

AG: We actually had a meeting about this last week and I realized, we dream a lot bigger than we have the funding for sometimes. Right now, the struggle is that, as we go through that design process, we talk about bringing high quality products to people, products that fit inclusively, that are comfortable, that have attractive colors and nice fabrics, and to keep our prices under control — all at once. We’re losing that battle a bit [with] some of our newer things that we just started launching. Sometimes we think like a price needs adjusting, or we think that the comfort, the durability, or something’s just not quite there. It costs quite a bit of money to refine an entire category of products into what we think meets various standards. So we looked at what we think we’re best at, which is kilts and our leather.  I think we’re going to really take the quality a step further.

We’re going to look at a wider price-inclusive range, because I know that our prices were prohibitive for some people. We do really high quality, expensive leather stuff, for the most part. So I hope to launch some less expensive variants that are a little simpler, but bring the quality and some of the curves and panels, and the aesthetic with leather. It really is the answer, and the focus of the stuff we plan to launch soon. In addition, bringing in more stuff for women and non-male audiences categorically, since most of Verillas is still a men’s brand. We just never found the funding to get past that.

JR: So in order to find the clothing and your brand, you use your website, primarily. I know you had mentioned that now you’re officially in Richmond, and you have a new warehouse, it’s a possibility to have a showroom. Is that something that is in the works?

AG: Yeah. Actually, in about a month, we will have fully moved into one building in Richmond. [As of] now, we have a big office in Fredericksburg and a small office in Richmond. So we’ll finally all be under one roof. Part of that is an effort to consolidate, to get a little more organized, and to do a better job at our core products. So that we can have a really good space to launch from, and to offer a wider array of new products, maybe in about two years.

JR: What would you say is your core product? What is your best seller? 

AG: It’s really a toss up between our Monolith boots and our V-cargo kilts, and all the different iterations of that V-cargo kilt, whether it’s Pride-themed or whatever… 

JR: Yeah, I like the kilts a lot. I thought they all were really good on price too, because kilts aren’t necessarily cheap online anywhere, really.

AG: I really tried to have that range again, to be able to reach all of our customer base. I want to offer things that are not too high a price, but they have the quality to match it. Another form of inclusivity is price inclusivity. If you don’t have something in there that a first-time buyer can reach, or somebody who isn’t particularly wealthy, then it feels like your brand really is focused on whatever that economic issue is. And we really want to be there for everyone. 

JR: That’s great. So now you’re in Richmond. What do you think of being in Richmond?

AG: Richmond is rad. Everything here is wild, from the murals to the fashion I see on people. Not to knock Fredericksburg, but it’s become a transient place. A lot of commuters live in Fredericksburg. People come and go. But in Richmond it has a lot of long-term residents, like yourself and my wife. I mean, everyone has made it their own. There’s a sense of community. I have been living here for a week and I already knew my neighbors. I know a ton of bartenders, places to go and people to see, even in a COVID environment.

JR: And that can be hard to do.

AG: You know, the brand does kind of fit Richmond, even up here in Church Hill. It’s kind of Gothic. Obviously you can travel around Richmond and get that feeling — the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, and even Fallout. I think Richmond is super diverse, and that’s the coolest thing about it. In some ways, it’s the opposite of conservative. And I don’t mean politically, but in terms of expressing yourself through fashion and hobbies and art.  You’ve got all of it in Richmond. 

JR: I know that we had talked before this about diversity. What does diversity mean for you personally, and in your brand?

AG: What I like about diversity most is self-expression. I wish I could remember what the original slogan was, something about being adventurous about being yourself. And that was before the company had grown into having a Pride-centric line, or even being all about fantasy. It was just some killer boots at the time. But what I liked about it was this vague sense, or feeling — and this is my marketing genius at work so don’t laugh…

JR: I’m not laughing, I like it. 

AG: I just thought putting a kilt on, leather boots and a t-shirt, it was kind of like putting on modern armor to go to the grocery store, or whatever felt like you. You know, putting on your greaves and gauntlets and your chest plate to go to battle. Except you were just like, “I’m going to make it through today.”

JR: I like that because it’s so true. It’s so true. I was at Floyd Fest when I finally bought my first kilt. I was with my wife and I was DJ-ing the event. And when I kept going by one of the places that had kilts, my wife was eventually like, “Why don’t you just go get one?” And then once I got one, I wore it for, obviously, the rest of the [festival]. 

For me, it was almost like a F-it [feeling]. There was a certain amount of freedom to it, which is kind of silly to say, because it’s obvious. But I definitely liked the idea of, like, you’re strapping it on and rocking. It’d be nice if it could be accepted everywhere, but it’s still not everyday wear. It would be nice if it was, I would really enjoy that, but it’s not something that I can just do anytime. I couldn’t necessarily always wear them around Richmond, though there are days I do.  

AG: I think it depends on the locale. We actually don’t do wholesale anymore, except to a really good friend of mine, JT Centonze, the owner of a shop called Off-Kilter Kilts. It was in Pasadena on the outskirts of LA. They recently moved, I think, to the north side of LA. But where there’s a retail shop in a community, there are people who manage to have an office job and be the kilt guy. We made a canvas and velvet formal-wear line just for kilt office-wear, and, well, of course in some places it’d make your job awkward. It could make your social climate difficult in other places. I think it’s starting to get accepted and take some hold. But the biggest challenge to it, I think, is the idea of gender roles that some people haven’t updated, you know?

JR: Absolutely. I feel that. I often wear Thai fishing-style pants, which I got from my friend Conway, who got me into that. They’re pants, not skirts or anything, but I still get the question: “Are you wearing a skirt?” And I still think it’s really weird.  I’m like, “Well, first off, that shouldn’t matter. And then second off, no, these are actually Thai fishing-style pants,” which I’m surprised that more people don’t want to wear, because they’re incredibly comfortable. Amazingly so. And they seem like something that can kind of go anywhere for me, even more so than a kilt. But I still get that kind of comedy interaction every once and a while. 

AG: Yeah. I think everybody wants to put everyone else in a box. If someone just sees you on the street, whatever out-there fashion experiment you might be running, whether it’s New York runway couture or it’s some Renaissance faire garb, or a kilt or whatever, people are just going to ask, “Hey, what box do I put you in?” And unfortunately they come off mean and tactless about it, more often than not. But, you know, I don’t think there’s ill intentions for most people most of the time.

JR: Yeah. It’s definitely sometimes just curiosity. And then sometimes it comes with something underneath it. And you can usually tell the difference.

AG: You know, I’ve had people that are good friends that came off [weird] when we first met, about something like that. And I’ve later found the most common thing is, they’ll come back and say, “Hey, you know, [I was] just kind of jealous that it seemed like you could just wear that and not care.” And maybe they’re afraid of their job, you know, that impacting it. Or their relationship, or some social group, or a thing that they’re a part of. And then most of the time, two, three years later of being friends, I find they’re like, “That was fine the whole time. Now I’m doing what I want to do.”

JR: Thank you so much for meeting up and talking about Verillas. It is so expressive, and I love all the creations, and the uniqueness in the designs. It’s great to see a diverse clothing brand call Richmond it’s home. So stoked that you’re in Richmond, and I look forward to seeing more in the future. 

AG: Absolutely, thank you!  

Check out Verillas’ website, where you can place orders for all of their merchandise, including their Pride line. You can also follow them on Instagram @verillasclothing.

Photos courtesy Verillas

The Most Comfortable Hangover Cure Ever

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Hangover Hoodies want to provide you with the perfect outfit for all your lazy Saturday mornings. “We hope you’ll have as much fun wearing them as you did making memories last night.”

If you’ve ever rolled out of bed on a Saturday morning with a headache and no desire to get dressed, Hangover Hoodies is here to help. Two recent college graduates have a new apparel company targeted toward good vibes and making memories. 

Delaney Mountford and Katelyn Gerstenschlager have been friends since they played on the same soccer team at age five. They both grew up in South Bend, Indiana, and were inseparable until they went to different colleges. Delaney went off to Miami University of Ohio, where she studied Communications and Writing, and Katelyn went to Indiana University, where she studied Marketing and Business Analytics.

After graduating, Delaney came back to South Bend and went to business school at Notre Dame for a year while Katelyn got a full-time job in Columbus, Ohio. “Even when we were off at different schools or in different cities, we loved to visit each other and became friends with one another’s friends,” Delaney said.

When everything started shutting down because of COVID-19, Katelyn left Columbus and came back to work from home in South Bend. Delaney had just graduated from business school, but there were hiring freezes at all the companies where she had been interviewing, so she was living with her parents and nannying in order to make money, she said. The two had talked about having some kind of side hustle, but didn’t know exactly what they wanted their product to be. 

Delaney Mountford and Katelyn Gertenschlager of Hangover Hoodies. Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

Delaney wanted to put her new business degree to use, and Katelyn works for a retail company, so they felt like they had enough knowledge between the two of them to start something in apparel, Delaney said. “We first came up with the idea in mid-May, and our first drop was July 10, so we put in a ton of work in those initial six weeks to get everything up and running.”

They started on hoodies because “we both love wearing them, and felt like there was a gap in the market when it came to moderately-priced hoodies that were really cool and interesting,” they said. Also, as recent college and grad school graduates, Delaney said they wanted a brand that would emulate how college kids and twenty-somethings feel when they’re out with their friends, having a great time.

“One thing about our company that has helped us a lot is that we fall under our target market,” Delaney said. “That makes it a lot easier for us to find content that we think will resonate with our buyers and viewers, and it also makes the design process easier because we base it off of whether or not we would actually wear or purchase what we create.”

They didn’t always plan on starting an apparel company and didn’t settle on it until they decided to match their skills and personal tastes into what they wanted to design. “Apparel is a really cool industry because there are so many different possibilities, and you can constantly change your designs to match trends as they evolve,” Delaney said.

Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

Hangover Hoodies’ mission “is to bring you optimism and comfort in a way that reflects your dope personality,” according to the website. “Our aim is to create a culture of warmth and belonging, being representative of our customer’s favorite experiences.”

One early method of promotion Hangover Hoodies used was social media. When their TikTok went viral, though, it totally exceeded their expectations.

“We started off posting a few videos that would get basically zero views, and then all of a sudden, one of our videos got 150,000, and two weeks later one of them got 200,000,” they said. “And now, we have a video with over half a million​ views. That’s insane to us, especially because it’s so many people who are just like us.”

Both Delaney and Katelyn were both working full time when they launched the company, so when their TikTok went viral, they texted each other at work, and would just refresh the page over and over again. Both of them agree that TikTok is an amazing tool for small businesses because companies have the potential to reach an enormous audience without spending any money.

It takes around 20 hours to pack up and ship all the hoodies after each drop of new product, since they’re doing it out of Delaney’s parents’ basement. Having a free marketing outlet makes the whole process a little easier.

Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

In addition to hoodies, the Hangover Hoodies website has a blog with articles about not just hoodies but other trendy topics like White Claw, playlists, and coffee. Although it’s just a blog now, they want to evolve it more into a whole brand over time, “because we just didn’t expect the reaction that we received from our followers,” they said. “People really resonate with the message of the brand and the feeling that we try to convey in our content.”

Delaney said that when they launched the company, they thought they’d sell 200 hoodies by the end of 2020. Only a few months later, though, they’re about to sell their thousandth hoodie. They also just guest-starred on The Golden Hour podcast, and are trying to work with a few other ones as well. “We’re also looking into developing our own podcast eventually, in addition to other products and services for our customers,” they said.

Hangover Hoodies is also eco-friendly and sustainable. “We recognize the impact that shipping has on the environment,” their website says. “All HH packaging materials are eco-friendly and either recyclable or compostable.”

Delaney and Katelyn were both were very conscious of how damaging fast fashion is for the environment, so their products are all shipped in 100% compostable mailers, with recyclable tissue paper and stickers to “make sure that [they’re] not contributing to the damaging environmental side of e-commerce.”

Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

They also picked a price point that wasn’t cheap enough where people could wear it a few times and then throw it away, but not so expensive that it seemed unattainable for people to get, they said. “Because it is a high-quality hoodie with a slightly higher price point, we believe that people will be more likely to appreciate our handcrafted designs for a longer period of time.”

Their most recent drop was August 28th, but they typically restock every two weeks. You can visit them at www.hangoverhoodies.co, and on Instagram and TikTok at @hangoverhoodies.

Top Photo via HangoverHoodies.co

Travel Back to the 20s with The Valentine’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’” Exhibit

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As The Valentine prepares to reopen, we take a look inside their latest exhibit — which heads back to the 1920s to feature Richmond’s culture of the era, and local stars like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. 

As functions and businesses begin to open again, one of Richmond’s most iconic museums, known for their collection and preservation of the city’s culture, is re-opening. While visitors will have to make reservations to tour The Valentine’s array of exhibits, museum-goers will be able to visit a new exhibit available to the public on July 21st. 

The new addition to The Valentine is named “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” It contains antique outfits and collectables from the Roaring 20s, telling the story of Richmond’s rich culture, the history of legendary dancer and Richmond native Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and the evolution of fashion through an exclusive collection of women’s dresses, children’s clothes, and menswear. Kristen Stewart, Fashion Historian and Curator of Custom Textiles at The Valentine, describes what you’ll find when you visit. 

“The collection has a really complicated history,” Stewart said. “It was collected at a time when the museum was not the Richmond City history museum, but an encyclopedic museum. Concurrently along with the exhibition, [we] are executing a refinement project.”

During the exhibit’s preparation, Stewart has worked to determine what objects in the customer textiles collection have rich histories related to Richmond. The Valentine plans to care for, and highlight, these objects from the 1920s for perpetuity. 

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

“There are about 40 dressed mannequins, and those are mostly women’s clothing,” Stewart said. “The vast majority is women’s clothing, with some children’s clothing and a handful of men’s sportswear. You’ll see examples of what women wore as ‘day wear,’ or casual wear. Active sportswear include bathing suits and knickers, which are really fun.” 

The exhibit has an emphasis on what working women in the 20s were wearing. It includes a number of examples of swimwear and sportswear, then moves into a collection of professional women’s clothing. 

“There was this huge influx of women, both graduating and completing higher tiers of degrees,” Stewart said. That influx of women into the workforce a century ago led to a whole new direction in women’s fashions.

“Then, of course, the show has to finish with what everyone is coming to see: 1920s evening wear, which is renowned and bright for its wonderful sparkle,” Stewart said.

The country was booming, and 1920s were a time when people celebrated, partied, and found fun wherever they could. Stewart emphasized the change in atmosphere that occurred due to impactful changes in society, along with the era’s new trends in fashion. 

“The 1920s were a moment when recreational sports were a leisure activity on the rise,” Stewart said. “Consequently, you see a fashion story evolve alongside a social story.”

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

The exhibit’s title comes from a song of the same name, written in the late 20s and made popular by Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Born in Richmond, Robinson was one of the most groundbreaking actors and dancers of his time. He pursued a career in acting, and broke social norms as one of the first African-American artists to perform alone on stage. At the time, black men never performed by themselves; only white men were allowed to be the “star” of the show. 

“There was this pleasure of a liberated lifestyle, and some fear and anxiety of the consequential political oppression in response to this liberation,” said Stewart. “The lyrics to ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’,’ to me, beautifully reflect this tension. It’s a really jazzy score that makes you want to misbehave, but the words are speaking the opposite, like ‘saving my love for you,’ and staying true.”

While most of the collection’s garments come from generous donations and The Valentine’s own curation, Stewart notes that a few items will be missing from the museum — unless the community has outfits of their own to offer. 

“We do not have any outfits related to Bill Robinson,” Stewart said. “[It’s] an honest reflection of the fact that we don’t have more material relating to his life. We, frankly, don’t have any actual women’s garments worn by black women in the 20s from Richmond. As a fashion historian, that’s just pure heartbreak, isn’t it?” 

PHOTO: Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

As a historical museum, The Valentine recognizes that the lack of preserved historical garments comes from racial segregation during the era. 

“Even though The Valentine was desegregated, in terms of audience, from the beginning, there was this hesitance,” Stewart said. “There wasn’t the same line of communication that you would have if you weren’t facing, and operating in, a segregated society. In the 30s and 40s, we missed the opportunity to collect these clothes.”

Stewart explained that The Valentine has acknowledged these missing items in the exhibition, and hopes that the Richmond community can step in to donate clothing they may have from the 20s. 

“We will have silhouetted figures that acknowledge what’s missing,” Stewart said. “[They] serve as an invitation to black families living in Richmond, who maybe had a great-grandmother from the 20s, who have captured and preserved that time in history through clothing.” 

The 1920s brought historical moments of monumental change to the country, and allowed Americans new freedoms they had not had in the past. With many of the same issues alive in Richmond in today’s world, Stewart notes the parallels between the show and Black Lives Matter protests. 

“It is like a mirror. It feels like the show provides us an opportunity to acknowledge that there have been moments of weakness,” Stewart said. “Young people, in some ways, see more clearly than those who are older than them. [They] certainly are looking at the future with a more clear-eyed vision than their parents are. The youth element that we see on the streets today may see itself reflected in the mirror in this show.” 

Photo and Caption Courtesy of The Valentine Museum

Overall, Stewart hopes that the new exhibit will not only commemorate that time in history, but share information to teach about societal differences and educate through the use of clothing.

“There is some inspiring content,” Stewart said. “We’re inspired by what women were achieving, inspired by what — in spite of segregation — black Richmonders were giving. [We’re] inspired by how Richmond was embracing this rapid pace of change in the beginning of the 20th century… and sobered by some of the dark lessons of that time.”

As The Valentine gears up to open its doors again after the pandemic’s initial closures, Stewart is pleased to see “Ain’t Misbehavin’” be the exhibit to kick it off.

“The reason I’m so glad this is the show we’re opening with is that it recognizes all the tension, pain, and anguish of that period,” Stewart said. “It is also extraordinarily playful, and incredibly fun, because it’s driven by usefulness. It’s recognizing a decade that we refer to as the Roaring 20s. That’s not because people were sitting around twiddling their thumbs — they were having a good time.” 

To learn more about the exhibit, check out “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at The Valentine’s website. Admission to the Valentine is free this summer, but tickets for self-guided tours must be reserved in advance, due to social distancing protocols.

Top Photo courtesy The Valentine

The Visual Narrations of Selah Marie

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Richmond portrait photographer Selah Marie started out as a model, but it was only when she got behind the camera that she truly found her calling in life.

You never know what you’ll fall into. Even if you have a clear goal for what you want to do, things can happen that lead you in a different direction entirely. For Richmond-based photographer Selah Marie, this was definitely the case. When she realized modeling might not be her calling, she tried stepping behind the camera instead and found that it came naturally for her. The results were enough to make her forget about her original goal of fashion modeling for good.

“I always had a camera, ever since I was younger, and I’ve always taken pictures. But I didn’t find it to be my passion until 2015,” she explains. “I guess when I used to watch America’s Next Top Model and stuff like that, I wanted to be a model. But when I got in front of someone else’s camera, that went… not how I expected it to go. After looking at the images of myself, I was like, ‘Oh no, I can’t do this.’”

Marie found that her lifelong dream wasn’t what she was meant to do with her life. But she soon found a new passion, seemingly by accident, only landing on photography after she began playing around with a camera and wanting to learn how to shoot.

“Let me just pick up a camera and figure it out,” she says, describing her thought process at the time. “And then I just reached out to some models, and I was just like… shooting.”

While photographing individuals from the area, portrait photography gradually became a primary focus for Marie. Photographing a single person and creating unique photos became a discipline she wanted to perfect. It’s not her only interest as a photographer — there are other areas she hopes to dive into, as she explained.

“Oh my God, fashion. That’s one of the things I’m trying to get into, as far as practicing,” says Marie. “However, my comfort zone is portraits.”

While portrait photography is a common specialty in the world of photography, Marie differs from others when it comes to the ways she composes her shots. Natural props like flowers have become a staple of her photography, and she loves the aesthetic of film, although mastering it was challenging to her at first, because she had to learn how to recreate that aesthetic through digital means.

“[The models] were like, ‘Oh my God, did you shoot with a film camera?’ But no, I don’t have one,” she says of her process. “I would use the grains to add texture, because I wasn’t that familiar with Photoshop. So I would just replace it with grain to make the image look like it has more texture in the skin.”

Learning the skills of photographic composition was challenging enough, but one of Marie’s biggest challenges came from learning how to use the equipment she was given. While cell phones have made photographers out of everyone, understanding the high-end Nikons and Canons that professionals use can prove to be difficult at first. 

“When I first started shooting in the daylight, the sun would be too much. So my images would be overly exposed,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, what is going on here?’ That was one of the hardest challenges for me, trying to shoot daylight. [For a while,] I was really stuck in the studio.”

Marie eventually mastered adapting to changing surroundings, and has since branched out of portrait photography, capturing graduation and wedding photos.

“I’m just now starting to let people know that I do more than what they see on my main page. I just started putting up the graduation photos and engagement photos, because I want people to know that I do everything,” she says. “I’m a creative photographer, but I can do your engagement shoot.”

While it was never her original goal, these days Marie hopes to build a future for herself in the world of photography, and she’s even thinking about moving into the world of video.

“I do see it being long term,” she says. “I can’t go full time [yet], but I do see that down the road. I also see me being behind the scenes of movies, sharing my ideas with directors and seeing the things I create inside the movie. That’s one of my other goals as well.”

Photography doesn’t come easy when you just happen to fall into it, but Marie has been lucky to do something with her work that is not only beneficial for the people she shoots, but for her as well. Marie knows that her photography not only helps those in front of her camera open up, but gives her the creative outlet to express herself as well.

“Everybody tells me the same thing: how I make them feel when they’re in front of my camera,” she says. “They will tell me that I make them feel more confident than ever in front of a camera, or even away from it. Like, I made them feel so beautiful. And then, when I show them the image, they’re like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe she made me look like this.’ Just to see the smile on my client’s face or a model’s face, their reaction lights up my world. That’s my favorite part — that’s what keeps me going.”

All photos by Selah Marie

The Dorm Room Hustle: Owning Fashion Companies in College

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Whether it starts as a side gig or a passionate new business, college students around the country are opening brands of their own before graduation. 

College students are not just students anymore. Many students around the country have jobs on top of their schoolwork to earn extra money. Some work as college tour guides, some work in school offices, and others have off-campus jobs. About 81 percent of undergraduate part-time students and 43 percent of undergraduate full-time students are employed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

With tuition, books, meal plans, and additional costs, college is expensive. Luckily for Erin Watton, John McGrinder, and Anthony Moody, they work right out of their rooms — running fashion and apparel companies by themselves.

21-year-old Erin Watton, who hails from Milwaukee, WI, is currently a junior at the University of Richmond, and the sole talent behind e.xclusively: a hand-painted apparel company that sells custom painted designs on anything, including denim jackets and handbags for any occasion. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Watton started e.xclusively after spilling ink on her favorite sweatshirt in printmaking class during her freshman year of college. “After covering up the ink with painted stars, I sent a photo to my friends,” Watton said. “They loved the sweatshirt, and begged me to paint theirs. Soon after, I realized I could create a small business out of this painting venture.”

e.xclusively officially started in the summer of 2018. Although Watton was working in retail at the time, she wanted more experience in fashion and marketing. “Because I had no experience of my own to offer in an internship, I created a learning experience for myself,” she said. “I have gained so much experience owning my own business, and I love doing it. If you can do something now and love it, why wait?”

Watton advertises her products through her Instagram, Pinterest, and website. “In the fashion industry, user-generated content and word-of-mouth are how people learn and trust brands,” she said. “For me, when my clients post photos in their custom, hand-painted pieces, their followers trust my business and may even follow along on social media, or purchase a piece themselves.”

With the growth of social media, Watton believes that 2020 is a great time to run a business as a student. New entrepreneurs can decrease their overhead expenses, reach people within their target audience quickly, and gain instant feedback on their products and services as well as content they produce, she said. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Being a student is time-consuming, but Watton has found a balance between classes and work. When she isn’t in class, she is either at a client consultation, sketching and painting designs, posting Instagram content, or updating her website. “When I’m working on e.xclusively, it could be five minutes spent on a social media post or five hours spent painting,” she said. “It definitely depends on my schedule, my orders, and what my goals are at the moment.” 

John McGrinder is another student who runs his own business while managing classes and extracurriculars. Originally from Downingtown, PA, McGrinder is a sophomore at James Madison University, and the mind behind Renegade Sports.

Renegade Sports, a sports-focused apparel company, started in 2016 in McGrinder’s sophomore year of high school. The idea for the company arose from a class project with a friend, and was originally called Seal Team Sports. 

“My friend Evan knew I was involved in graphic design for sports Instagram pages for fun, but he asked me if I wanted to help him with a new project for his class,” McGrinder said. “I absolutely loved working with sports and designing, and it was a fun way to set aside some extra money for school while doing something I loved.”

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Similar to Watton, McGrinder mainly advertises his business through his Instagram. Most of his work is done on his phone or iPad because he makes the designs himself. “I have them with me in case I have an idea for a design while out on the go or at home,” he said. “With big brands like Barstool Sports out there, I always try to get my ideas onto my products and website as fast as possible, to be the first out there with my idea on a certain trend,” he said. 

McGrinder has a busy schedule as a student, but he finds time between classes at JMU and work to make designs. “I really work best when I’m inspired by a new player or trending team,” he said. “Not every day for me is involved with creating a design, but I’m always checking on my site, tracking sales, and keeping my eye on the sports world for new ideas.” 

Running a store in 2020 as a student allows McGrinder to use his brand as a creative outlet. On top of gaining experience, it allowed him to get involved in marketing before learning about it in any of his major-related classes. 

Renegade Sports also helped open doors into the marketing world as this past summer. McGrinder worked with the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller, in creating some mock-ups for a shirt to commemorate his 100th sack in this past season. “Overall, running Renegade Sports has been so valuable to me in exploring business and marketing, but also in allowing myself to be more creative outside of schoolwork,” he said. 

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Another entrepreneur student, University of Richmond sophomore Anthony Moody, owns and operates his clothing company, Redeemed Generation. Moody started his brand when he was 13, and it has been steadily growing ever since. 

Moody’s day starts and ends with marketing, which he believes is the most important part of the business. “It’s all about connecting with influencers, commenting on posts, interacting with followers, and building the brand,” he said. “It makes a big difference when companies are active on Instagram, and have a page that really showcases the brand — so that’s really crucial for me.”

In addition to running all the marketing for his business on his Instagram and website, Moody also makes and prints everything in his room. “My room is full of presses, dryers, and paint, because I make it all,” he said. “I’m actually looking for a small office where I’ll be able to work. With the way the business has grown in terms of sales and inventory, it’s a lot to keep in my room.”

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

Moody originally found his love for art in elementary school, but pencils and paper weren’t enough for him. Being a student and a business owner has been a challenge, and the balance has been one of the most difficult things, “It’s worth it,” he said. “It’s my passion, and it’s what I love doing.” 

In addition to Redeemed Generation, Moody also prints clothes for outside groups like dance teams and class reunions. “With all the materials and machines I have in my room, as well as the skills I’ve gained from Redeemed Generation, expanding to print clothes for other people was not that big of a challenge,” he said. 

Redeemed Generation is mainly based out of Moody’s dorm room, because the presses and machines make it hard to travel in terms of production. His ideas and art, on the other hand, are constantly on his mind — regardless of where he is. 

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

“My brand has become my life,” he said. “A lot of people around me always plan and take on so much, working solely to build their resume. I just make clothes because I love them, and it’s a way for me to express myself.”

Overall, these three students are just a small glimpse into the larger world of student business owners. Students everywhere are starting their own companies on top of their already-stressful college lives. It’s time we give these students the recognition they deserve. While they’re going to class, doing homework, and writing papers, they’re also running the companies of the future. 

Top Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Op-Ed: Your Footwear Is Killing My Country

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Guest writer Phil Ford comes to us with dire warnings of a great scourge plaguing our sadly divided nation: flip-flops.

There is an antagonism we are experiencing in our great nation that has had many suspects in the lineup: race, religion, socio-economics - -  but the truth is far simpler. I have found the lynchpin of America’s divisiveness.

An almost caustic sound, especially when dragged across an apartment complex parking lot. The steady puffy plastic drag across smooth asphalt has all the charm of scraping a fork across teeth. The coup de grace is the familiar, accented punctuation of the inevitable popping sound of the plastic heel smacking the flesh heel in a high five. We are, of course, talking about the American flip-flop.

Sure, the thong sandal has been around for thousands of years, and can be quite comfortable while poolside enjoying a whiskey sour. There has been a great abuse over the last number of years, though, and flip-flops have now become the Donald Trump tweet of footwear in the United States. Frankly, it’s embarrassing.

On any visit to the upscale mall where a P.F. Chang’s or Brazilian Steakhouse resides, one notices that this phenomenon of foam rubber has become quite the trend with the lack-of-tread-setter. People will wear flip-flops with anything. Punk dudes with a face full of piercings, sleeve tattoos, offensive t-shirts, and tight-crotched jeans wear them. Beautiful twenty-something women in fully Gapped fashion-wear don dainty little flip-flops with gaudy pink plastic flowers on the strap. And I swear there is a tween scene sporting oversized platform shoe versions called “Kiss-Flops” that keep such rail-thin children from blowing over in strong winds.

I have witnessed studs in Abercrombie and Fitch, Fight Club glasses, and hundred-dollar buzz cuts dragging their feet through food courts in Nike streamlined glider-flops. No matter where you go, the odds are about two in four that you are going to be seeing gnarly toes exposed to the elements and restrained via the flip-flop.

Photo by Rui Silvestre on Unsplash

As much money as we Americans are willing to spend on war, Mar-a-Lago golf weekends, and looking good, one could certainly expect us to put a little investment into a nice pair of shoes. It is almost as if people started from the top, applied all sorts of nifty and expensive hair products, worked their way all the way down with the latest trendy apparel, reached the lower calves, and then just gave up. This is a mistake. Feet are the equivalent of the 99 percent of us, the average citizen. They keep us all grounded, and we should respect that.

We have gotten lazy in the foot, and much the same as with our inability to create a meaningful dialogue between our opposing points of view, we seem to accept this. We are quite happy to drag toe around in the archlessness, the lack of contour, the lack of backbone. Why?

People have spent all this time and money to achieve that certain special “look.” Then they have petered out below the ankles. Come on; finish that fashion thought you had. I know you can do it if you just apply yourself. You would think in this fear-driven age, where terrorism or natural disaster could spark at any moment, you would want to have a nice pair of shoes on in case of potential danger. If a levee breaks in your neighborhood, or an active shooter is nearby, where are you going to be? That’s right — up shit-flop creek.

Flip-flops as regular footwear are like true love on Bachelorette reality television, or barbecue Becky phone calls: signs of the decline of Western Civilization. Now, it’s one thing if you are making your way toward a source of water for swimming, or using a public shower at a campground, or even taking trash to the curb. I’m not saying you can’t wear them if you are, say, Jimmy Buffet and you have a matching Cheeseburger in Paradise hula shirt.

But if you are going to be attending anything public that requires walking, there is no excuse for it. Much like Fox News as a reliable news source, it has no merit. You can try and doll it up as much as you like — make them sporty brown with two sets of buckles, like you would even attempt to hike with them. Or decorate the plastic toe straps with butterflies, or cubic zirconium jewels. Regardless, they are still as unattractive and uninspired as Mitch McConnell at a healthcare fair. There is no arch support, certainly no finesse, and absolutely no sex appeal. Flip-flops have all the social dignity of mononucleosis.

Photo by sun ming on Unsplash

It’s fall, for Pete’s sake. And if proper clothing etiquette can demand turning up one’s nose at white after Labor Day, surely there is something to be said in the Hoyle’s Book of Fashion for these unsavory foot disasters. In this age of concern about white teeth, toned bodies, climate change, and clothes, we can’t be bothered to put on a pair of real shoes?

Plus, face it, toes are really fucking ugly.

Look, I don’t want to seem like a curmudgeon. I’m all for expressing yourself and looking like you just stepped off the fashion page. But let’s get something straight right now: flip-flops are not cool. They may be totally nifty at water areas, but when you are wearing them regularly as “your shoe,” then you need five gay men to come in and set you straight, or at least a friend to tell you how wrong you are for wearing them as habitual footwear.

Flip-flops are at the very root of our downfall. In order to have a sustainable society, you need a strong foundation. Otherwise, it’s just empty rhetoric; another dummy with gorgeous hair and teeth, but no stability. I’m just looking out for the best interest of Americans when I say this: take your power of pride and get some sneakers, or at least some loafers. Then we can once again come together as citizens and rally against this common enemy of our feet and our nation.

Now, let’s get cracking on that Crocs issue…

Note: Op-Eds are contributions from guest writers and do not reflect RVA Magazine editorial policy.

Top Photo by Dhruv Deshmukh on Unsplash