Once again, Fortitude Magazine is here trying to bring you some new style, some new fashion, some new inspiration.
The power of Facebook brought me to the attention of the Clothing label Only 20. I talked to their founder David Brownings about his inspiration, Ancient Aliens, the struggle after university and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
How did Only 20 Clothing begin?
I studied Illustration at University and I also work for Size?. It was the combination of my two loves really, design and street wear and it just felt like a natural step to take. Also what with rarity being a factor in what people enjoy wearing, having Only 20 of any item is something that people can relate to and makes it special to them. Only 20 was really made possible when I received inheritance from my grandfather and together with one of my housemates, Sam (who studied accounting), We lived in Bristol we rented a studio and bought a 4 colour screen print setup. So thats how it all started really. Recently though, my Dad, Tony, and my Brother, Chris, bought out Sam and together we run it from our “HQ” in Brighton.
What is the inspiration for your clothing creations?
Our designs are things that I am interested about at the time really, also things I enjoy drawing. Like the Mayan Calendar tee for example, I was watching an ‘Ancient Aliens’ episode on the History Channel (so weird by the way if you have never watched it) and it mentioned the Mayan Calendar. As a format for a calendar and the mystique that goes with it I thought it would be good to draw and put on a tee.
Which piece are you most proud of out of your range?
My favourite is actually one of our guest tees by a dude called Tom Clohosy Cole ( http://www.tomclohosycole.co.uk/ ). The Thomas Crown Affair tee. He is a really talented guy and I used to study with him on Art Foundation. The colour choice for that tee was spot on for our summer release and it has sold really well. I think we only 1 or 2 left in fact.
Is Only 20 going to branch out in to any other kind of clothing like shoes?
Well in the next coming months we are completely re-launching the brand. We are rolling out some killer accessories this time along with clothing. A wide range of not your standard stuff that we are really excited about it!
If Only 20 had the chance to collaborate with any Celebrity/Band who would you like to work with?
There is a few that would be amazing to collaborate with, OG skater Rodney Mullen, Danny McBride, Joseph Gordon-Levitt or even Benny Gold. All of the above. Obviously some one crazy hot like Mirander Kerr or something but that aint gonna happen haha.
What is the plan for the future of Only 20 clothing?
Like i said, we are relaunching in the coming months. Completely new website, new product, new quality, new accessories, some solid collaborations and also a consignment store with some really rare sneakers and clothing for sale. We are so excited for it and hopefully it will take the brand on to the next level.
Anything else you would like to add?
After I was done with Uni, as most designers will know, work doesnt flood in. so one of the things I wanted to do with the brand was create a platform for aspiring designers trying to gain experience, and as we get bigger, that becomes more possible. So if anyone wants to contact us, we always email back.
Follow Only 20 Clothing:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Only20UK/
Website: http://www.only20.co.uk