Friends,

I need a brand. If only to save letters and vowels (witness “Evan Wagoner-Lynch.”) To decrease printing costs. To make a logotype practical.

So I’ve been researching The Market, the leggings market to be specific, for inspiration. When I find a brand that resonates with me, like say Terez, I check their About page. There I find some form of mission statement, as is now required of virtually all new businesses.

Who We Are:

Terez was founded by two childhood best friends on the basis of love, freedom of expression, female empowerment, inclusivity & positivity.

Our Product:

Constantly innovating, drawing inspiration from everywhere, Terez releases fresh patterns every month that have as much energy as the people who wear them. And all made in New York City.

Our Mission:

To design radiant clothes that spread unfiltered positivity everywhere you go.

WEAR YOUR HEART OUT.

 Then there’s Black Milk, whose founder James Lillis has a full-on origin story on his website in lieu of a traditional About page.

Our story starts a long time ago in a little yellow house, outside an unusually loud train station surrounded by mango trees in Brisbane, Australia. I was broke and working odd jobs here and there in order to achieve my financial goals, which included such grand ambitions such as…paying rent. And buying noodles.

Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t particularly good at anything so I just got work wherever I could.

Then one day when I was unusually bored, I decided that I wanted to do something… with my hands. Most people would have bought a guitar, or a bag of golf clubs, but I…I bought a sewing machine (pretty random, I know). To this day I’m not sure why I did it. I just wanted to…sew something! (Yep, still sounds strange…)

So I’ve been thinking about my origin story (already described here a bit)…But being a creative type, my mind wanders to invented origin stories. Myths. Presented here: the (mythical) origin of my as-yet-unnamed apparel brand.

One day I was hiking on the south side of Turtleback Mountain. As I neared ship peak, I heard a thunderclap in the clear sky. Suddenly, to my astonishment, an eagle soared directly overhead. In its mighty talons, a pair of gold lamé leggings. The great bird beat its wings and landed not 10 feet from me. I was afraid, for I had never been so close to such a fearsome bird. Then I heard a voice, and though the eagle did nothing but stare at me, I knew it was the bird that spoke. It said:

EVAN. I HAVE CROSSED THE SKIES TO BRING YOU THESE GOLDEN LEGGINGS. KNOW THIS. THEY ARE A SIGN FROM THE UNIVERSE. A SIGN THAT YOU MUST QUIT YOUR JOBS. A SIGN THAT YOU MUST USE YOUR ART-MIND TO MAKE STRIKING YET FLATTERING DESIGNS AND PRINT THEM ON APPAREL. THE UNIVERSE DEMANDS IT.

Then the bird tilted its head to the sky and let out a shrill scream. It beat its wings and climbed aloft. The golden leggings spontaneously combusted, leaving only a few golden shreds, which I have retained.

The next day I quit my jobs and signed up for Shopify. The rest is history.