Last time we reviewed the indie brand Vicious History, they were still a fledgling company with only a handful of shirts. Now, nearly a year later, they have released several new shirts and completely revamped their look. Owner Chaz Matses was kind enough to (metaphorically) sit down with us and answer a few questions about his brand and its tremendous growth.
Tee Junction: Can you give our readers a brief introduction to Vicious History and yourself?
Chaz: My name is Chaz and I am a college student from Boston, Massachusetts. I started Vicious History after putting together my passions for history, fashion and marketing in early 2010. Vicious History is a contemporary street fashion brand with historically inspired designs. Vicious History’s mission is to create innovative and unique apparel that allows us to share our artistic vision with our customers. In our designs you will find historical references from many different time periods merged with elements of contemporary street fashion like tattoos, photography and music. In my free time, I also write about t-shirt marketing for a few independent clothing blogs.
TJ: When and why did you decide that you wanted to start a clothing company?
Chaz: I decided that I wanted to start a clothing company about a year before Vicious History launched. I had always been into fashion and found myself always spending my money on new tees from clothing companies. There were so many brands out there that were putting out low quality products and that motivated me to create a brand. The problem was that there were so many brands out there that saturated the market and made it difficult to come up with an original idea. I basically spent a year or so forming a business plan to launch my brand around. In the planning stages, I noticed that my passion for history kept popping up and I decided to follow that route. I wanted to put a contemporary twist on all sorts of historical subjects. I then spent several months doing
as much research as I could to really make an impact on the market.
In its simplest form, I started Vicious History because I wanted to share my ideas with the world and clothing was the outlet that I was most passionate about.
TJ: Why the history theme?
Chaz: I chose the history theme because it’s always been something that I wanted interested in. I always tried to sneak in a history course or two while I was in school, even as a marketing/accounting major in college. History is a very broad term though, with countless time periods and subjects. Over the years I found out the history that I was most interested in was 19th & 18th century world history as well as anything to do with esoteric history. I have a pretty large obsession with Napoleon Bonaparte, so much so that he’s tattooed on my upper arm.
I often find myself spending countless hours in Barnes & Noble doing research and expanding my historical horizons. I really enjoy the challenge of coming up with designs that consumers enjoy but previously thought of the subject as boring. The idea of making history fun and enjoyable through my brand is something I put a lot of work into.
TJ: I love your dapper Grim Reaper logo. Is there any — no pun intended — history behind it?
Chaz: The VH grim reaper logo isn’t really influenced by any historical subject. I worked with my pal Mackey at Blue Beanie designs on coming up with a logo that would represent my brand image. We worked with the grim reaper idea because it was something different, as well as bold and eye-catching. We wanted to give it some interesting features that represented gentlemanly luxury in promoting a high quality clothing brand. There were literally hundreds of different facial options but in the end I chose the monocle and skull nose. The logo represents Vicious History as a brand that embodies alternative culture and style but with historically inspired features. This same principle and mindset was used in creating the VH secret society known as the Scholars & Thieves.
TJ: Your brand is home to some truly exceptional designs. What is your process for developing them?
Chaz: Developing a new design for my brand all starts with something I call the inspiration folder. It is a folder on my computer that is filled with thousands of illustrations, quotes and photographs that represent what Vicious History is all about. I also carry around a notepad everywhere I go just in case inspiration strikes when I’m not at my office. After my ideas are in place, I work with an artist of my choosing who’s illustrative style I believe will bring out the most in the design. I provide the art direction and let the artist basically do their thing. That way, the final product ends up being something we are both extremely proud about.
TJ: Who are your favorite artists to work with?
Chaz: I’ve only worked with about seven or eight artists at this point and I enjoyed working with them all. I’ve truly had great experiences with them all. I like to work with a variety of artists that can bring something different to the table and set my brand apart.
Some of the artists I have worked a few times with are Craig Robson, Keaton Henson and Gabriel Gozzer. All of these artists are people I plan to work with on future VH releases.
TJ: It’s awesome to see the way Vicious History has grown since we last reviewed your brand. How did it change since its inception? Were there any roadbumps?
Chaz: I’m really surprised as to how much VH has grown over the last year. You guys reviewed my brand at the very start, when I only had four t-shirts for sale. The brand has grown a great deal since then, but not without several road bumps along the way.
Before launching my brand, I tried to do as much research as I could so I wouldn’t encounter any snags. The very first day I ran into some problems and those continue to this day. These types of things are often unexpected but they are all learning experiences each brand must move on from. When a problem comes your way, you just have to stay calm and find the best solution possible. The fastest solution may not always be the best solution, so try out a few ideas and see which solution works best.
All brands change over time, the amount of change that occurs is up to the owner. As trends in the market move into a new direction, so do the products that a brand releases. Change isn’t a necessarily a bad thing for a brand, as long as you stay true to your overall image.
TJ: For indie brands, a big part of the challenge is marketing. How did you go about promoting Vicious History?
Chaz: Marketing is definitely a big challenge for independent brands, especially for newcomers on a budget. Working with different style blogs has been a huge marketing platform for my brand. Sending in shirts for reviews and doing interviews is a plus for both your brand and the blogger. Handing out flyers, stickers and business cards is also a good way to get your name out there. Make connections with your peers and create a relationship with them.
Never try to push a sale onto someone; it just leaves the consumer feeling pressured and uncomfortable. Instead, spend time building relationships with consumers and the sales will follow. Lastly, always try to wear your brand when you go out in public, you never know who you might spark up a conversation with.
TJ: Where do you see Vicious History going in the future?
Chaz: I have a lot of big plans for Vicious History. I plan to keep networking and forming relationships with as many people as I can. Getting the word out is always the most important thing.
In terms of new products, I have hundreds of unique design ideas that will be coming to life. I really want to establish Vicious History as something more than just another clothing company and own my place in the market. In order to do that, I am going to be putting out original designs that you won’t see any other company doing. Later this spring I will be releasing a secret society themed release called the Occultus Collection. Occultus is a latin word that essentially means hidden knowledge and the wisdom that is needed to find it.
TJ: Finally, is there anything you would like to tell our readers?
Chaz: I just want to say that I hope you guys enjoyed reading this interview and learning what Vicious History is all about. If you have any questions regarding Vicious History or t-shirt marketing, don’t hesitate to email me at chazzy@vicioushistory.com. You can be part of the VH family at http://www.facebook.com/vicioushistoryfb and http://www.twitter.com/vicioushistory.
TJ: Thanks for your time, Chaz! If you like the shirts at Vicious History, you can save 10% with our exclusive coupon! Just enter TJ10 at checkout.
Other great deals to checkout:
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http://vicioushistory.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/new-vh-emblem-and-interview/ New VH Emblem and Interview. |
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