Creamy Studios, The Story Behind The Two Man Machine Running a One of a Kind Apparel Studio.
When it comes down to personal expression and outward appearance, there’s no doubt your clothing tells a story without any introduction. Much of the fashion and clothing industry is driven by this expression of personality and creativity, but Creamy Studios goes beyond. In their four year run, the studio has created innumerable sold out collections, and has amassed a cult-like following. With the support of their local community and 26.6k instagram followers, this brand is continually growing and expanding their creative enterprise. Founded in 2018, the artisan apparel brand is focused on embracing individuality. Each piece created by Creamy Studios is one of one, meaning that no article of clothing is alike. The studio designs their clothing using thrifted materials, and high quality fabrics. The heavyweight cotton clothing is airbrushed by hand by brothers, Stephen and Peter Barrett. The fashion studio is beyond just a t-shirt brand, the Barrett duo directs their creative energy into forms of wearable artwork.
“We’re a two man machine, without him [Peter] none of this would be possible…Everything is 50/50 and it’s been great to share this with him,” Stephen said.
Originally the studio was a small work in progress, churning out custom t-shirts for the students of Ohio University on thrifted tees. The thrifted clothing detailed with hand painted artwork started to gain popularity. When the brothers sold out their first collection seemingly overnight, they realized Creamy studios was something big. As the brand grew, the brothers drew inspiration from their roots.
Stephen mentioned, “We [Peter and I] spent a lot of time in our high school’s art wing, we’re really into the arts and our craft”.
Asking a brand where their inspiration comes from, is like asking birds where they learned to sing. Inspiration comes from all around, but Creamy studios acknowledges their friends, and artistic community as a source of their ingenuity. Stephen credits most of the brand’s success to their supportive friends, “our friends were really encouraging and they pushed us to create more”. Throughout the years, Creamy’s collections have become more sought after and unique. Each collection is created in likeness to a concept album, the collection’s work tells a story as a whole, but each piece can stand on its own.
“I hand stitch every one of the tags, it’s a really intimate process”, Stephen shared.
Despite the brand’s growth, the two brothers have focused on staying connected with their craft and champion sustainability efforts at every turn. Using thrifted materials and heavyweight cotton is a keystone in the brand’s climate efforts. With sustainability at the forefront of everyone’s mind, Creamy Studios is not afraid to take the lead. Every article of clothing is one of a kind, which reduces mass waste produced by fast fashion factories. The studio also recycles fabrics into new pieces when possible, and returns scraps to rag houses or local artists. The brothers are not afraid to admit their concerns for the future. “I have major climate anxiety...” said Stephen when discussing the studio’s sustainability efforts, “but it feels good knowing that we’re making a difference."
Looking forward to the future, Creamy Studios wants their audience to know that they’re ready for more. The brand is young, hungry, and determined to express their individuality.
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