WHO AM I BUYING FROM?
Courtney Caldwell, the one-person team of Houndstooth, is a queer brand designer and illustrator. Courtney is passionate about creating a world they want to live in. They believe “hospitable design” puts people and community first. It addresses their needs and makes people feel seen, heard, and that they belong. Courtney’s brand, Houndstooth, prioritizes accessibility, equity, sustainability, and hospitality.
Founded by MI Leggett in 2017. MI is a New York based non-binary artist who challenges the boundaries between art and fashion. Official Rebrand revives discarded clothing, breathing new life into what was once unwanted. OR?!’s transformative process celebrates the fluidity of identity, dissociating garments from gendered categories, reintroducing them without arbitrary social constraints. "I am compelled to make work that has a concrete purpose: expressing the identities and protecting the bodies of those who wish to wear it. "
Jasper Jaworski is trans multidisciplinary artist and owner of Peace & Power. He tapped into fashion design when he began his transition, which became a vehicle for self-expression for his fully realized self. “Peace stands for the inner peace I found when I accepted my identity and came out to myself. Power stands for the feeling of standing in that identity around others.” His signature design reads “Dykes Only. Men... who needs 'em?” Jasper says “Clothes and fashion are something I’ll never be able to grasp the magic of” and “gender euphoria is your birthright.”
Lee Gumbs is a dancer and photographer based in LA and the founder of Real Friends LA. Lee created Real Friends LA for other queer people to feel powerful and seen. He has always been very bold and loudly outspoken about not fitting the norm. He feels unapologetic about his queerness, and he hopes others feel the same when they wear his pieces.
This genderless streetwear brand was founded by queer artist Yoshi Gillette. Yoshi went from being a closeted sorority “girl” living in Indiana, to a genderfluid queer leading LGBTQ+ Asian community living in LA. The idea of Switched Teams was born out of the dramatic shift in how they lived their life. “Switching Teams” from a life created based on societal expectations to a life driven by their own feelings and happiness. Switched Teams is a streetwear twist on traditional pride clothing inspired by the gender euphoria they feel when wearing masculine pieces.
After coming out, Lauren McMillan was shopping for subtle clothing to help her meet other queer people ‘in the wild.’ It appeared that rainbows were the only thing offered, but her aesthetic was more neutral. She custom hand made her own hoodie with a subtle saying using terms known only to queer women before deciding that not sharing the clothes that helped her was selfish. “Sometimes rainbows can mean an immediate eye-catching target to people who are strongly opposed to queer people. I wanted to create something subtle, safe, and a bit funny using terms known only to queer women.” Lauren has grown her business to what it is by the fuel of getting praise from the community for providing a solution to something they didn’t have much option in before.
Transfigure Print Co is a Michigan-based LGBTQIA+ inclusive screen-printing collective. In business since 2017, the trans and queer-owned brand’s mission is to provide inclusive garments that support and raise money for individuals who are shaping the LGBTQ+ community. “In today’s political climate, it is more important than ever to advocate for Queer and Trans individuals and show our support through donations that ensure their access to necessary and life-saving resources. We’re happy to help, and we’re proud to see our customers standing out in Transfigure apparel.”
