Check out the shop at: shop.regansmithclarke.com
BC: Who is behind RSC and how did you get started?
RSC: RSC is comprised of Regan Smith Clarke and Nicholas G. Porter. I handle design and vendor relations while Nick takes care of our marketing and media initiatives.
I don’t have the, “I just got tired of not seeing any quality designs…” line for you. The truth is, there is ton of amazing stuff out there. I simply wanted to share my own personal vision with the world and meet some cool people along the way.
Someone once told me graphic t-shirts are the most common and accessible form of art these days and it’s true. I love the concept of accessible art and I feel t-shirts fit the bill pretty well.
BC: What are some of your typographic inspirations?
RSC: The bulk of my inspirations come from vintage shop signs, advertisements and posters, though I certainly find inspiration in other places, whether it be walking through my hometown of Boston, in an old bookstore or while riding the train to work in the morning.
BC: Can you talk about the concept behind and process of making a lookbook?
RSC: We really wanted to take things with RSC to the next level when it came to our fall line, so we hired a respected, professional photographer named Zac Wolf(best dude ever) to help us achieve our vision.
We paid careful attention to location and ended up choosing an area of Boston most people don’t frequent very often — a small block sandwiched between the gritty old Boston Fuel Transportation building and the Boston Harbor.
I have always viewed RSC as a contemporary take on vintage inspired designs and ideas, so I was happy to find a location which also bridged that gap. Creating the lookbook was a really rewarding experience and I can’t wait for the next one this spring.
BC: What can we expect from RSC next season?
RSC: I just finished the RSC x Thrillist exclusive t-shirt and I’m close to finishing a new design for our one-year anniversary in March. Beyond that, we plan on expanding the brand in 2011with a slew of new designs, products and events.
From a visual standpoint, I plan on focusing my designs around specific themes and time-frames. This will allow greater flexibility with my ideas while still maintaining a strong level of cohesiveness with my brand. There is going to be less personally branded items from me — I’m confident the designs and concepts will do well on their own. You will also see several more installments of our social media events in 2011.
Over the past year, RSC has organized a series of live meet-ups throughout the City of Boston that bring together independent artists, vendors and marketers to network and share ideas. The events have been a huge success and we are excited to build upon them and expand their reach. Finally, you’ll soon be seeing us selling our gear nation-wide this summer at such shows as the Renegade Craft Fair. Keep your eyes open and come say hi!
BC: What sold you on Big Cartel and how has your experience been so far?
RSC: When RSC began, it was extremely important for us that our customer’s shopping experience be as easy as possible. No one wants to fill out form after form and click 10 times before you receive an order confirmation — that’s just sketchy. We also drive a large portion of our webstore traffic via our blog, so the fact that Big Cartel offered full customization was important. We’ve had a fantastic experience so far and can’t think of a better place for start-ups and independent artists like ourselves to set-up shop. If Big Cartel was a chick, we’d definitely date her.
