TaeRyan Clothing is an emerging, ambitious brand bringing together the attitudes and styles of the cultures that have influenced us.  My business partner and I, growing up in 2 different cities, Chicago and New York, felt like we could combine our influences to create a bold and unique look.  TaeRyan was founded in 2007 and we released our first designs in mid-2008.  I can't say it has been easy, we have spent many sleepless nights trying to perfect designs and even had to take a step back for a while to re-evaluate our mistakes before getting back on track and re-launching the line.  After all the hard work, and thanks to our fans, we can finally say this is what we wanted TaeRyan to be: A bold and affordable line with no boundaries and a bright future.

Location: Chicago, IL

Website

Urban Steez: Tell us your name and how you came up with the name for your clothing line?

This is Ryan Kander and Eddie Pietrucha and we are TaeRyan (pronounced Tay-Ryan). When coming up with the name, we threw out about 40-50 options and eventually picked out TaeRyan because it was a combination of some of our favorites from the list. We also liked it because it was unique and a little different, something we knew our clothing would be.

Urban Steez: So when and how did you get started?

TaeRyan: It initially started in a small room in the back of a Chicago library in late 2007. We had a couple more people involved at that time and decided it was a good idea to sit down and discuss our ideas and see if this all made sense. We knew we were taking a big risk, being fresh out of college, investing a lot of our own personal savings, but this was our dream and something that we were truly passionate about. We started out by setting up booths and selling our gear at local skate and surf events. We even sold tees out of the trunk of our car at baseball stadiums in Chicago. A few years later and we are the only two that remain.  We can proudly say that right now, TaeRyan is exactly what we originally envisioned it being back in that small library room about 2 1/2 years ago.

Urban Steez: That’s wassup! So, what is the concept behind your clothing and designs?

TaeRyan: The concept behind our clothing is a mash-up of cultures. We come from two different cities, New York and Chicago, and have been influenced by so many different things in our lives. We really thought if we could draw from those influences, we would create something truly unique and hopefully give people a look they haven’t seen before.

Urban Steez: Can’t go wrong with that! Is there a specific group of people that you are trying to grab if so explain?

TaeRyan: Absolutely not, we ourselves are a part of and enjoy so many different cultures. If anything, we want our brand to cross those cultural barriers and inspire people from all walks of life. We always say TaeRyan is an “all-inclusive” brand, if you like what we are doing, then we appreciate your support no matter where you are from, or what you do!

Urban Steez: What can we expect from your clothing line in the future?

TaeRyan: We have so many incredible design ideas in the works and have some big plans for the future. We recently released the first tees in a new special edition series of designs, our “Ry-Boy Series”, a concept that was actually generated by the fans on our facebook fan page. The response has been great, so you can expect more designs to drop in that series soon. We are also working on some dope stuff for the Fall and hope to collaborate with other up-and- coming brands. We see the future for us as being very bright and we’re excited to show people what we have in store next, but for now, you’ll just have to wait and see!

Urban Steez: We will be looking forward to that… What are your influences for your clothing line?

TaeRyan: Too many to name to be honest but we can try! A lot of our designs are rooted in the surf and skate culture of Rockaway Beach, Queens. Influences are also drawn from the urban, graffiti, hip-hop, punk and rock cultures of New York City and Chicago.

Urban Steez: Besides your clothing line, what clothing lines are you a fan of and why?

TaeRyan: A big fan… well we can tell you the brands we have respect for. We have respect for brands that aren’t afraid to step outside the box and try new things. What Johnny Cupcakes does in terms of really connecting with his fans and building an incredible following is inspiring. The Hundreds do a great job at paying homage to their influences, as well as making some of their tees, hoodies, etc. more artistic, which we always appreciate. They’ve also done some real nice collaborations.

Urban Steez: Fair enough! Give us a fashion tip than can be useful?

TaeRyan: Don’t over do it, keep it fresh and clean. And most of all, just do you! The best part about fashion is that everyone can just be themselves, that’s what we enjoy most about it!

Urban Steez: I concur! Give us one MAJOR fashion NO-NO?

TaeRyan: HAHA… We don’t really get the whole sunglasses inside thing, but to each his own. Who are we to judge… If that’s your style, go for it and pay no mind to the haters!

Urban Steez: Lol… What have you learned being an up and coming clothing line, Good and Bad?

TaeRyan: We can honestly say that this is what we love to do. There is no better feeling than creating something unique and different that people feel they can be a part of. On the other hand, this is an unforgiving business and if you aren’t passionate about what you’re doing then it isn’t going to work. Also, we have seen plenty of small brands get steamrolled because they weren’t creating original designs. You HAVE to keep it fresh, putting your name on a tee and passing it off as something hot may work for a little while, but in the long run your designs will become stale. That is why we always try to push the boundaries with our designs.

Lastly, learn from your mistakes (because you will make them) and no matter what you do, you’re not going to be able to please everyone…

Urban Steez: Cool, cool! What is the best way to get a hold of your threads?

TaeRyan: You can always pickup our newest gear on our website www.TaeRyan.com and at a growing number of retailers worldwide www.TaeRyan.com/retailers.

Urban Steez: Every Clothing line usually has a “motto” or a “saying” that represents their clothing line, what is yours?

TaeRyan: “Inspiration Starts in the Streets” is something we used a while back and it seemed to stick. We really think it fits perfectly with our brand because much of the inspiration behind our designs can be traced back to an experience we had when we were growing up.

Urban Steez: Nice! Any additional words you like to say to your supporters?

TaeRyan: We cannot thank those that have supported us and continue to support us enough. It is because of you that we have gotten this far. For any new supporters: we welcome everyone and want to hear your feedback. We do our best to make ourselves available to people with questions, comments, etc., so feel free to drop us a line and let us know what you think!

Go to TaeRyan.com for more