i-D Magazine

BM: What would you say was the biggest influence
your parents had on you?
VS: My parents consistently encouraged me to pursue
art as a hobby and be expressive throughout my life. My
mother had a background in education and my father,
a psychologist, taught me to think critically and solve
problems. I’ve always had a fascination with puzzles and
games, which has been advantageous in envisioning 13
Bricks and its future.
BM: Whether its music, art, culture, or specific individuals
what inspires you to create?
VS: Surrounding myself with like-minded individuals
(free-thinkers) has gone a long way to inspire and push
me to overcome perceived limitations and venture
outside my personal comfort zone and into uncharted
territory. One of our primary objectives as a socially conscious
company is to change the way humanity perceives
the world. We
demonstrate this change by continuing to adapt to circumstances
and reinforcing a positive outlook along the
way. We propagate our identity, aesthetic and ideals and
the surrounding community resonates with it because
they see the sincerity behind what we’re doing. The
community fuels us to keep going, and offers us feedback.
Our team is
always trying new things as we continue to design our
lifestyle and define our culture. Through this lens, I view
my team members as courageous pioneers in the campaign
for social change.
BM: Being a Savannah local, what was the ultimate
factor in deciding you wanted to attend SCAD?
VS: I grew up thinking about it almost my entire life, it
was always in the back of my mind. It wasn’t until I attended
SCAD that I witnessed how few Savannah natives
actually attend the school, or pursue art as a profession.
I realized at some point that I had chosen the road less
traveled for better or worse.
BM: Graduating with a degree in sound design, how
exactly did you make your way into the business
after school?
VS: I picked up screen-printing as a hobby, I saw clothing
as a vehicle for the movement I sought to create. I was
friends with illustrators, screen-printers, graphic designers,
fashion students, photographers, film-makers-- as
a local I found an opportunity to connect the dots and
create a platform. I look at 13 Bricks as a multi-media
platform as opposed to just a screen-printing company. I
envision the company as a network that offers designers
the opportunity to employ each other’s crafts and showcase
one another’s skills in a professional setting.
BM: What turned you away from pursuing a career in
your area of expertise?
VS: I would mainly say I made a lifestyle choice. I chose
to invest energy in creating a community hub because I
felt the potential and the need for improving the place
I grew up in. I would say I’ve delayed my ambitions as a
sound designer versus given up on them.
BM: How exactly did the name 13 Bricks come
about?
VS: The choice in our name is an essential part of ourstrategy
to stimulate our audience subconscious, leaving
behind breadcrumbs for them to remember certain
truths. Since antiquity humanity has utilized sets of 12 to
order systems of measurement, time, astrology, mythology,
and more. 13 is the first number in the next set, in
this manner, 13 embodies change, or evolution. I believe
13 is a key to unlocking hidden mysteries concealed from
history and what we’ve been led to believe by educational
institutions. We are the bricks; we are the components
rebuilding a new world. The bricks are representative
of us creating our own reality and working together
to form structure.
BM: What was your strategy for building a team of
artists?
VS: There is a natural ebb and flow of members, some
peripheral and others more permanent, people either
stick around or they don’t. We find that everyone’s position
on the team has occurred naturally and continues to
develop in an organic way.
BM: What is the creative process for generating ideas
or designs for a new t-shirt design?
VS: Creative collaboration. Our process is fluid and constantly
evolving.
BM: Are you aware of where your materials/products
used during the production stage are sourced?
VS: American made organic cotton, sweatshop free and
locally printed. Organic cotton and bamboo are both
sustainable options, which we believe will become the
standard in the clothing industry.
BM: With the fashion industry shining light on sustainable
practices, do you see printing companies also
latching onto this trend?
VS: Absolutely. Ultimately, the decision is in the hands
of the consumer. Producers follow consumer spending
trends almost always.
BM: What do you think sets 13 Bricks apart from other
local print shops?
VS: We specialize in assisting artists achieve their goals
and ensure quality control with unparalleled customer
satisfaction when it comes to digital and screen printing.
We are willing to collaborate and work with clients that
want to experiment or try things new things. Rather than
telling customers “No, we can’t do that,” we offer creative
solutions for our customers.
BM: At the rate technology is at where do you foresee
the industry going?
VS: Hard to say, we don’t have a crystal ball, but we are
always willing to adapt to stay on top.
BM: What steps are you or do you plan to take to get
your business to the next level?
VS: Constant feedback and self-evaluation helps keep us
honest and maintains our integrity as leaders in Savannah’s
artistic community.
BM: Do you see 13 Bricks expanding in the foreseeable
future?
VS: Yes, our plans include fashion assembly and an
introduction of more garment types, accessories and
additional apparel. We are continuing to research large
format textile printing and embroidery.
122 i-D THE SPEAK UP ISSUE