Most of the time, clothing has its own way of being unique from piece to piece (brand to brand). Yet, when the itch for creativity strikes, some people tend to add their own flair through customs. Customs can range from a small paint splatter on a pair of Vans to a full painting on the back of a jean jacket. The sky is the limit, and there’s a lot you can do when it comes to creating custom pieces. More importantly, they help differentiate one person from another.
Custom pieces tend to be in high demand because people want to separate themselves from everyone else. It’s no surprise that some end up selling their customs, taking requests, and earning money by making them for folks that are unable to put as much time and effort towards the craft. This has definitely opened the door for many to make a nice living off of their unique take on customs. Some people leading the pack in this space include Sierato (@sierato), Brahma (@brahmacustoms), and DeJesus Custom Footwear (@dejesuscustomfootwear). These creators have been involved in making customs for years, and their projects certainly reflect it. Just one look, you can see all of the excellent craftsmanship and hours of hard work as well as the effort put forth.
Custom clothing pieces allow people to wear their favorite item of clothing with something that really interests or stands out to them. For example, as jean jackets are making a style comeback, the art of painting on them is as well. The art often takes a long time, but they are seriously worth the wait. The outcome is always guaranteed to be slightly different each time, and it allows multiple interests to be showcased on one piece of clothing.
brahmacustoms Nmd “Gucci” customs
Custom clothing isn’t always fun and games, however, as there’s a lot of effort that goes into everything. The artist has to take into account pricing, buying materials, and making sure that time is used efficiently. Chicago reseller Gian Esmalla (@hypebeastpicasso) says that “For customs, you have to be wise about where you put the price because you’re putting effort, time, and labor into them so you have to make it a little pricey, but you have to remember people don’t want to buy the customs if they cost too much, so you have to find a balance between the money and the labor aspects.” This shows the struggle that custom designers go through because they can put hours of work into something just to be criticized for their prices, with customers not always appreciating the effort put into the pieces. Esmalla also talks about having to price compared to those around you and how sometimes it’s a challenge, as “You don’t wanna be the lowest price because you’ll want to make your money back but at the same time you don’t want to be the highest price because not a lot of people are going to buy it.” The challenge with pricing can stress out designers and leave an impact on their work. They could possibly be losing money, customers, or materials if they aren’t careful with how they position each piece’s price tag. Despite creators often struggling with pricing, that doesn’t stop them from producing content and creating more customs each and every day. They have a passion for creating, and this is expressed through their endless unique designs as well as spins on popular shoes or other items.
The world of custom streetwear is truly one of difference and immersed in unique designs throughout. Although a struggle does exist with pricing and materials (or just knowing how to start out!), custom creators fight through it all, as they have a true passion for creating and have been able to earn a living doing what they love. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and those who have gotten far enough to be able to make a living through customs are sure to stick with it for as long as they please; they can’t pass up their dream! Customs are truly an art, and without them, streetwear would be a lot more bland and unimaginative. These are seriously two things that it couldn’t survive through.
Let us know about some of your favorite pieces in the comments!