At some point in every young person’s life, the thought of creating your own clothing has come about at least once. It may seem like a distant, maybe even an impossible thought. However, these guys did not let the fear of a challenge discourage them from following their dreams.
Names: Chris Marchessault (left) and Pierce Johnston (right)
Roles: Student Designers
CollegeFashionista: What inspired you to start your own clothing company?
Chris Marchessault: I’ve always wanted to start a clothing line since I was 17. I tried to, but I had no money and no one to do it with me. Pierce is my roommate and he’s been in my band for the past three years. Last semester, I was in our room and saw a bunch of designs opened on his computer.
Pierce Johnston: They were for a clothing line I was thinking of starting one day but never got around to it. The more I learned Photoshop, the more I started coming up with designs. I thought starting a clothing company would be a good idea, but I had no idea how to do it.
CM: So I said, “We’re going to do it.”
CF: What is your favorite part about owning your own clothing company?
CM: My favorite part is probably the fact that we can do whatever we want, say whatever we want and make whatever we want. We’re our own bosses.
CF: What challenges do you face owning a clothing company and being a student at the same time?
CM: The biggest thing is time. Being a college student is something we saw as a positive because it allows us to be around college kids, our target market. But we both have jobs, school work and a band schedule, so we’re pretty busy dudes.
PJ: Finding start up capital was a challenge. Finding the time to work and make a lot of money is hard.
CF: Where do you look for inspiration for designs?
CM: I’ve always been a big fan of smaller clothing brands that sponsor bands, go to music festivals and stuff like that.They do a lot more than just make clothes,and that’s something we really want to do.
PJ: Inspiration comes up in many different places. I might be hiking and see a landscape, and I’ll want to recreate something like it. I’m really into motivational stuff. If I find a quote that I really like, I try to make a design around that to spread the message.
CM:The name of the company, “Terra,” is Latin for “Earth,” and the triangles in the logo are supposed to represent a mountain range.
CF: Any advice for those who are looking to start their own clothing company in the future?
CM: Know what you’re getting yourself into. The most important thing is to have a defined message and not just create something because you think it’ll sell. It’s more meaningful when someone can personally relate to what you’ve created. Make sure everything you put out there looks professional and neat. The little things are important.
PJ: Research your market to see what kind of clothes they’re already wearing. Be prepared to network; networking is a big one. Get people excited using social media so they become interested in it. Don’t have a plan B. Go all out.
Learn More: Terra Apparel plans to be doing some big things in the near future. Check them out on their website, Facebook page and Twitter/Instagram: @terraapparel_.
