WearCody: An Androgynous Clothing Line
Donation protected
Hello there.
If you are reading this, I want to start by thanking you for your time. Just visiting this site shows support, even if just in the form of curiosity. I appreciate whatever you are able to give, in the form of a monetary donation or positive thoughts, energy, and well wishes from afar. It all makes a difference. So thank you. If you are reading this, I assume you are interested in the clothing line I spoke about on social media. So let me tell you little about my vision for my company, WearCody, LLC.
WearCody will be launching an androgynous clothing line for socially conscious jetsetters (or those who desire to be) using exclusively material that is 100% sustainable/recyclable.
My initial concept is a versatile, customizable ath-leisure travel garment designed to transform for almost any occasion, be light-weight, comfortable, and stylish, and easy and convenient to pack. My intended material is Repreve, which melts down recycled bottles into thread, which then can be spun into almost any type of fabric imaginable--anything from lingerie to denim. I will begin by utilizing color pallets, patterns, and silhouettes that are not currently charged as masculine or feminine. The intent is to design a garment that anyone can feel comfortable wearing, regardless of how they identify and that's universal enough to transcend most cultures. While I'd love to share sketches and specifics, I have not embarked upon the trademark or copyright journey yet, so to protect my intellectual property I have decided against it for now. I hope you understand.
My career as someone who travels for a living makes me uniquely positioned to understand the relationship between clothing, travel, and culture. This design came about after years of packing suitcases and a desire for a garment that would offer enough versatility to go through an entire day of travel and all it could entail--waking up, going through security screening, running through an airport to catch an international flight, remaining comfortable when the airplane is freezing cold and you're trying to catch a nap, heading to dinner immediately upon arrival in a foreign, possibly warmer destination, and then lounging around your hotel at the conclusion of a busy day-- all without having to change outfits. A pair of shoes is part of the design as well, for those of you who are curious ;-)
In July I was connected to a patternmaker who worked at Nike for about 17 years before leaving and starting her own business. After pitching my idea, she gave me a price quote on the cost of taking my idea from concept to manufacturing and covers pattern-making, grading (for various sizes), sourcing (material, zippers, buttons, etc.) a first prototype with 3 alteration, and everything needed to get the design ready for mass production. It is 9 month process from start to finish. The design is relatively complex and androgynous sizing will be tricky, but given her track record and experience, I am certain she is the one for the job. Her price quote is $11,000 and subject to change. I am asking for help raising $15,000 to offset the Gofundme fee and to adjust for additional fees incurred as the process develops.
Why am I doing this? My world travels have shown me how gender norms and stereotypes in clothing vary by culture; what someone who identifies as a cis male here in the states wouldn't wear what someone who identifies the same way in the Middle East, for example, is. And its caused me to reflect on how clothing and fashion can be used to engage in a conversation about gender stereotypes, and how those stereotypes affect the emotional, psychological, spiritual, and sometimes physical well-being of many of us. This is a continuation of the conversation explored in the documentary I was a part of back in 2012 called The Mask You Live In by Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom, which analyzes the potentially devastating effects gender stereotypes has on young men specifically, but on ALL of us, in general. I did not know then the power the documentary would have, but I do now. The amount and quality of feedback I have received in the form of random phone calls from friends of friends I didn't know, letters from and conversations with complete strangers on the plane, and numerous private DM's on social media is astounding. It is clear this is a desired conversation worth having. And I plan to use this clothing line, my brand, as a platform to do that. While also protecting and preserving our environment for future generations, and giving back to the communities that have inspired the designs. Social justice and environmental sustainability are two values core to who I am, and will be inextricably linked to my business.
If you share these values, I ask you to consider donating and sharing this page with any friends and family that share the same sentiments. I know it can be a lot to ask for donations without seeing anything, but I ask you to trust me, and if you're interested, contribute. Any contribution or support is appreciated.
Thank you again for your time and consideration!
If you are reading this, I want to start by thanking you for your time. Just visiting this site shows support, even if just in the form of curiosity. I appreciate whatever you are able to give, in the form of a monetary donation or positive thoughts, energy, and well wishes from afar. It all makes a difference. So thank you. If you are reading this, I assume you are interested in the clothing line I spoke about on social media. So let me tell you little about my vision for my company, WearCody, LLC.
WearCody will be launching an androgynous clothing line for socially conscious jetsetters (or those who desire to be) using exclusively material that is 100% sustainable/recyclable.
My initial concept is a versatile, customizable ath-leisure travel garment designed to transform for almost any occasion, be light-weight, comfortable, and stylish, and easy and convenient to pack. My intended material is Repreve, which melts down recycled bottles into thread, which then can be spun into almost any type of fabric imaginable--anything from lingerie to denim. I will begin by utilizing color pallets, patterns, and silhouettes that are not currently charged as masculine or feminine. The intent is to design a garment that anyone can feel comfortable wearing, regardless of how they identify and that's universal enough to transcend most cultures. While I'd love to share sketches and specifics, I have not embarked upon the trademark or copyright journey yet, so to protect my intellectual property I have decided against it for now. I hope you understand.
My career as someone who travels for a living makes me uniquely positioned to understand the relationship between clothing, travel, and culture. This design came about after years of packing suitcases and a desire for a garment that would offer enough versatility to go through an entire day of travel and all it could entail--waking up, going through security screening, running through an airport to catch an international flight, remaining comfortable when the airplane is freezing cold and you're trying to catch a nap, heading to dinner immediately upon arrival in a foreign, possibly warmer destination, and then lounging around your hotel at the conclusion of a busy day-- all without having to change outfits. A pair of shoes is part of the design as well, for those of you who are curious ;-)
In July I was connected to a patternmaker who worked at Nike for about 17 years before leaving and starting her own business. After pitching my idea, she gave me a price quote on the cost of taking my idea from concept to manufacturing and covers pattern-making, grading (for various sizes), sourcing (material, zippers, buttons, etc.) a first prototype with 3 alteration, and everything needed to get the design ready for mass production. It is 9 month process from start to finish. The design is relatively complex and androgynous sizing will be tricky, but given her track record and experience, I am certain she is the one for the job. Her price quote is $11,000 and subject to change. I am asking for help raising $15,000 to offset the Gofundme fee and to adjust for additional fees incurred as the process develops.
Why am I doing this? My world travels have shown me how gender norms and stereotypes in clothing vary by culture; what someone who identifies as a cis male here in the states wouldn't wear what someone who identifies the same way in the Middle East, for example, is. And its caused me to reflect on how clothing and fashion can be used to engage in a conversation about gender stereotypes, and how those stereotypes affect the emotional, psychological, spiritual, and sometimes physical well-being of many of us. This is a continuation of the conversation explored in the documentary I was a part of back in 2012 called The Mask You Live In by Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom, which analyzes the potentially devastating effects gender stereotypes has on young men specifically, but on ALL of us, in general. I did not know then the power the documentary would have, but I do now. The amount and quality of feedback I have received in the form of random phone calls from friends of friends I didn't know, letters from and conversations with complete strangers on the plane, and numerous private DM's on social media is astounding. It is clear this is a desired conversation worth having. And I plan to use this clothing line, my brand, as a platform to do that. While also protecting and preserving our environment for future generations, and giving back to the communities that have inspired the designs. Social justice and environmental sustainability are two values core to who I am, and will be inextricably linked to my business.
If you share these values, I ask you to consider donating and sharing this page with any friends and family that share the same sentiments. I know it can be a lot to ask for donations without seeing anything, but I ask you to trust me, and if you're interested, contribute. Any contribution or support is appreciated.
Thank you again for your time and consideration!
Organizer
Cody Owsley
Organizer
SeaTac, WA