New to TVM this Sunday is The Undercurrent, a collaborative T-shirt brand with a difference.
The Undercurrent brings locals a collection of Gold Coast inspired t-shirts which are designed by five local Gold Coast artists and printed locally. Both male and female shirts represent suburbs that locals are proud of and tourists wish they were a part of with $2 from the sale of each shirt donated to the Gold Coast surf clubs.
We chatted to founder, Carly Snodgrass:
TVM: Tell us about how and when your label was created?
CS: The label was created in 2017, but has been in the works for about a year. When I travel, I try to hunt down galleries that stock art from local artists. Sometimes I’m unlucky because it’s incredibly difficult to find, too expensive or too hard to get home. So I tend to bring interesting t-shirts home as a reminder instead, this is essentially my souvenir. I wanted to create the same for the Gold Coast but using local artists.
What pieces are included within your range?
To begin with we have a t-shirt and singlet. The t-shirt is for both guys and gals, while the singlet is better suited for just the girls, but hey, each to their own.
What is your creative background?
My background is in advertising land. I absolutely love it, but hated the sales side of it. I’m not a great creative myself, but I found my niche in managing them. That’s why I wanted to collaborate with local Gold Coast artists on this project. There’s a great artist community here on the Coast, but we do lose a lot to the ‘big smoke’ due to the limited opportunities. So it’s fantastic to be able to offer them something they are passionate about and can showcase to their mates here too.
Where is the label designed and made?
The shirts are all designed by local Gold Coast artists and they are hand screen printed in Burleigh. The first series artists are Sarah Beetson, Claudio Kirac, Kiel Tillman, Eric Koo and Byron Coathup.
What inspires you?
The Gold Coast. This place is amazing. It doesn’t matter where I travel, I love coming home to it.
Latest collection consists of?
This collection is based on suburbs. Gold Coasters are so proud of their little slice of the Gold Coast, so the artists have tried to incorporate what they love about their area. The suburbs in this collection are Coolangatta, Currumbin, Burleigh, Mermaid Beach and Surfers Paradise. There will be more to come!
What's on your mood board?
Our Pinterest account is filled with imagery of surf and skate lifestyles of the 70s and old Gold Coast tourist photos.
What’s your creative space like?
It’s a large open plan office in the Burleigh industrial district with palm tree wall paper, soft grey couches and hints of pastel pink.
What music do you listen to while designing/creating?
Spotify is my go to, nothing specific, just whatever playlist is at the top.
A day in the life of you consists of?
As The Undercurrent is about to launch, I’m yet to get into a routine. It’s all pretty manic at the moment getting everything ready. Currently my day consists of waking up, apologizing to dog for no walk, throwing on some clothes, throwing on some other clothes, go back to original clothes, grabbing a coffee in Burleigh, writing out my days to do list, going to the office, putting out fires all day, remembering I haven’t eaten yet, putting out some more fires, looking at my to do list at 7pm, maybe I’ll get onto those tomorrow, what takeaways are still open?
Favourite reads/blogs?
Big fan of the Collective Hub magazine for great entrepreneur stories.
What are we likely to find you wearing on market day? Any favourite labels?
The Undercurrent t-shirt with some Urban Outfitter denim shorts and Converse.
What can we expect from the next collection/what are your plans for 2017 and beyond?
There’s definitely more collaborations to come, this is just the beginning! More artists, more series, just wait and see.
Why TVM?
It’s a fantastic way to get feedback. Online shops are great, but they do lose the interaction with the customer. If I want to know why something isn’t selling, I want to hear it direct.
Connect with The Undercurrent:
Instagram
Website
Find The Undercurrent at TVM this Sunday 2 April 2017!
