MyLocker, an e-commerce retailer offering custom apparel in Detroit’s Corktown district, today began offering the option to customize tees, hoodies, and other apparel with graphics designed by well-known, local graffiti artist Antonio "Shades" Agee.
“These designs are kind of his iconic tags, the one he has done over and over again,” says Rob Hake, MyLocker’s founder and CEO. These include a graffiti-emblazoned image of the word “Detroit,” Shades’ well-known hand-written signature, an image he created called “Lips,” and a character he calls "Blooey."
Shades isn't the only artist representing in the limited-edition collection. Also available is a selection of graphics based on student designs from the Detroit-based nonprofit Art Road, which provides art classes, supplies, and instructors to Edison Elementary School, Charles Wright Academy of Arts and Science, and Spain Elementary School.
The designs, including "Art Dog Face," "Art Dog," "Flowers," "Hippo," and "Hubcap Art,” were handpicked from an archive that goes back nearly 10 years, says Carol Hofgartner, founder and executive director of the organization.
Not only will the nonprofit gain exposure through the new collection, a quarter of the proceeds will benefit Art Road's programming, Hofgartner says.
"MyLocker isn't just helping us raise money," Hofgartner says. "They're helping us nurture future artists and creativity in the city."
The Inspired by Detroit: Shades collection builds upon a relationship that first started when the retailer moved to Corktown a little over a year ago, Hake says. The company enlisted the Detroit native, who has also designed murals for companies like Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, Quicken Loans, and Universal Studies, to create floor-to-ceiling artwork throughout its 120,000-square-foot space. "There's big spools of threads on the walls," Hake says. "They're very themed to the design process."
To shop the new collection, click here.
