It is all about a unique approach. Rather than being inspired by other designers and following popular trends, the designers of Dreamland Apparel - Chris Eliott and Brian Caicco - find their inspiration from people, the ideals of classic fashion, culture and music. For them, it is not about designing clothing that suits the current lifestyles of certain iconic individuals, but rather develop a style that suits a variety of people in their own timeless and classic manner.
Chris Eliott - Dreamland Apparel Designer
From a very young age, Eliott always knew that he wants to do something with his life that pertained to fashion. Although he did not pursue a designing degree after high school, Eliott remained devoted to his passion for clothing. It appears that it was not so much a passion for garments, fabrics and sewing that kept the flame of motivation burning bright, but rather his interest in the role of clothing - more importantly, the notion of self-expression. With a strong determination and a creative mind, Eliott decided to complete his education in advertising and apply the tools he had learned to Dreamland Apparel. Knowing how to understand the market and promote products in certain industries leaves Eliott a step ahead.
However, it is not only his academic achievements that motivate Eliott to continue to devote time and energy into the Dreamland Apparel brand and clothing line. His creativity spans well beyond fashion, as he is a well-established rapper on several social media websites. His passion for music should come as no surprise to his friends, who will often see him listen to anything from modern day rap to the classic hits from ABBA.
Brian Caicco - Dreamland Apparel Designer
Having a technical edge, Caicco went on to study web design after high school. Although fashion was not a top priority at that point in time, Caicco always knew he wanted to become an entrepreneur. With his technical skills in hand, Caicco designs websites and templates for private clients. Having the technical creativity, Caicco has designed the Dreamland Apparel website and plays a crucial role in being active on the brand's website.
While his passion is primarily in the business industry, Caicco's personality and interests often influences the designs for the Dreamland Apparel clothing lines. His inspirations often come from music, as his classical choice in music often falls on classic rock, timeless movie soundtracks and soothing tracks without lyrics. This goes hand-in-hand with his choice in films, as Caicco is fond of documentaries. According to Caicco, the dose of reality is entertaining and while he learns quite a bit on various topics, he also finds inspiration from the timeless and evergreen content.
Dreamland Apparel by Chris and Brian
The two designers are not inspired by what other fashion designers are doing. They believe that their brand is different than those designers who design with one particular person, figure or icon in mind. Rather than having a person in mind, Eliott and Caicco stick to their theory that their clothing is versatile and can thus be woven in with other designs to complete a look. Rather than drawing ideas and inspiration from fashion designers, iconic individuals or celebrities, Eliott and Caicco stick to their original ideas and design their clothing to suit many different lifestyles, attitudes, icons and contexts. The Dreamland Apparel brand is all about being free and feeling independent and confidence in the personalized choice of clothing and style
One of the things that surfaces frequently with the two designers is the importance of having a voice. This is seen in Eliott's rapping and in Caicco's desire of becoming an entrepreneur. This need for a voice echoes on their website, as fans, visitors and friends can voice their opinions about the clothing, the designers, their choice of blog posts and rate and review products. One of the ways of fans to interact with the designers is through their interactive blog, where fans can personally get to know the designers via their posts regarding music, fashions, opinions and more. Fans can also contact them via their Twitter accounts and their Facebook page, allowing fans to voice their opinions, concerns and support publicly.
Eliott and Caicco support anyone who has a dream. For those who wants to become fashion designers, they do, however, offer some advice that may give those aspiring fashion designers a hit of reality. First, it is a time consuming process to design, print, advertise, promote and complete small and unforeseen projects. It requires a daily commitment. Second, determination and persistence are needed, as the process is not always a smooth one. Third, take the time it requires to plan and establish a strong brand with depth and character. Designing clothes should not be done with monetary gain in mind, as the market is competitive and harsh. Rather, make small goals and take joy in achieving them.
Having two masterminds behind a brand may seem impossible for some, as teamwork can often end in a fiasco. However, having two completely different backgrounds, offering two completely different perspectives, works well for this duo. While their educational backgrounds complement one another well in a partnership, their desire for fashion and individual expression make Eliott and Caicco a well-oiled machine.
Malene Soegaard - Malene spends her life analyzing fashion and movies. She operates two print magazines and is a published author.
