Why hang art when you can wear it? Grandmahotte, an artistic clothing line created by SCAD student Tucker Hotte, allows both guys and girls the opportunity to wear not only graphics or text, but also art. At only 20 years old, Tucker has created a clothing line that redefines urban fashion, pushing it to artistic limits. He is able to ensure high quality merchandise at an affordable price by sewing every dress and shirt himself. With his first collection set to launch in the next month, Tucker is busy handcrafting the perfect dress and T-shirt designs to display his artwork.
Hometown? Suffolk, Virginia
Year? Freshman
Major? Graphic Design
What activities are you involved in on campus? I’m on the lacrosse team.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? The one thing that always surprises people is that I grew up on a farm and some of my favorite things to do are hunting and fishing.
What is a typical Friday night like for you? I usually do homework, do some personal art, and sew my clothing prototypes.
What was the inspiration for your clothing line? Growing up, I felt I couldn’t find a store that had clothes that I really wanted or could afford to wear. As I started creating artwork, I was trying to figure out a way to present it that would provide the greatest affect on the viewers. I decided clothing would be a great way to display my art. When you put a piece of art on clothing, it changes how you perceive the piece. Just like when you see art as graffiti, or the same piece in a gallery, your perception is totally different. It’s the same way with clothing.
What mediums do you use to create art? I use colored pencil and pen for my drawings, and I work with photography.
Who is your target demographic? Currently, since I’m at SCAD, I’m focusing on college students, but I want to be able to appeal to everyone.
What inspires your art/clothing? My inspiration is the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met. I don’t look to other art or clothing for inspiration. I make what I want to see people wear.
Will Grandmahotte have a retail store or be an online business? Online business, because in this day in age, you can locate your manufacturing center wherever you want, get customers through the internet, and ship your product anywhere in the world.
Where do you see Grandmahotte in five years? I’ll have a strong customer base, and hopefully in five years the business will have expanded enough to move into a studio and have a team of employees.
To learn more about Grandmahotte, visit facebook.com/grandmahotte.