If you checked out our holiday gift guide, you know a bit about Homage Clothing. Since the Buckeyes are fresh off a Rose Bowl victory, I figured it was as good a time as any to give a little more shine to my favorite Buckeye apparel guru and funky soul provider, Ryan Vesler. It’s not just that he makes great OSU t-shirts. He shows love to other midwest cities, NFL teams and sports personalities with a consistent, old school aesthetic that transcends music and design. It’s about feeling and emotion. It’s about paying tribute in a way that’s amusing without being tongue-in-cheek. It’s about throwing down a playlist of Isley Brothers, the Supremes and Jose Feliciano while black and white images of Charles Schulz, Rickey Henderson and the Beastie Boys flash across the screen.
Ryan took a few moments out of his increasingly busy schedule to answer a few of our burning questions. Check out what he has to say, become a fan on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter.
What gave you the inspiration to start Homage and cultivate such a funky throwback vibe, from the B&W images and homepage music to the t-shirt designs themselves?
Ryan Vesler: A few years back, I realized that I don’t really like fashion. I found all of the styles, trends and expectations to be a bit arbitrary and distracting, so I started to seek out a style of clothing that had meaning behind it—something that truly inspired me—but I didn’t find much. Some Nike retro stuff, for example, really gets me. Bo Jackson. Andre Agassi. I can remember Agassi’s long hair and neon threads. Awesome. And Bo Knows! Anyway, I realized the reason that the Nike stuff “gets” me is because I’m emotionally connected to it. I have a personal connection to the shoe or the jersey. Nike found a way to make it emotional.
So what evokes emotion these days? I thought a little more: culture, tradition, respect, spirit. Homage is my attempt at making things emotional for people. When I close my eyes and think about something pure like an ice cream truck cruising around an old neighborhood, or Archie Griffin scoring a touchdown in the Horseshoe, there is a certain musicality, rhythm and vibe that comes to mind. What I see and hear are infused into the Homage brand and website. I have to admit, the opportunity to take these ideas and bring them to life on a graphic t-shirt is a thrill. It’s not easy, though. 95% hard work for 5% satisfaction.
You’ve clothed quite a few big names and had your shirts featured on some cool shows. What are two of your favorite experiences from either situation?
Ryan Vesler: Over the summer, I had the chance to meet Buzz Aldrin. I ended up getting a photo taken of me and Buzz both wearing the Homage “For All Mankind” t-shirt. That was simply unbelievable. Buzz is an American hero, and here I was standing with a man of his calibre in our t-shirt inspired by his greatness. Wow.
Ever catch any flack from Michigan fans, either at games or via your site?
Ryan Vesler: Michigan fans tend not to give me any trouble. Seriously, the more I get into this, I really start to gain a respect for Blue’s traditions, legacies and fans. These are the things and people that give it life. At Ohio State, we’re also blessed to have such an incredibly history. I think that when you break it down like this, there’s no reason to “hate” the other side. We play these games and contests with respect for the other guy or gal. So, having said all that, I think it would be both a privilege and honor to make Michigan apparel.
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