Taken at face value, the Draplin Design Co. (DDC) website is more than slightly irreverent. Some may say that it is too personal to be professional. Others may dismiss it all together without getting into the real substance of what the DDC actually does.
First and foremost, the DDC designs stuff - logos, emblems and brand identities, mostly. They're really good at it too. The folks at the DDC know how to sort through facts, fluff and hype in order to create an image that captures the essence of a project, product or company, that is simple, yet unforgettable, fresh, yet timeless, and, quite frankly, is a joy to behold.
However, since this is a column about menswear, not a design forum, now is the time for digression. What the DDC also does really well is take some common items we're all familiar with and make them interesting in a way that only the DDC can. A T-shirt is known as a torso cover, a bottle opener is a beverage wrench and those hard plastic combs you used to get at the barber shop are known as hair organizers. Like I said - fresh, yet timeless.
Above and beyond their ability to rebrand and rejuvinate the classic and familiar is their eye for detail and quality. Their T-shirts are thick and durable and they claim that the inks they use for screenprinting will last for 1000 washes, but who's counting? What you get when you buy something from the DDC is a unique product that's had the good fortune of being designed by someone who is irracibly passionate about good design and whose reputation and rock-solid work ethic prohibits him from producing crap. It's simple, really.
Here's some of my favorite gear from Draplin Design Co.:
"Factory Floor Issue Action Cap"
"Nameplate Torso Cover"
"DDC Crew Sock"
all photos: draplin.com
See what I mean? They make good great.
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