Chances are you have not heard of Dream Gold… yet. That’s only because they are just getting started. Serji and Taira are a couple out of Toronto, ON who take pride in perfection. These two were smart enough (and patient enough) to find the perfect tee for their brand, even though they had a hook up on another brand of tees. Smart move. Read their story here.
I had a chance to talk to the couple about their artistic street wear tees, the challenges of running a brand, and a quick round of "this or that", here is how that talk went:
Introduce yourselves and tell me a little bit about your brand...
Hey everybody, we are Serji and Taira, a loving and devoted couple since 2007. We started Dream Gold because we wanted to have something that we could call our own. Serji was always interested in art and design, and was a naturally gifted drawer since a young age, and Taira just naturally has an eye for fashion. Combine the two and you got yourself "Dream Gold".
We both wanted to build a brand to project our positive outlook on life and the actions proceeding to achieve a lifestyle of well-being and supremacy. We both believe that anyone can achieve their biggest desires in life through following their dreams, no matter how big they may seem at the time, as long as you believe in yourself. As our company motto states - "See It, Feel It, Be It", those are the steps we live by to achieve our goals, so if you start seeing the invisible, you soon will feel its effects, and not long after it will materialize.
We wish Dream Gold to be the voice of those that are either just starting their journey, or have already achieved their desires, so they can feel proud being a part of our brand and lifestyle.
Is that you two in the photos?
Yes, that is indeed us.
How would you describe the average Dream Gold customer?
We would have to say that anyone who is the creative type, or has an eye for trendy street-wear.
What has been your biggest challenge in your tee shirt designing journey?
Most parts of this exciting journey are equally challenging to us. With success comes many failures. It's important to make mistakes because it's a learning experience which you will benefit from in the end.
What are some of your favorite websites?
Frequenting popular social media websites is key, but other than those we like to visit blogs that teach you about this industry.
Here are some, just to name a few:
Describe your perfect day...
We would love to spend a day just traveling and exploring things we've never experienced. Maybe a day in Sweden or Australia.
Another perfect day would be the day when we open our very first physical shop, with all our friends and family, here in Toronto.
What are some of your favorite indie tee shirt brands right now?
There are a lot of great brands on the indie map at the moment, and you can tell which ones are here to stay.
We don't really have any favourites at the moment, but we do support everyone 100%. :)
Have you guys showcased at any expos or shows lately? Any in the near future?
Nothing serious, just because we came out with our best line to date only a couple weeks ago. We have done little events here and there, locally. We're looking to do a lot of shows here in Toronto in part with our friends from Hidden City Sounds and LiveMusicTO.
What advice would you give someone who is preparing to start a tee shirt line?
Think it through to it's fullest. It's not just an "easy way out". Starting your own business is probably one of the hardest things you could do. It's an eye-opening experience and we wouldn't suggest anyone to get into this industry unless you are 100% dedicated and passionate towards it. Love what you do and make the best out of everything. You can't and will not please everyone, so don't take it to heart. Like we said earlier in a question above, the biggest challenge is failing and making mistakes. Don't let it get you down, because we truly believe it is a necessity in running a business in order to succeed.
Good luck!
Why do you make t-shirts?
We don't make the t-shirts, we give them life. It's something we love to do and how awesome is it to see someone wearing your art that took you hours to perfectly craft? It's an amazing feeling.
Time for quick round of "this or that" you guys ready?
PUMPED! Let's do this!
Football or hockey?
Neither. We're not fans of sports, haha!
Street art or graffiti?
Serji: Probably Graffiti, since I used to "graffiti" on paper all the time. :P
Taira: Street art.
Photoshop or illustrator?
Serji: Photoshop, since most of my work is done there, but Illustrator is very close to me.
Taira: Photoshop. Never used Illustrator, and I can barely use Photoshop, but If I had to choose between the two, then Photoshop clearly has a head start.
Tank top or crew neck?
We both are pro tank tops.
Hamburger or pizza?
Serji: I guess burgers, since there's more to them.
Taira: Screw pizza, burgers are where it's at.
New or vintage?
Serji: Vintage.
Taira: New vintage. See what I did there?
Disney or Warner bros?
We love both.
Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers?
Serji: TMNT for sure. I grew up drawing them.
Taira: Never was a fan of either. Turtles are cool, so I guess I'll go with Ninja Turtles.
Any shout outs?
There tons of people we'd love to give a shout out to! Firstly, all our friends and family of course, for supporting us and making this experience that much better.
In no specific order!
Alan Bernard, our webmaster, who made it possible for us to have that sort of webstore that we could only dream about for years to come. Jacky Trinh, from Hidden City Sounds for promoting us. Joanna Dass, for making our lookbook ideas come to life. Our models, Jordan Keen and Rachel Bordignon, for looking pretty on camera and spreading the word.
A huge thanks goes to those who have purchased anything from us in the past.
If you want to get to know more about Dream Gold and ourselves please head over to the following sites, since we're always open to making new friends!
Contact Dream Gold:
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