DATENIGHT, documented.
I should probably start this with a quote, or an introduction to grab the readers attention. I’ll just speak. Far simpler to put what would usually be said on video, into a short chapter. Reminiscent of a book, in blog form.
2020
An idea, during a social media content shoot, comes to me. I was investing numerous amounts of my weekly earnings from my still part time job, into clothing I could advertise for free in Instagram. Though it was a give and take, benefitting both brand and consumer, with an increase in audience, only one was theoretically making money from it. The idea, was simple, in effect, cut the spend and reinvest it into something of my own. It was never a light decision, by any stretch, and took some convincing, to put pen to paper and move forward with it. At this point I had somewhat extensive knowledge and background in the subject at hand. Not only being in a small like minded community but also the years of trips to physical clothing stores that I for the most part could only admire, and not take to the checkout. Whether I could walk out of the shop with shiny yellow bags did not matter to me, it was learning and putting myself in the environment I felt comfortable in. It never dawned that it would someday be a dream to have a brand of my own in there at the time, but 2020 when I firmly set out on my own brand, it became a mission.
DATENIGHT was born out of simplicity, much to its design and aesthetic, the name came from a simple mistake and misread of a shirt worn by an influencer. For some reason, I misread a scripted text on a pinstripe shirt I thought read ‘datenight’. It didn’t. But at this point, it clicked in my mind and instantly became the name of the brand. From that, it was about defining the brand and creating an identity. A name is never enough. It needs to have a story behind it. A real meaning of what it represents. Minimalistic, casual yet formal, date night attire. Something that can easily be identified without logo or branding, with the entire focus shifting onto the way the garment is cut and sewn. No easy feat.
Back then, I began searching numerous wholesale manufacturers that would ideally create the blank canvas we wanted, before then adding some sort of print, or special wash to relate to what I wanted to achieve with the brand.
Everything after the T-shirts manufacturing process, was done in house, the washes, the print, alterations etc. Though it seemed trusting at the time to use something that had all the qualities of a luxury product, it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t datenight. It lacked brand identity, and never really felt like our own, no matter what was added to it. Fast forward a couple of years and several months of frustration, we get to 2023. A whole new game. Lessons learnt. Money saved in the pot. New manufacturer. New plan.
2023.
The year that changed us. As if the rest didn’t slowly shift us in numerous directions and constantly change the approach of what the brand wanted. DATENIGHT, finds its new manufacturer, based in England, creating its garments overseas. I knew, as a brand director, to become something, I had to give the brand meaning, whilst still chasing that, garments needed to be rooted as datenight pieces. I didn’t want to create just another blank tee on the market as a first real product defined by our own cut and sew, and the funds weren’t in place for a full collection, or bigger pieces. In fact, at the time we came up with making our own, it was more for practical reasons as a creative. The Pocket Tee. A simple, yet efficient product, seen numerous times across the market throughout the years. Whilst it may seem on the outside as a white plain tee with a pocket (it technically is) it was a way to elaborate on what datenight wants to achieve. A simple product, minimalistic in form, yet speaks through the fabric and the way it fits on body. It appears simple to outline a T-shirt with a pocket. That’s because it is. What’s not, is every individual dimension that runs throughout that has to be cut and sewn to fit on a persons body immaculately. Samples came in, dimensions were altered and so forth. What came out of it, was this beautiful piece, crafted from a soft cotton, heavy, yet sits on the body well, dropped shoulders for comfort and a thick ribbed neckline for that tailored fit. It wasn’t actually the pocket that defines our pocket tee, though adding a double section is incredibly convenient for a phone and a pen or pencil if you’re old school, like me.
Dropping a few months back, the tee has gained some sort of traction for the brand and based on the response, I know what we made was worth the years of energy. As a beginning piece, it will remain a staple for the company as a whole, as a representation of that shift into our own product. As a brand, and as a person who breathes creativity, I am beyond proud of how this product turned out and see it as a stepping stone into the future.
2024, holds a lot of expectations. As I type this now, the brand hasn’t reached its full audience, we’re incredibly small in numbers. It looks to be a year of growth, new manufacturers, and a whole new look into how I as director will approach collections. Where we are right now as a brand, is far from the finish line, if there is to ever be one. It’s cliche to run with we’re only just getting started. Let’s face it, it’s thrown around way too often and usually fails without backing.
I know however, this brand has huge potential. Regardless of mistakes and limitations, I remain with the same tunnel vision to share my concepts with the world and make them a reality. This isn’t about, being the best, it’s about making us seen. The market is incredibly vast, with a high volume of people trying to make it.
Next year, will be a rollercoaster, that is certain. I have a clear view of what I want to create with the brand, and I am more than excited to share this in the upcoming months.
The video doc with more depth will drop at some point. In the meantime, socials will be ran with teased samples of what we’re working on.
If you have read this far, I thank you. If you follow or have supported us somewhat, we thank you.
Luke