Famingo Apparel is a local streetwear company that is working to put Canadian art at the forefront of their limited-edition collections. Kitchener-Waterloo locals Adam Birch, Matthew Burnside and Calvin Humphrey created Famingo out of a mutual love for fashion and a desire to provide artists a new platform for disseminating their work.
At Famingo, basic streetwear style is decorated by Canadian paintings, illustrations and graffiti. Crewnecks, joggers, hats and t-shirts are released one collection at time, each focusing on a new artist. Trendy clothing is the backdrop, and artistic design and creativity is the focus.
Famingo’s goal is to support as many creative people as possible. Not only are they collaborating with artists, but they are hoping to grow into a company that can provide students and young professionals alike with creative experiences and events that help to grow the local community as a whole. Their collection profits are shared with the artists and also provide donations to local charities and organizations.
This “all-welcome and all-supported” mentality applies to their overall artistic aesthetic style, too. While they will maintain consistent in types of clothing they sell (all streetwear inspired), the types of art will be constantly changing and growing.
“What [art] I like might not necessarily be what you like,” Birch said. “Instead of focusing on one specific [style], let’s get a broad representation … We are open to any and all kinds of art.”
Famingo’s goal is to simply put as many creative pieces on the market as possible.
The first collection, available for pre-sale next month, is dropping as a crewneck this fall. The featured artist is Vickie Vainionpaa, a University of Waterloo fine arts graduate. Her digital art is colorful, bubbly and fluid. The official design of the Famingo piece has yet to be released, but surely it will be a good start for the company.
Birch became interested in fashion a little later in life, after spending all his school years in a uniform. He gained inspiration from fellow Canadian brands including Atelier New Regime of Montreal, Raised by Wolves and East Coast Lifestyle. Famingo has a unique opportunity to help define a newly emerging Canadian streetwear identity, and they are planning on bringing as many creative people with them as possible.
“We are looking for people, not necessarily [just] artists, but people with powerful messaging …We are looking for painters or illustrators, graffiti artists, many forms of expression. We want to be one big creative brand,” expressed Birch.
As the local artistic and cultural community continues to grow, Famingo will be repping Canadian talent and paying them, too. In a time where supporting a creative career is financially difficult, Famingo wants to provide opportunities to anyone and everyone who is pursuing their dreams.
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