WithitWorld

..is something I seemed to keep hearing more and more this year! I had made myself a few t-shirts of my designs recently and kept bumping into people who would say, just that, "I remember having one of those.." pointing and luckily for me, smiling!

The design was "Cheeky Monkey", which was from a whole range I created that used word play as part of its charm. Using the picture of the animal and then just one word of the phrase that are so common in everyday use. "Happy... Bunny", "Glamour... Puss", you get the idea.

I had started drawing and designing at art lessons in school but didn't really develop anything further until much later in my early 20's. Back then much of my work was hand painted, and I started creating designs on t-shirts, my first being in 1989. I remember my bedroom full of hanging t-shirts drying, my landlord thought I was a bit odd! Craft shows and (freezing) street market pitches followed for several years as I polished up my look.

But the designs grew more popular over the years through the 90's and by then I was supplying other retailers. I had also teamed up with my long term business partner by then as well. He had a shop called "WITH IT" in Brighton which is where I moved from my home town of Bristol. We were selling mainly t-shirts that we had designed and printed in the rather dark and stuffy back room. Yes, I taught myself to use a screen printing machine and we bought a 2nd hand 4 colour printer, and we were off, coming up with all kinds of ideas to print.

What was great about the shop was watching and hearing customers deciding which of the characters they felt best suited them or a friend..
"Is she a Lost Sheep or a Rock Chick?" you'd hear. There were always conversations going on like this along with some giggling of course.

In the very early 2000's we got our big break, with WHSmiths, who wanted us to design stationery for them with these characters. So we did...! In fact, many people remember us more for stationery than the t-shirts. We became a big favourite, especially with girls loving that all essential, pencil case, slash, make up bag...lol

So, here I am doing a launch of some of those original designs again, on t-shirts. I hope you like them and I'm planning to do more as well as different garments. I've missed not being able to get my art out there to people and hope to do some of the live Etsy events as well. Please follow us on social media, and do tell us which With It character you remember.

Thank you and stay WITH IT....! Brad