Tastworthy. (tays-t-wur-thee) adj: Any person, place, or thing, that Dita believes deserves honorable mention and is oozing with style and/or taste.
I must admit that I'm an avid sweet eater. But when I heard about Fresh Baked Goods, a clothing company that bakes the kind of sweets that would leave a man feeling "so fresh so clean", I just had to talk to one of FBG's creative masterminds, Marquis Thibodeaux, so I could satisfy my fashion "sweet tooth" for all things tastworthy.
So, I felt honored when he agreed to do an interview with me, just to answer some questions about the brand, it's concept, and even some advice Marquis could give to other young, aspiring designers.
Dita (Tastmakr): What is your background?
Marquis (FBG): I was born in Boston, MA, on November 15, 1988, and I went to several different schools while growing up, because I moved around alot. My mother was an artist and my father was a muscian/rapper.
Tastmakr: How did you come up with the FBG concept?
FBG: The idea of FBG wasn't mines. A friend from my first college I went to in North Carolina came to me with this idea of a clothing line called FBG cause he knew of my artistic skills. At first I didn't want to do it because of the "Johnny Cupcakes" concept in Boston, but then I just started to ease into it. I started to come up with ideas entirely on my own using my own artwork and cleverness. Then as it started to get bigger I started to figure out more things like creating a website and stickers and all kinds of things that I learned entirely on my own. When it first started out there was an original three: me, Dean Ross who came up with the idea, and another artist John Misshoun but things happened and Dean had to leave the group so FBG split into 2 parts, which is how Fresh Baked North and Fresh Baked South came about.
Tastmakr: Who is your target audience?
FBG: I dont really have a target audience just yet because it is still all so new, but so far the FBG line has attracted a hiphop/rocker crowd.
Tastmakr: What makes FBG stand out from, let's say, a company like Johnny Cupcakes?
FBG: To break it down from my point of view Johnny Cupcakes is more gimmick based; all of his t-shirts revolve around one type of image, which is the "cupcake"; basically when you name your brand around one specific thing there's only so many things you can do. Fresh Baked Goods revolves around so many things, not just food, but there are metaphors using slang, like "cake" means money, and you "bake a cake". Get it? lol. So there are so many ideas for my line and I try not to revolve around one thing. I like to change it up with every new design, while using street refrences, sarcasm, visuals, etc. so many things that can be used. Also from a product standpoint the graphics on the shirts are made with a special print that doesn't fade off over time, unlike other shirts.
Tastmakr: Where are you located? How can male customers purchase FBG merchandise?
FBG: Right now we are "street corner" based, using word-of-mouth to spread buzz about our product, and online-based, using social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and FBG's blog. I currently am located in Brockton/Boston, MA.
Tastmakr: Any role models? Who inspired you to design t-shirts and other apparel?
FBG: Pharrell Williams and Kanye West are my inspiration; they are multitalented!
Tastmakr: Any future plans for FBG? Where do you envision the company in 5+ years?
FBG: I like to stay in the present and not think that far into the future, that way I continue to build the company and make progress as I go along.
Tastmakr: What advice could you give to other young, aspiring designers/entrepreneurs?
FBG: Don't give up, and anything is possible.
Photos, courtesy of Fresh Baked Goods
