Dom Gautier & Omar Ellis
Co-Founders
Burden Clothing Company
New York, NY

1. With today's climate and the fact the we are in the middle of a recession, how do you anticipate getting people's attention with Burden Clothing?

Omar: We aim to reach people by all means that are available: online, print, retail, etc.  Besides the obvious routes, we try to create pieces that get a customer's attention in some way, be it for design and/or concept behind them.  We try to put our best foot forward all around.

Dom:  Recession or no recession, people look for quality and well made clothes at an affordable price... as long as we hold true to our principles, keep the bottom line the same, and produce good designs we will continue to gain traction and grow. 

2. What made you decide to do the clothing line?

Dom:  The idea came from a phone convo that O and I had. We shared some of the same ideas with making t's. So we started small by combining our ideas and doing a round of initial prints. From there we grew  our ideas into a business. 

Omar:  I think that fashion was an interest that we both had to some extent.  Dom and I went to school together so it goes back that far.  Also, I personally spent a bit of time working in retail in Soho when the whole streetwear movement was beginning to take hold, and had even before then had ideas for pieces I wanted to create.  One day Dom and I were just having a conversation about creating a line and Burden was birthed out of that; we decided to move forward and see what we could make happen and that brings us to where we are today.

3. What do you feel will make Burden Clothing successful in your eyes?

Omar: I feel that we have a unique vision and unique products, two factors that make us stand out from other brands.  With those two pillars in place, we try to create in ways that make us stand out from what's out there.  I think we've been successful at that to an extent so far; hopefully we can continue to do so going forward.

Dom: I think there is a want for a unique experience and with many of our designs we provide that. When you look at stuff like the "Be Independent" hoodie, the concept is routed in history but at the same time its something that everyone can relate to. Essentially we try to things that people of caribbean culture can have a connection with and at the same time the concept can be global - anyone can enjoy it. 

4. Who is your target audience and what do you think will make them decide to buy your clothes?

Dom:  We try not to single out or alienate any group we're just trying to attract the fashion forward crowd, as well as the socially concious. 

Omar: Initially our target audience were people like us, caribbean-americans who we thought could relate to what we were about, but as we've grown and moved forward we've seen that people interested kind of run the gamut.  I don't want to get boxed in as to who wants to rock our brand. We aim to make clothes that still rep what we're about while being accessible to a lot of people.  That, combined with the quality of our materials and price point is what we feel will make people decided to buy what we have to offer.

5. If you could describe Burden clothing as if it were a person, what would that description be?

Omar: A strong-minded, confident person, who's aware of themselves and their heritage and past, while still keeping up with the current times as well.

Dom:  We're the smart sexy down to earth dude from around the way.  

About Burden Clothing: 

Founded by Omar Ellis and Dom Gautier during the summer of 2006, Burden Clothing is a brand with a message. With a focus on Afro-Caribbean culture, Burden creates pieces based on people, places and things that have not only impacted their own cultures but the world as a whole.

The company's name is a play on the Rudyard Kipling poem "White Man's Burden," which became a theme for those out to "civilize" indigenous people all over the world, including Africans, during the time of colonialism. Burden's aim is to show that "...through great heroes, Caribbean people can stand up and be accounted for. They are proof that from desolate, desperate situations can come dominance, excellence and glory"

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