Coming off of a very successful launch for their Olympic Collection, we caught up with the founders of Circle Author, a new brand taking the arts and fashion scene by storm with their vintage inspired designs, thoughtful story telling and positive messaging. Driven by the desire to inspire change in as many people as possible, Circle Author has become a platform for connecting like minded creatives and positive thinkers in addition to offering artistic experiences and fresh products. Read through the conversation below to learn more about the brand, the meaning behind their powerful mantras, how they connect with their audience through transparency and much more.
Hey Caleb & Daniel, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. For those who may not know, who are you & what is Circle Author?
Hey guys! We’re Daniel & Caleb, the founders of Circle Author. Circle Author started in 2019 when we were talking about working on a project together. We’re both very into fashion but we didn’t immediately think about a clothing brand. We just knew that whatever we started had to be purposeful. The clothing brands that we love are all very idea and community driven and not just about design and we saw that as inspiration which is what ultimately led to the start of Circle Author.
Today, Circle Author is a clothing brand but our goal is to use the clothing to inspire others, spread positivity and help others to find the beauty and art in their lives, which we do through storytelling with the clothing that we make.
Can you speak more about Circle Author’s mantra of “Art is Everywhere”? How do you feel it translates into the products that you make?
“Art Is Everywhere” is about the idea that you can be inspired by everything. A lot of people think art can only be found in galleries or online but the truth is, anything can be art. We think it’s important for people to have an open mind to the art that is all around them and that by doing so, it will create a much more innovative and creative world.
With our designs, sometimes we’ll use overt messaging to inspire people and push them to open their eyes to the “art world”. Other times we just make what we like as an expression of our own creativity. At the end of the day, this project is just fun for us but if we can inspire others in some way then that is a win as well.
You both do a great job of giving a behind the scenes look into the thought process and experimentation of the brand, especially with your subpage @catalog.ca. What is the reason for wanting to give your audience that inside look?
@catalog.ca was created because there was a ton of stuff that we wanted to share that didn’t always match our main feed. The way you present yourself [on your main page] is super important and we wanted to maintain that clean image but still bring people in and keep them involved with us every day. Having a secondary page helps us continue to give our following something, even when we don’t have final projects to post on the main Circle Author page.
This makes a ton of sense and is definitely a great way to stay top of mind. Do you think more brands should do this?
Some should. Some shouldn’t. It definitely makes brands feel more approachable which can be very valuable for certain brands but others succeed based on that exclusivity and secrecy. The brands that we really like though are more inclusive so it feels right to us.
What brands are you inspired by?
Aime Leon Dore. Mad Happy. New York Sunshine. They all have great aesthetics, awesome products and just an all around great vibe. We’re also both heavily inspired by vintage and reference vintage designs a ton for our own pieces.
What are your favourite pieces from your collections so far and why?
The Change The World pieces mean a lot to us. The design is simple but it represents a community of people making a positive impact on the world. The Good Ol’ Apple Co collab tee as well was super fun to put together. We did that one with our homie Andrew who also does mockups for Mad Happy which was very cool.
We also loved making the Aged Hoodie because we experimented with new methods of screen printing and it came out really cool. We unevenly hit the screen to give it a faded vintage look and spent a ton of time making each one by hand. It didn’t actually sell as well as some of the others but we really loved it.
All great pieces. The Change The World collection specifically is definitely a standout collection for Circle Author and really well executed. What’s the secret to putting out a product like this that, although it is quite simple design-wise, has a bigger meaning behind it?
The design at the end of the day is only half of the release. The launch and presentation are super important and that’s what makes the difference between an “Instagram brand” and a proper brand that can have longevity. So many of these “instagram brands” just slap logos and phrases on clothes and put them out. Don’t get us wrong, that can totally work for some but we try to ensure that we are building a bigger story behind each piece. We’re trying to build something that can stand the test of time. We believe the Change The World pieces can do this if it’s done right and if we can get people to understand what those words really mean to us and how they represent our community.
We totally back this and are glad to see that you both put so much thought behind the product and the story. Lastly, what’s next for you Circle Author that we should all keep an eye out for?
We just got an office which we’re super stoked about! All of this stuff is so new to us and things are becoming really real which is sick.
We really want to start doing art installments. The dream is to go to Art Basel in Miami and do an installation there. We have this idea of a Change The World vending machine with a huge billboard that says change the world. It’s still an idea in the works but we would love to have a bigger stage to spread that message of positivity.
For clothing, we aren’t quite at the point where we plan things really far in advance so it’s hard to say yet. We are looking to get more into cut and sew now that we have some money from past drops. We might do a varsity jacket and a cut and sew trucker hat. Still in the works but we’re rolling with the ideas. We never thought we’d even get to a point where we could think about making these sorts of things but it’s so cool that we can, so stay on the lookout for that.
Check out Circle Author's latest release and make sure to follow their Instagram to get updates on their upcoming drops. Keep it locked to Pier Five for more interviews and stories with the coolest entrepreneurs, designers, artists, activists and more.