We had a little chat with our shop partner Daisychain – who likes playing around with the meaning of words and sees his customers as people who can read between the lines.
What inspired you to open your shop, and for how long have you been running it?
Some of my mates encouraged me to open my own shop. I wear the t-shirts that I design myself, and when quite a few people asked me where I’d bought the t-shirt I was wearing I decided to use Spreadshirt’s platform to sell my designs. When I started in early 2011, it was only my friends who ordered, and now I sell a lot of designs through Spreadshirt’s platform.
Where does the name Daisy Chain come from?
Daisy Chain is an example for diverse ambiguity. It can either refer to a daisy garland created from daisy flowers, a strap in climbing, DNA sequencing to predict the next generation’s outcome or, in IT, to a combination of several hardware components. But it’s not like the name does have a direct bearing on what I offer in my shop. It is more like a whimsical reference to what Steve Martin called one of the most wholesome, beautiful and natural experiences that money can buy. In this context, Daisy Chain seemed like a sweet and innocent reference to what today’s society seems to revolve around (apart from money). If you know what I mean.
How did you get wind of Spreadshirt?
Google is everywhere…
How much time do you put into your shop?
That’s really hard to tell. Now that the shop is put up, most of the work is done. Whenever I feel a flurry of creativity run through my blood, I work on new designs. And in times of creative drought, I also accept help from others. So I see maintaining my shop more like a hobby than a time consuming effort.
Which design are you most proud of?
My own favourite design? ‘Bunch of Flowers.’ It’s a philosophical innuendo that makes you chuckle.
How do you market your shop or create awawreness?
Mostly through Facebook, and I also use Google Adwords. In future I’m going to print flyers as well to hand out in our capital cities.
Who do you think are your customers?
People who detect innuendos and like the underlying message. People who like non-conformist t-shirts with stylish and colourful designs. And people who just dig my style 🙂
What has your biggest success been so far?
That people like or buy my t-shirts who have never met me in person, i.e. Facebook users who got aware of my shop.
Have you ever seen somebody wearing a t-shirt of yours who you didn’t know?
Not yet, but I’ll beaver away feverishly on making a change there.
What do you do when you don’t work on your Spreadshirt shop?
It’s a challenging 9-to-5 IT job which doesn’t really call for a lot of creativity. So my shop is my creative outlet.
If you were a t-shirt, what would you be?
Eye-turning, original, witty.
Is there anything that you have always wanted to be asked? And what would the answer be?
Would you like to give an interview? – I’d love to.
