ColtClothing

Some ways lead straight to goal. Georg aka ColtClothing from Karlsruhe, Germany, founded his own design company to realise his artistic ambitions. Little did he know that he’d land such a winner with his designs that feed on dirty streets, urban graffiti and dreamy tattoo allusions. Find out how Georg revealed his success story when doorstepped by our very own Doreen.

Georg, designs by ColtClothing are hardly what you’d call cuddly and cute. Where does this rough street-like edge in your charming creativity come from?

I grew up in the 90s with Nirvana and other grunge bands. When I was 9 years old, I got my first skateboard and have been a skater boy ever since. You could say that this had a formative influence on my way of life. During my university days, I worked as a bike messenger next to studying sports science, and I’ve always liked physical exercise in rough and natural surroundings. But I also like trashy peachiness, which means that I don’t exclude cute stuff all together. Maybe I just see it a little differently.

Many of your designs are reminiscent of tattoo designs, and then there are figures sporting tattoos. How so?

I like the fact that tattoos embody stories that are told on people’s bodies. These tattoos often document life events as well, and the design itself is a great means of transport for headlines or picture titles to reveal a message in a direct way.

Do you earn your keep selling T-shirt designs, or is there a “real” job to support you? And why Spreadshirt?

When I was younger, my friends used to tell me “You’ll make a good artist one day!” Unfortunately, my portfolio never lived up to my aspirations so that I didn’t get accepted at art school. That’s why I packed it all in and studied sport science instead to become a teacher. At uni, I missed filling empty pages with my scribblings, so I picked up drawing again. I created designs for school leavers that I printed as personal gifts for individuals. I created a Facebook page to get going. And as I received more and more orders, I discovered Spreadshirt. You guys provide a great and straight-forward service for running your own platform in the shape of a Shop. That was the birth of “Colt”.

After running “ColtClothing” for 3 years, a motocross company that had come across my work got in touch with me. I’ve accepted their offer of a permanent position, and with them I’m now able to give free range to my creativity and receive appreciation. So here’s my message to everyone unsure about their mission: put your heart into it, and you’ll succeed. Believe in yourself even if others don’t. As long as you keep going, you’re going to get what you aspire to eventually!

Is there a deeper meaning in the name “ColtClothing”? As in “my ideas are like bullets from a colt?

Hahaha, so the colt’s like a pistol! Not really, actually, but when I was a little boy I had a jumper showing a little horse at a gallop. I loved it. And since a male foal is called a colt, this generated the idea for my own product line. And, if all goes well, the little colt will grow into a full horse one day.

Some of your designs evoke imageries reminiscent of “honky-tonk drinking holes in shady lanes.” Are these your creative hubs?

Maybe. But it’s more likely the impact of those experiences rather than me trying to depict such scenarios. I like the dark and dirty character of some urbanised areas, dingy side-street corners and forgotten towns. These exude a charming beauty that’s so different and unobtrusive, which evokes a desire in me to discover more of what gives these places character.

We really like the humour that’s transported with your feral street style, as for example in your Hellraiser Bobbycar. Do you use your designs to transport personal experience, events, memories or people you have met?

Absolutely. I take in as much as I can from my environment. The bobbycar guy is a good example. A friend of mine uploaded a snapshot on Facebook showing him on such a toy car as a kid. Most of my images depict people involved in a situation that I somehow encountered in real life, and my shaky first sketches gradually turn into printable designs. The results are images reminiscent of tattoo art, only that you can put them on and off again.

You devoted two fantastic designs to the German cities of Berlin and Karlsruhe. Any more city designs in the pipeline?

There’s no bigger plan in place, I merely paid homage to two cities I feel connected to. And there’s a football fan friendship between the clubs of both cities. Karlsruhe is a nice and neat little city, whereas Berlin gives you the rougher air that helps you get back to reality.