Wow we are so pleased to be writing this article today. One of our Production Team members has been following his hobby and passion & is now the very proud Owner of a clothing brand that he has created himself, from scratch, a simple idea in his head! How awesome. Well done Ryan!
Ryan has taken some time out of his day to come and talk to Sharon, our HR Manager, about this very exciting venture, so check out the interview below to find out how it all began!...
Well done Ryan, I’m sure this must be so exciting for you, I know it’s been a long time in the making, and we could not have this day pass us by without telling you how impressed and proud we are of you.
We are also a little bit curious to hear more about it. Tell us, where did the idea of launching a clothing brand of your own come from?
[Ryan could not put his reply better than the story he has already told on Instagram @ryanhooker_] This is his story…
"Truth behind it is, I think I was really only meant to do one thing. From young my “hobby” was only ever football or drawing (designing). Starting at my Nan’s house I remember having a dinner tray which I used to lean on whilst drawing random new football kits to just end up plastering them ALL over the living room walls.
Covid hit us and with all the time in the world, my Nan stumbled back upon these drawings which I didn’t even know were kept.
Throughout lockdown I weirdly became addicted to reading song lyrics of anything and everything, which is when I read the words… “They say a flower won’t bloom unless you water it”.
No idea why of everything I read, these were the ones which stood out and made me think deeply but… everything for a reason right?
Both this and the old drawings being found, I began “doodling” again as I call it, with a blank book I ordered on Amazon the next day. On the 3rd April 2020 sat on my bed, similar to as a kid, I played with the idea of creating a clothing brand, writing down designing logos that meant things to me.
After countless pages of “doodling” later, it hit me that my real passion is this, and that MY FLOWER WOULDN’T BLOOM UNLESS I WATERED IT.
Skip forward 2 years, here we are. All made from scratch, “made to measure”."
The concept of the word “berris” is a very interesting one – tell us a bit more about it.
"Back in the 1920’s/1940’s when kids were on their summer holidays, they used to go fruit picking with their friends. This was something they really enjoyed and the slang term “It’s the Berries” was born. It was used to describe something attractive, wonderful and pleasing, kind of like we use the term “wicked” nowadays.
I wanted a brand that had a bit of a story behind it and this particular story I felt worked with the brand and image that I’m creating."
How would you describe your style of clothing?
"I would say Contemporary Streetwear. When I was younger I used to mix and match my personal preference of brands and found that it was a mix between contemporary and streetwear, so the idea was to combine my two favourite styles."
Who have you identified as your target market with this style?
"I didn’t start out with an age range in mind but rather a type of person. I would like my brand to appeal to those who seek authenticity and directional design."
What do you hope the future will look like for Berris?
"To start off I would see the first 5 years as being purely online but if truth be told, I have my eye on a little hub that I spotted a few years back. I can see myself running my entire business, kind of like my own Headquarters, where I keep all my stock and everything else that relates to my brand and my business."
Once again Ryan, the very best of luck to you for this brave and exciting adventure that you’re about to embark on. It is only the beginning, but we hope it becomes everything you dream it will be. You’re a hard worker, and you have relentless passion and self-belief in what you do, so I, personally, am backing you all the way…
You can also follow Ryan on Instagram...
@berrisofficial
@ryanhooker_
Check out Ryans online website, on www.berrisofficial.com and why not pick up some pieces for yourself!
