InkSpired Magazine BEST OF ISSUE | Page 16

Damascus Apparel Words: Chad Allen Photography: Kevin Longwell & TigerDiv EDM and style. How do these two words sit together in a world where expression is all about how outrageous your get up sits next to the half-naked half-spider on stilts with neon streamers? In a world where it’s about the music yes, but it’s also about the choice of clothing, and just as EDM takes on different genres of music, so do the styles and garments that occupy each stage of epic sound. Bass music in EDM is recognized by a more cutthroat group of pirate like low decibel speaker seekers with a fine tuned pallet for rugged sounds. Music that could at any moment be on the brink of summoning a mosh pit, and often does. Where does style fit into this bunch? Enter Damascus Apparel. Combining a little Japanese anime influence with some sacred geometry roots to what some might seem like fitting a square into a circle, but the creative minds at Damascus saw these types of combinations as matches made in heaven. The intricate patterns used in designing these highly artistic pieces of clothing are breathtaking, covering almost every inch of their brand in a signature look that stands out next to their competition. But believe me, with the exceptionally unique look that Damascus Apparel has, not many can compete. Located in San Diego, owners Nate and Josh had little to no stamp on the music scene in the beginning, proving to be somewhat of a rough start. At the time, EDM wasn’t willing to take chances with new brands, especially a clothing line that took risks with its expressive design. This made efforts to create a loyal following seem bleak but not out of reach, and like anything that is destined for greatness perseverance finds a way to prevail. The search for the right artists to sponsor and help pave a well branded path had begun, one of said sponsored artist was MC Dino. Coming from the EDM Bass scene, Dino had the kind of following and clout that could turn heads when entering a venue, and soon others took notice of his fresh new eye catching sponsor. When I asked MC Dino what persuaded his decision to take a chance with Damascus Apparel, he replied, “it wasn’t hard to take a chance with their artistic and creative vision. These young kids had extreme talent and wanted to make a difference.” He also went on to say, “This wasn’t a chance. Their vision made me a believer.” From the looks of things, he wasn’t far off. One thing quickly lead to another and here we are, several years later, with roots now planted all over the world. You can find their designs popping up in Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, 14 InkSpiredMagazine.com