Heart On My Sleeve: Fashion, and love, from Pigeon Point

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Seattle could and should be “the independent fashion capital of the world.”

That’s the bold – yet not boastful – declaration of the three men who comprise Heart On My Sleeve, a fashion (and design, and music, and more) business based in a deceptively drab Pigeon Point duplex, a stitch away from the West Seattle Bridge.

Johnathan Oliver, 23, is a Navy veteran. Shelton Sampson, 25, is a former UW football player. Art B, 32, has a music focus.

Focused on fashion creations from recycled clothing, Heart On My Sleeve started 2 years ago when Johnathan and Shelton met in Hawaii, where John was working on a production of the “Lion King” musical with which Shelton’s sister happened to be involved. They became fast friends and business partners, hatching the HOMS idea and coming up with the logo in a Hawaii Starbucks – presaging their eventual headquarters in Starbucks’ hometown (how they got from there to here is a whole ‘nother tangent for another time’ — in short, Shelton was from here, and finally convinced Johnathan to move).

If you haven’t heard of Heart On My Sleeve before, that’s what they’re trying to hurdle now. They are working around the clock, getting by, but confident they’re on the brink of that one big breakthrough.

They’ve gotten attention already. When we saw a KING5 feature a while back (watch it here) — our ears perked at the mention of “West Seattle,” but we couldn’t find contact information online. Someone eventually sent it to us after an online discussion, but it fell through the proverbial cracks. Then Johnathan sent a note just yesterday – along with some files including portfolio-style photos of their work:

So let’s get to what their creations are all about. The heart of what they do is recycling: Here’s Shelton, for example, with a work in progress on one of the mannequins standing in the room where I chatted with him, John, and Art this morning:

That started with a jacket – something that might have come from a thrift shop, or a donation. Then it’s examined with a fresh eye – a vision – and becomes the foundation of something completely new. The knot you see around the waist is for sizing – it’s a device they use if they’re consulting with a client.

The clothing is major, but Heart On My Sleeve doesn’t just design.

They are venturing into events.

They’ve participated in the West Seattle Art Walk — fittingly enough, at the Stop ‘n’ Shop Thrift Store.

Just a few days ago, they were out at Westlake Center, designing as a sort of street theater. In mid-April, they’re planning a fashion show atop the Columbia Tower — “high-end super fashion,” says John, “and it doesn’t get much higher up than 76 stories.”

Also on their drawing board: An event melding boxing and high style. They point out quite pragmatically that boxing and fashion intersect already – if you’ve ever seen a boxing match in Las Vegas, in person or on TV, the crowd is laden with the glammed-up. But the Heart On My Sleeve partners envision even the boxers being part of the scene – they’re working with a Golden Glove-winning boxer named “D.I.,” and Shelton talks about asking him how he wants to be seen as he’s walking into the ring.

But they work in smaller ways too, “hands on in the community,” says Shelton. They say they’re talking to nearby Youngstown Arts Center about workshops — “how to make apparel, and how to make a business.”

Right now, growing the business is what they are “grinding on,” around the clock. Another page from the portfolio:

They say they’ve done “pro bono” work, in profusion, “since the day we started” – and enough paying jobs keep coming along to keep them going – but they’re looking to really take off, any day now, to where they can just do what they love without worrying about where the gas money’s going to come from.

“We’re seeking sponsors, investment, support,” Johnathan summarizes.

But as long as they have basics covered, they’d be doing it for free, anyway. “It’s a lifestyle,” Art says, from the computer in the corner where he’s looking up photos from their outdoor demonstration at Westlake, photos that give them a bit of trouble because their computer is older, and slower, and just a little too cranky to work well with memory-munching applications.

For Shelton, it’s been a lifestyle since childhood. The shirts all three of them are wearing during our conversation (see top photo) have on the front a silhouette of Shelton at age 5 – here’s a closer look:

“That’s when he was starting to draw, and said, ‘Mom, I want to be an artist’,” Johnathan explained.

They have a soft spot for kids, even now. They gave away shirts during their participation in an MLK rally and parade earlier this year, and they love hearing that the kids are wearing shirts to school. “Love” is a big word for them — “we love people, to see the joy on their faces,” Johnathan smiles.

And what says love, more than a heart: On the back of the shirts with Shelton’s childhood silhouette, by the way, is the Heart On My Sleeve logo:

Heart On My Back, if you will.

Shelton: “What we’ve been putting in is starting to catch up with us. Now that we’re stronger, we’re getting a lot done.”

The word he uses is also emblematic of Heart On My Sleeve’s transformation of recycled clothing into new creations — “resourceful.” And these are times calling for resourcefulness, no one can argue.

“Grinding” — their word, again. (But they don’t say it in the sense of “grind” or “grindstone” — it rings more like “working intensely,” yet joyfully.)

Till that big break comes, and financial security’s no longer in question, their lives take interesting turns. They had an invitation to go to New York and work on a big shoot, they said, but couldn’t make it there — instead, though, they were able to attend a charity event in person last night, an event for which they had donated an auction item, a UNCF auction at Jazz Alley — logo design (with couture thrown in, they add), and they are proud to say it went for $600.

That’s $600 that will help send somebody to college. And they keep “grinding.” As they all have done for a long time, despite their young ages. Johnathan says he’s been doing marketing for seven years — since he was 16. Art says that’s one of the skills they try to teach to the younger people with whom they work — “resourceful living, be practical.”

“The unique angle we have,” interjects Johnathan, “is fashion. It gives kids something to aspire toward, things they can see,” that Heart On A Sleeve created, that maybe those youth can do.”

Why fashion?

“It’s what we (humans) all have in common,” Art notes. “We all gotta wear clothes. And if Seattle can be the independent fashion capital of the world — New York, L.A., you gotta watch out for Seattle.”

“Innovative, resourceful fashion,” Johnathan says. “It’s about the love.”

He thinks Seattle needs more love – noting a troubling suicide rate, and even the classic, much-discussed Seattle interpersonal coolness.

Shelton elaborates: “John and I both spent time in the South. So when you bring that sense of Southern hospitality to someone here – it can be kind of a shock.”

A shock they hope to help people get over.

“We’re ready to give everything we got,” Johnathan says, “now we need the public. It’s the law of 180 – if you have 180 and 180, you have 360 — a full revolution.”

“Revolution,” murmurs Shelton.

“Revolution,” echoes Art.

They hope to ignite a little of that through their clothing. They imagine seeing it on not just those kids who are excited to be wearing their T-shirts, but also on people who generate buzz, and are closely watched – because every piece “has a full-fledged story,” as Johnathan explains. “We donate 50 percent (of the sale price) to various charities, so maybe (a certain piece of apparel) helped feed three African villages.”

Charity comes close to home, too. They discuss a situation in Tacoma, where they say an apprenticeship program has led to fulltime glass-blowing work for two young women, but now money troubles with the program is threatening their jobs.

“We saw them working,” recalls Johnathan, “they’re like, ‘help us’. We know what that means. The people out there with major money — you can change lives. We try to give with everything WE do, because when you learn to give, you get it back many times over.”

Someday they might be those “people out there with major money.” For now, Shelton allows, “it’s not quite peaches ‘n’ cream. But we’re good friends, and that makes us stronger.”

“We live this,” Johnathan exclaims. “We don’t stop! We want to finish our job of changing the world.”

And with that, the work toward that — garment by garment, design by design, gig by gig — has to go on – creations don’t just materialize out of thin air – there’s mannequins, material, thread, buttons, and sweat to go through before you get to this:

So, with the work never done, Shelton wanders back over to the mannequin, to keep arranging the recycled jacket, trying to craft it into just the right look. Johnathan is on the computer, showing us a blog-format site they’ve set up (onlyhoms.com) and talking about its recent launch party, where they uploaded photos as they were taken, so partygoers were participating in the site.

You need more on your site about your work, and how to reach you, was our friendly advice, when asked. But at least, for now – we’ll share the information on how you can reach them. They offer personal fashion consultations – they’ll create something for you, after they get not only your sizing, but also “your story.” Or, inquire about their clothing, or screen printing, or logo design. Your story, ultimately, is their story, which we get the feeling is just beginning to be told.

Heart On My Sleeve
E-mail: onlyhoms@gmail.com
Phone: 206-898-8857 or 206-571-7049
Blog (in progress): onlyhoms.com

10 Replies to "Heart On My Sleeve: Fashion, and love, from Pigeon Point"

  • Heart On My Sleeve March 10, 2009 (9:06 pm)

    We would love to be the first to say thanks to westseattleblog.com for this fantastic article. A special thanks to Tracy for being the “Angel” that we knew would come.

    Heart On My Sleeve,
    Art B.,Shelton Sampson,Johnathan Oliver

  • Kathy March 10, 2009 (9:21 pm)

    As a small business owner myself, I love this story and understand the dedication and focus required to keep going – not to mention the very attractive, hip fashions I’m seeing in the pictures. I will be looking for opportunities to see their clothes!

  • Michelle March 10, 2009 (9:52 pm)

    Great story! Thanks for sharing something outside the everyday. Good luck to Heart On My Sleeve! :)

  • Venkat March 10, 2009 (10:01 pm)

    Great story … I love seeing these types of companies and creative folks coming together, particularly in West Seattle!

  • GenHillOne March 11, 2009 (8:33 am)

    So glad you all connected! I wanted to know more after the tv story too. May this open the flood gates to everything HOMS needs to take on the world :)

  • TeaLady March 11, 2009 (8:58 am)

    WSB you ROCK for putting this fantastic article out there. HOMS and this story shine light for us (small biz owners and such) to head towards! Thank you :)

  • lina March 11, 2009 (9:37 am)

    their stuff is super cool and i especially love the idea of local, resourceful, creative fashion. in these days, it is a darn shame to see anything go to waste. literally or metaphorically. i look forward to seeing homs having a presence in seattle in beyond!

  • Laura March 11, 2009 (10:58 am)

    I am so excited to see more about this company – the onlyhoms.com blog link doesn’t work yet so please provide an update soon!!

  • andrea March 11, 2009 (12:02 pm)

    what a great article WSB! thank you so much for highlighting these gifted, talented, and resourceful gentlemen right in our backyard. I’m a fashion junkie and am impressed with what they’ve done. I will be on the lookout for more updated info on HOMS and their work as it becomes available!

  • Krystal March 11, 2009 (7:01 pm)

    Great article. Loved reading about these creative geniuses!

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