When the fellas from Pac Division hit came into Chicago last summer, we scooped them from their hotel and gave them a driving tour of the city. One of our first questions was, “what do you think of when you think of Chicago?” Their first response was, “Michael Jordan.” Their second response was “Barack Obama.” And their third response was “pizza.” All are understandable, as DeShawn Murray of ChiBoys Clothing says, “we all know that Jordan is the most influential sports figure of our time, and Obama is unmistakeably the most inspiring man of all time,” and well, pizza is a just that good…In addition, much of the clothing celebrating the city, as far as streetwear goes, centers on MJ, or Mr. Obama, leaving a lot of the city untapped in terms of tee-shirts. That exclusion of Chicago’s rich history and landmarks is what gave inspiration to Murray to throw his hat into the tee-shirt ring with ChiBoys, a “Chicago themed t-shirt line that tells the story of Chicago’s history, culture, hardships, architecture and personality.”
The line launched just a few short weeks ago, and we caught up with Murray to talk about the clothes, the brand, and the city in this week’s RH First Look. Check it out below.
RubyHornet: What is ChiBoys?
DeShawn Murray: ChiBoys is a Chicago themed t-shirt line that tells the story of Chicago’s history, culture, hardships, architecture and personality.
RubyHornet: What did it take for the line to go from an idea to reality?
DeShawn Murray: LOL, about two years. I haven’t decided if this is a blessing or a curse but I am a perfectionist. I had tons of people try on the shirts to make sure the fit was perfect and the designs were re-done over and over until they were just right. After 2 years I can say I am putting something out that I am 100% proud of.
RubyHornet: Did you study the market? Where is your niche?
DeShawn Murray: I started to really pay attention to the t-shirt market when I moved to L.A. 9 years ago. Since then I have lived in New York, New Jersey,
L.A. and San Francisco. I have always been proud of my Chicago roots, but felt that I didn’t have a fly way to rep my city. That’s when I decided to take it upon myself to change that. I saw that void and have spent the past two years figuring out a way to fill it so that people from the Chi have a dope way to represent where they’re from.
RubyHornet: Chicago street wear focuses a lot on Jordan and Obama neglecting its rich history. How do you decide which landmarks/events to highlight?
DeShawn Murray: First of all, we all know that Jordan is the most influential sports figure of our time, and Obama is unmistakeably the most inspiring man of all time. I have not touched on either of those two because I wanted to bring something fresh, something no one has seen before. Chicago has enough culture, history and individuality to put out shirts for the next 100 years. When it comes to choosing what landmarks/events to highlight, I try to pick things that are representative of Chicago. For example, one of my first designs was the Hancock Tee. In my opinion the Hancock building is the most beautiful building in the nation. I feel like it represents strength and is a symbol of Chicago. The second shirt I did was the LSD joint. There is no feeling like driving down Lake Shore Drive in the summer, you will never find that feeling in any other city.
RubyHornet: Do you have to weigh cultural importance with what will look good?
DeShawn Murray: No, Chicago has so much rich history that it wouldn’t be right to neglect any of it. I know that with enough time and creative effort anything can be made into an amazing piece.
RubyHornet: What might we hear if we walk into your work place?
DeShawn Murray: Common, Lupe and Kanye have definitely given me inspiration for a bunch of designs. but when I need an energy boost you can’t beat N.E.R.D.
RubyHornet: Where can you find the shirts?
DeShawn Murray: Right now the shirts are available at Succezz at 1329 S. Michigan and Self Conscious at 1021 W. Lake St. Keep your heads up for ChiBoys.com coming soon.
