In this issue of ASIAN VOICE, we feature Homeboy, a streetwear brand from Thailand. Anyone can be cool and enjoy the process of dressing up together just like a friend with Homeboy. As its concept conveys, it doesn’t sell products to customers, but friends.
Nana: Could you tell us the story about homeboy?
Homeboy: The beginning of the Homeboy brand happened in a tiny room number 410, we started by
ordering shirts from overseas for our mate in the office. We had done this for around six months
and we felt that we were having potential to grow up. Therefore, we created a brand named
Homeboy which means homies or friends and this is the initial of our brand. Our concept of the
word “Homeboy” is not like merchants sell things to customers, but friends sell things to friends
where we having fun, enjoy dressing and being cool or heat in their style. So, our slogan is that
anyone can be cool.
Nana:Why did you initially create the brand/store and name it “Homeboy”?
Homeboy: I spent my life time with my friends more than family, so friendship is really stuck in my head
always. Friendship is the word that is fulfilled with good intention, joy, and safe zone. We decided
to make a business that feels like friends deal with friends and we will have only well intentioned.
This idea led us to the name “Homeboy” which means friends.
Nana: What has influenced the creation of the brand and the pieces designed for your brand?
Homeboy: Before “Homeboy” I used to work at a music company. I saw the enjoyment, people enjoying the concert, and heard the audiences sing together with the energy. These factors gather and create Homeboy’s character.
Nana: Can you tell us about some of the most challenging experiences you have had during the process of building your brand?
Homeboy: The first two years are the most difficult, it is the period that no one has worn or known
“Homeboy”. However, we are driven by passion. We were very happy when we saw someone
wearing Homeboy around if it is only 10-20 persons. Nowadays, 4 year have passed, Homeboy is
selling more than 5000 shirts a month.
Nana: How do you come up and decide on the themes for your collections?
Homeboy: We design in advance for 1-2 months. We estimate the demand and trend for the concept idea before we design our product for every items to be in the same scope and concept.
Nana: Is it possible to let readers know a little about your next drop (collection)? If so, what has inspired the theme and the pieces in them?
Homeboy: Sure, the next collection will be the same period as Thai school opening. So, we design our clothes to be neater, but still fun and crazy in Homeboy’s way. Therefore, the next drop will have a short sleeve, long sleeve, cap, short pants, sock, mini Homeboy bag. We are really proud of this collection. We want youngsters to be cool while they go studying.
Nana: Is there a particular artist, movie, place, book that you would recommend our readers to check for inspiration?
Homeboy: For anyone, who is building her or his dream, I strongly recommend a book called Shoe Do, it is a Shoe brand history book which is one of the most famous brands “Nike”. This book writes about the failure, standing, fighting, and the soul of Philip Knight, founder of Nike. This book is very valuable to me, because after I finish the last page a streetwear brand named Homeboy has started.
Nana: Do you have any advice for our readers who are seeking to find a way to build an innovative brand like “Homeboy”?
Homeboy: I would say like other people say that you should make a brand from what you love, but I would like to suggest a little more. You should start from what you really really love because really loving something will turn into passion and it will turn into your business like how Homeboy was created.
You should start from what you really really love because really loving something will turn into passion and it will turn into your business.
Homeboy
