Unbranded Explained
Unbranded co-founders explain how bromance begot innovation in Deep Ellum
Dallas menswear entrepreneurs Matt Alexander (Need) and Bryan DeLuca (Foot Cardigan) are a few weeks into Unbranded, their Deep Ellum pop-up experiment in which they’re offering free rent — for a week at a time — to local creative types through the end of the year. Think artists and photographers, clothing and jewelry designers, and builders and craftsmen.
We grabbed a video camera and visited with them during round three, when exhibitors such as Flower Child Plants, R2 Finds and Designs, and Season Two gave the space a homey vibe. While there — in addition to holding it together while Alexander and DeLuca cracked jokes, a typical side effect of their current bromance — we also chatted with Lily Smith-Kirkley of Lilco Letterpress.
Smith-Kirkley, who makes darling prints, cards and tea towels from her workshop in Oak Cliff, also is one of the vendors at the upcoming Shop Small Holiday Market, which not only honors Small Business Saturday but also Unbranded’s vision of giving a platform to local brands. It is presented in partnership with another local startup, The Citizenry.
The holiday market runs 11 am-6 pm on November 29. So even though Unbranded is closed this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, folks can see what it’s all about on Saturday, when they can explore more than 15 shops-within-a-shop, drink beer from Community or coffee from Tweed, and indulge in fare from Easy Sliders or Oak Cliff Creperie.