A PROBLEM.
The idea for One Bone came to me long after I'd already solved this problem for myself. I was sick and tired of seeing my regular sized friends wear trendy clothes, while I was forced to wear the low end, basic t-shirts that made me look 30 pounds heavier. This was especially challenging for me to handle while touring as a DJ.
A SOLUTION.
So I bought my own fabric, drew out my own designs and went to a friend's mom who was a seamstress. In the basement of her house, she was cutting t-shirts to fit my body perfectly. Now, I was able to tour in the comfort of a t-shirt that fit me properly, and it snowballed from there. I had my regular sized friends asking me where did I get my t-shirts... My answer was "I made them".
A DISCOVERY.
This common answer ended up striking a chord with someone who was impressed with the way I was dressed while being 340 pounds. Not an easy feat. He told me to call him the next day because he believed we could help solve this problem for other people, not just me.
A BRAND.
So I went back to the drawing board. I wanted to make sure we weren't presenting as other brands who were servicing the Big & Tall market. My goal was to be a sophisticated streetwear brand that could be played up or down, depending on how you want to wear One Bone.
A NAME.
One Bone is our brand for many reasons.
- I wanted to finally feel like the Big Man came first, so I knew I wanted to incorporate "One"
- "Bone" was the strongest, organic thing I can think of. It spoke on the human approach of helping a community who has been left out for so long. I wanted to throw my fellow big men a bone.
- If you breakdown the brand name differently, it could read "One B One". We are all individuals, growing up as a big kid, you have 2 directions you can take. You can be proud of your size, and wear it with honor, or the others will pick on you for being the biggest. I decided to stand as an individual, use my size to my advantage, and and be my own person. This is what I try to encourage people to do on a daily basis. Be proud of who you are, because we are all unique, and that's what makes us special.
- The Biggest Brand... We were flirting with the idea of having a tagline. We were unsure, but then it hit me so clearly. I wanted a specific person to feel proud to identify with One Bone. I wanted everyone to feel proud in being "The Biggest". It's our definition whether we like it or not, and I want us to f**kin love it!
A CUT.
The main issues I always had with my t-shirts were sleeves, belly, and length. If my t-shirt was long enough, my sleeves were crazy long and wide, making me look heavier. If my sleeves fit properly, my belly couldn't fit in, etc. It was always a game of Goldilox and the three bears. Our cut features:
- shorter, tighter sleeves (I know... tighter? Not a word we're used to right? Trust me when I say, this is the defining thing that will make us look thinner and stronger in a One Bone t-shirt)
- more space in the stomach area
- more length to hide our gut and a$$ crack
A CLOTH.
One Bone has been a labor of love. We carefully skimmed through many different materials to perfect the most commonly worn item, a t-shirt. Our garments are made up of a thick, but breathable material. You won't feel that constant need to stretch out your t-shirt because it won't cling to you.
- 95% Cotton
- 5% Spandex
It is thick enough to not accentuate all our curves, but thin enough to breath.
A COMMUNITY.
The thing that gets me most excited about One Bone is finding other guy's who have been struggling with the same issues. With social media, and the ease of communicating with people around the world, I am pumped to feel a part of a community who is looking out for one another, and proud together of the way we look.
