The Urban Militia, a new "streetwear" brand of clothing, recently launched in Grand Rapids.
The company is ran by two individuals that go only by Dr. Beezy and Chairman Bol.
Beezy defines streetwear as expensive clothing usually worn by young, urban individuals that is typically made by smaller labels in limited edition runs.
The two started the line after noticing a burgeoning streetwear scene in the area, citing
All City Kicks and Premiere as two stores that carry the clothing.
Beezy says what separates their line from others is their active voice in politics.
“We saw that a lot of these clothes, while they are really cool, there was essentially no message behind them,” he says. “We saw that young people are really into a material culture in the U.S., but not so much a political culture.”
The initial run of Urban Militia has an image of an AK-47, something Beezy says represents the idea of revolution.
Their website,
www.the-urban-militia.com, in addition to being their online storefront, contains their mission statement and beliefs, as well as links to information on political action groups, revolutionaries and ideologies that Beezy says people might not normally be exposed to.
“To boil it down, give people fresh clothing along with inspiration for political action,” says Beezy.
Things actually started slow for the company, but have started to pick up. The duo hopes to launch different types of clothing in the future. Additionally, they hope to sponsor politically minded shows and events in the near future.
Source: Dr. Beezy, Urban Militia
Writer: Luke Hackney
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