Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Cullum.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Stephanie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been one to have creative thoughts that I would scribble on paper. I never gave any of them much thought until the one I scribbled in May of 2015. This one was special and wouldn’t leave my head or my heart. This one solved a mystery for me as well… that “it” factor of Southerners that I couldn’t quite put my finger on until then… you see, I’ve enjoyed visiting nearby states like Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. As this proud native Texan traveled to other Southern states and interacted with the locals, I noticed a certain commonality and comfort that caught me off-guard. At first, I thought it was merely that they were proud of their home states as I was. But I knew, it was deeper than that. I looked at that messy drawing and said: “that’s it!”. I had drawn the Southern Trinity (cross, US flag & Texas). I drew it with the State of Texas but once I realized the significance I knew I would want to feature all of the Southern states eventually. So, then came the hard part – I didn’t know one thing about translating that design into apparel! I finally launched my initial design in October of 2016. I now have several designs, an outdoor collection and a registered trademark! We give back and donate a portion of profits each year to organizations that support military families.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Not at all! Most of my struggles came from a lack of knowledge and experience in this industry. I had to locate a graphic designer that could turn my scribble into my vision. I had to learn so much about apparel, retailers, marketing, websites, online sales, etc. The only way I knew to get started was to select garments that I would wear myself. I use high-quality tri-blend t-shirts and make them tagless for ultra comfort. I produce t-shirts that I wear and would buy myself!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Southern Trinity Apparel – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
There are hundreds of companies selling “Southern” or “Texas” products. But there is nothing like the Southern Trinity – our tagline is EXPRESSING THE HEART & SOUL OF SOUTHERNERS. That, in itself, is what I’m most proud of. I feel I have captured the essence of what makes Southerners special and the kind of people you want to sit a spell with!
We sell t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps and have an Outdoor Collection. We will have a tank option in a couple of weeks.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plan is to grow the brand and eventually feature other Southern states in my design. I hope to continue producing great designs that people are excited to wear!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.southerntrinityapparel.com
- Email: southerntrinityapparel@gmail.com
- Instagram: @southerntrinityapparel
- Facebook: @southerntrinityapparel
Image Credit:
Mette McConnell
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