Today I want to talk about Brixton Street Wear and the incredible work they do. I’ve made my respect for black cabbies known and a few years ago, I got picked up by Pete, one half of the brand alongside his brother Dan. Well we got chatting and I was instantly impressed by their outlook on life and their mission to help their community.
As their family moved to Brixton in the Sixties, the brothers grew up in the area, Dan being so embedded in local life he’s not even ventured out further than a ferry trip to Ireland. The Brixton community is in their blood and it shows with the incredible work that they do. It all began when Dan was turning 40 and Pete designed the logo. It was a starting point, they didn’t have a plan to develop a label, they just printed the logo onto a snapback as a gift and that’s where it took off. All the locals would admire the hat, asking them where they’d bought it and so Brixton Street Wear was born.
When Pete asked if I wanted to support them, the answer was an instant yes. They dropped off some of their first batch of merch and I supported as best I could. I was so happy to have a platform that could help such a great cause. The support poured in and now they have a community hub and store in Brixton Village, a successful online store and have done some amazing work in the area.
There are over 600 businesses in Brixton that use the area’s name — why is this one being targeted?
Pete and Dan officially released the first collection on Black Friday in 2019 (they’d been selling them out of their cabs before that) with the idea of helping the Brixton Street Gym by donating all the profits to them. The gym is a pillar of the community creating a space for young people to keep fit and motivated. They’ve been supporting them ever since alongside other causes such as helping Book Stop Brixton with funds and donations, even collaborating with a local sauce company in order to raise money for Brixton Street Kitchen.
A lot of thought goes into the organisations these guys support, with the simple goal of elevating the community as a whole. Brixton is thriving and despite gentrification fears, I do feel that it’s maintained its unique rich culture in the process. You name it, these guys have done it, whether it’s funding equipment for a community boxing club or waiving delivery fees in exchange for trainer donations that could then be repurposed for the homeless. They sold out a line of candles that raised money for Mind Over Matter. The list is endless. I’m writing this piece for a couple of reasons. Obviously the first is — I hope you go to their website, or even visit their space, and support however you can. I’ve met many people that have done some incredible work over the years, but these guys just might be some of the kindest.
The second reason is a bit of a tough one. There’s an international clothing brand based out in California called Brixton and they’ve recently got wind of this local business. The London label has been sent a revoke legal letter requesting that they cease use of the name immediately.
Did you know there are over 600 businesses in Brixton that use the area’s name in their title? Why is this one brand being targeted? There’s no way they’re going to be able to fund a lengthy legal battle with a big US corporation. I’m calling on everyone to support these guys however you can, go give them a follow, they have a Go Fund Me set up in case this should require a legal battle.
If they manage to avoid it getting that far, as with everything else the brand does, those funds will be distributed to the community. This is not a for-profit brand and for a major conglomerate to bully them into removing a real location from their name is ridiculous. We need to stand up for what’s right and stand up to bullies wherever we can because they must continue to do the important work that they do.
Brixton LLC have a real opportunity here. As a brand who apparently describes itself as a “lifestyle brand with deep roots in music and a strong point of view on our place in culture”, it’s not too late for them to turn around and not just drop the case, but even show solidarity with the unique work being done by Brixton Street Wear.
Allow these boys to still operate as intended, allow their hub to still provide both help and entertainment to passersby and locals. Allow the community to continue to thrive.
See you next Wednesday.
Track of the week: Look Ma — Sapian
