CAFETERIA SITS DOWN WITH DEADBY5AM FOUNDER BRENTON SCHUMAKER AND CHATS ABOUT THE BRAND’S NEW HOME IN NEW HAVEN
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BRAND’S NEW STORE AND ITS COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY.
Established by Brenton Schumaker, New Haven-based brand Deadby5am embodies the creativity and ingenuity of its home city through its larger-than-life designs.
Born out of a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and late night conversations, Deadby5am naturally exudes a precious reverence for life and an unstoppable desire to celebrate its inherent fleetingness. Operating with the knowledge that life is only as good as the people you spend it with, Schumaker is determined to create not just a successful brand, but a thriving community. “Through the resources from the brand and with just a few ideas, we can give people the space to do what they do best and that’s to gather and meet each other,” he shares.
Continue scrolling to hear more from Deadby5am founder Brenton Schumaker on the brand’s inception, what it takes to be a creative in a small city and the importance of having a pure heart.
When did you LAUNCH deadby5am and why? What was the catalyst for starting your brand?
BS: Sometimes it’s fuzzy, but I’ve always been inspired by clothing and style, and as a young artist, wanting the world to see my art I thought it’d be really cool to join those two perspectives. As a 16-year-old, it was a lot easier to sell a T-shirt than it was to sell a painting, but I ended up in a music collective called YxL (Young x Legends) and that’s where I got the inspiration for the idea behind the brand. I wanted them to look like the rock stars they were. Soon after, my first collection was born and it was an ode to them.
Can you explain the meaning behind the name deadby5am?
BS: The name Deadby5am actually came from me and this kid named Corey Carrington. At first, I was going by Deaths2ndform and then I brought Corey on to build my website — turned out, he was marketing genius, maybe even a prodigy. We used to stay up all night, sharing ideas making clothes and talking shit on the Internet and before you know it, it was five in the morning and Deadby5am was born. I’ve added so many different meanings over the course of the last 10 years, but my favorite would have to be remembering to be present and alive because you never know when you won’t be here.
What are you trying to convey through your designs?
BS: I’ll try to keep it as brief as possible. I try to convey my faith, my obsessions from movies and directors to photography, my interest into the human psyche, esotericism and the occult, as well as my people, past, present and future. My pieces have always been conversation starters since the very beginning and it’s just been natural to keep that spirit going.
Why did you decide to open a brick and mortar store? As an entrepreneur, what was the journey like in terms of establishing a physical space?
BS: We needed a headquarters for my friends and the odd passerby who loves the brand, a place where people could come see the process and even be hands-on in the designing of things. A place where we can escape and build our own reality. I was a part of a space like that as a teenager called Upcrown, as well as the Sbi’s lounge. These were two pivotal spaces that shaped the way I viewed the world and I want to provide that for a younger generation and anybody else who wants to come through.
In the age of online shopping, do you think it’s important for designers to be present within their community and offer a third space?
BS: I would find a way to do this, even if I didn’t have a brand. I think it’s cool just being a part of a community. Through the resources from the brand and with just a few ideas, we can give people the space to do what they do best and that’s to gather and meet each other. I can’t wait for this thing to grow and get bigger so I can do more.
What advice would you give to creatives and designers trying to pave their own path now, especially in a tough economy and fraught socio-political climate? Do you think there are barriers to entry for emerging designers?
BS: Work with what you’ve got and work with who you have because you do have more than you think and if you don’t feel that way, come find me — I’ll show you something. A lot of the time we’re overthinking it anyway. I love designing freely and then ascribing meaning to it later, but it’s art and by nature, it’s open for interpretation. I can tell you all day that my intention was this or that and you can see something completely different from it. I started this brand with scraps. You can do it too.
I don’t think there are barriers to entry. I do think there are some basic skills you should have, but we don’t have to tell a flower how to grow. You’re either going to do it or you’re not.
People often skip over Connecticut in favor of New York when they’re looking for the next big brands or designers? Do you think small towns breed creativity and ingenuity? Do you think New Haven is special in that regard?
BS: My city is so special. It’s scary sometimes from the amazing music that we produce here, to the culture we have, to the clothing we make, down to the food we eat. If you look at the best designers in New York, a lot of them came from a small towns like New Haven, so that should let you know already that small towns breed great artists. I think New York just has an attraction of like-minded individuals that allows them to express themselves without the fear of judgement.
Do you have a favorite or most meaningful collection since launching your brand? Why?
BS: I did a memorial collection for my brother Vincenzo Constantino, also known as Smithy Houdini. It was my most meaningful collection because he was a great man and a great friend who left us way too soon and it was my way of showing my appreciation to his family for everything he’s done for me.
What have you learned throughout your career and what do you envision for your future?
BS: I want to keep my heart open, receptive and as pure as I possibly can because that’s how I got blessed to have so many wonderful people around me and authenticity is key. Be yourself no matter what. I want to continue to grow as a person and to continue to grow the brand. Eventually, I’d like to become a teacher and keep giving back.