Doug Ford wears local designer’s clothing during Mayor Ford’s ice bucket challenge
Oliver Dixon’s phone has been ringing off the hook since Mayor Rob Ford released a YouTube video accepting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
In the video, Doug Ford is seen sporting a black T-shirt from PRNCE Apparel, Dixon’s new clothing line. Since then, the brand has garnered attention from many mainstream media throughout North America.
Dixon, 19, had always been interested in clothes and fashion, so starting his own business last February only felt like a natural move for him.
“I chose the name PRNCE Apparel because I’m British and half my family is in England. I wanted to do something in that theme,” said Dixon.
“Being from Toronto, I also wanted to pay hommage to my city, so you can see a maple leaf on all the clothes and I also have a hat that has ‘Toronto’ embroidered in Old English.”
Dixon, who lives in East York, describes his brand to be bold and graphic. He admits that his clothes were originally geared for men, but his products have attracted both male and female customers.
Before he launched his online store through BigCartel.com, he connected with his customers through social media. Dixon would arrange local meet-ups, selling one or two items per customer.
Dixon has been running his online store for two weeks and he’s slowly preparing his business for more designs and larger orders.
“The website process was fun. A lot of people helped me out,” said Dixon. “My cousin’s friends did a photo shoot with my clothes for free and they’re pretty girls so of course my friends took to that.”
Dixon has gained a lot of support for his business from his friends and family, but none more than his mother, Jennifer Dixon.
With her experience in the advertising industry, she provides him with networking support. She uses her business connections and savvy to promote her son’s brand. She was also the one who introduced her son to Doug Ford two months ago.
“Doug used to be one of my vendors and so, I’ve known Doug for many, many years,” she said.
“We had lunch and he met my son and he was so impressed that (Oliver) was running his own business… Doug could not put the shirt on fast enough.”
The night the video was released on Rob Ford’s YouTube channel, the Dixons were watching the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. When they saw Doug Ford with the PRNCE Apparel T-shirt that Oliver given him, they were floored.
“Oliver was over the moon and we were jumping up and down like crazy people,” Jennifer said.
“Everyone of my friends saw it. I had no idea Doug would do that.”
That same night, Oliver was on the phone with Doug, talking about a possible collaboration to sell official Ford Nation T-shirts by PRNCE Apparel.
Oliver says the Ford brothers have already approved his design and he is currently working with a local screen printing company to print about a dozen items.
He is also working T-shirt designs for this year’s Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life Toronto, but he says nothing is for certain just yet.
Oliver says he is constanly working on new ideas and new designs, but his main focus is more brand recognition.
“I think one thing I’ve learned is never give up. You never really know when something might rise up,” he said.
“To be honest, I went through a time when I was like ‘oh crap,’ but next thing you know, Doug Ford is one of my biggest supporters… my mom and Doug Ford.”
PRNCE Apparel is only sold online at www.prnce.bigcartel.com.
This story was originally published in the East York Mirror on August 21, 2014.
Jean Ko Din 