The Locals flooded the table lined corridor leading to the entrance of Centre in Mockingbird Station this Saturday. The shop held a locals-only streetwear consignment expo, where any Dallasite with a brand, ambition and 40 bucks could come take part. All participants were Dallas-based entrepreneurs, getting some exposure to their clothing and, more important for some, their ideas.
Dallas brand, Do Celf, not only promoted their clothing, but spread a message of art and self-expression for the sake of art itself. The name derives from creating, or "doing" art for one's self and their motto seen on their website reads, "Do Art. Be Self." The guys from Do Celf like to be a part of their t-shirts from the design to the actual printing -- something most, but not all, designers hone as a skill.
Other brands from all over Dallas attended, including some who take time from their "day jobs" to come out and promote their own brand. Heather Abbott, a designer for Fossil, was doing just that as she promoted her line, The Good Child.
"The Good Child came from something my dad used to call me, but he would also add that I didn't have much competition," laughed Abbott after I asked her about her inspiration. Abbott creates The Good Child's designs, but some nod to those familial roots via photographs of her grandfather and brother.
Inside the shop sat hats, shoes, a performing DJ, and, maybe more importantly, free pizza. Onlookers and fans came in to have a taste of some of the street wear genuinely made "on the streets." Surrounded by the bourgeois atmosphere of Mockingbird Station, it was refreshing to see the dichotomy between so-called "urban" retailers and artists that purposefully create clothing with meaning behind it.
The show brought about an excellent vibe of fun and creativity that is no stranger to Centre. Since 2007 Centre has made a revolving selection of streetwear available to Dallas, simultaneously satisfying and reflecting the customers keeping it alive. So, it's no surprise that it's turned one out in kind for the Locals.
