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2019 - Genesis aka when it all started
In Jan 2019, I was at home ill, bored and in need of something to get me busy. I remembered I had a pair of jeans from H&M that I hadn't worn, just normal plain blue joints, nothing too crazy. I got a knife, scissors and fabric paint I bought from eBay and got busy.
Around March, I knew I wanted to do more creatively but didn't know exactly what. So, on a Sunday, in the early hours after a night of DJing in central London, I got off the night bus and I started praying on my walk home. I was saying to God that I wanted to do more than just music, that there were a few things I was thinking of doing like interior design, maybe a trade and honestly just asking for His divine guidance on this journey cuz I was at a crossroads.
Somehow, I made it to church a few hours later and if you know me you know I love my sleep, so it could only be God. I started talking to my cousin after the service, just catching up as you do. The convo led to my recent trip to Barcelona in January (the day after my mad flu), we spoke about my new custom jeans and I showed her a pic and she said why don't you make and sell your jeans. This is how BY SUNMONU was born.
It was just like them cartoons when I light bulb goes off above the character's head. I literally never thought of it, it never crossed my mind, I'm sure I even had doubts. Like is my ting even hard like that, is it even popping for people to buy into it and then actually buy it?
From there I was just gathering jeans like they were going out of fashion LOL! I was the sale section connoisseur, I was grabbing any denim I could find in or around my size for a cheap price. I then did my googles and found a better fabric paint than my first bottle and I did what I do best, I got busy.
I just prayed and painted whatever I felt was best on each pair of jeans. It never really got much social media traction but in real life, I'd always get good feedback so I kept it going. Eventually, in April, I painted AGAINST THE GRAIN on a blue pair, I can't remember where I got the phrase from but it touched me and it was ambiguous but meant so much at the same time, maybe it was the Holy Spirit that deposited that one.
Soon after in June, I painted "Jesus Christ Saves Lives" onto the calves of another pair and I can't lie, I was a bit scared. It was a bit too much Jesus-y to be publicly out there with. But I decided to run it up.
Throughout the rest of the year, I kept painting on jeans, then jackets, hoodies, jumpers, flannels and t-shirts with no set day to launch, not much traction, not anything really but as for someone that can't draw or paint like that I felt so much peace and joy while painting, I felt so free.
In comparison to 2020, 2019 was so innocent, so carefree despite personal struggles. In a way, one might wish to go back in the midst of current struggles but then again in a few years I'll be thinking of how 2022 was so carefree and the hamster wheel will keep on rolling...