Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Cuneo.
Hi Edward, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Wear LIC, Inc. was founded in 2016 by Stuart Lowitt, a graphic designer who moved to Long Island City in 2009. At the time, Long Island City was beginning to undergo major redevelopment, with its population growing rapidly from 20,000 to over 45,000 residents today and still growing. This business actually started by accident, I created a few Long Island City shirt designs, and my husband wore them to work. People kept asking where they could buy them, and after hearing that over and over, we realized there was a interest in apparel that celebrated the neighborhood.
Wear LIC has expanded its apparel offerings while retaining its lighthearted, locally-inspired designs and high quality cotton fabrics. All our new arrivals are ethically made using earth friendly dyes and fabrics.
Stuart continues to play an active role in the Long Island City community through partnerships with local businesses and non-profits. We fully support our community and contribute money and merchandise for special events such as fund raisers and charities.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Wear LIC, Inc started as a side-gig; therefore, our main obstacle was scheduling between our full-time jobs, street/holiday markets, and website maintenance. Fortunately, we can focus more time to Wear LIC, Inc. nowadays; but obstacles still arise, mainly sourcing, inventory and shipments. Nevertheless, we are confronting each challenge as calmly and productively as possible.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As an artist and designer who previously worked on global brands from American Tourister to The Food Network and Motorola, Stuart saw an opportunity to create a t-shirt company that would give Long Island City a unique visual identity to reflect its creative vibe. He began designing t-shirts featuring humorous takes on Long Island City landmarks and street scenes.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
With the ever-changing neighborhood of Long Island City, we are focused on developing our look/designs to match the city. We see ourselves growing with the population both as reflecting current trends but also forecasting styles. We do this by using local landmarks and waterfront views to lure visitors and as nostalgia to longterm residents. Trends change very quickly in fashion and AI will certainly have an impact on how fashion is manufactured. Ideally, we are looking to establish our aesthetic by collaborating and using local manufacturers with whom we have very close ties with. The graphic t-shirt is our starting point.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wearlic.com
- Instagram: @wearlic
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/wearlic
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/wearlic
- Youtube: @wearlic
- Other: https://substack.com/@wearlic
