Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Article content
As companies continue to evolve and adapt to a new world, Raeland Mendoza saw an opportunity to use his love of fashion to help small businesses in Edmonton by setting them up with a new product to sell: T-shirts.
In December, Intent Coffee — an inclusive Filipinx-owned cafe found in Southgate Centre — released a limited run of cream-coloured T-shirts emblazoned with ‘Kapwa,’ a Filipino word that expresses the concept of shared identity between people, and graphics that reference the iconic typography found on jeepneys, a traditional form of public transportation in the Philippines.
Advertisement 2
Article content
The shirt, which has been for sale in store as well as on the coffee shop’s website, was accompanied by a coffee mug that carries Intent’s motto: ‘Coffee to the people.’
Article content
These are just two examples of the kinds of merchandise — more commonly referred to as ‘merch’ — that has proliferated over the last 12 months as traditional revenue streams have dried up for many businesses.
There’s also a good chance, if you’ve purchased merch to support a local business in the past year, the local multi-medium art collective I’ll Call You Tomorrow has been behind it.
Founded in 2015 by Mendoza and Fabrice Young as a way for young Edmonton creatives to connect and help develop each other’s talents, the collective spent 2020 on projects like this, many which involved designing merch for local small businesses and non-profit causes.
“We try to bring people together in meaningful ways within the spheres of music, fashion and art,” says Mendoza, who studied textiles at the University of Alberta before moving to Vancouver, where he spent a few years ingratiating himself in the city’s vibrant fashion industry. “We wanted an umbrella to put all of our work under so we could feed off of each other and create a network that would take everyone’s work to the next level.”
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
During his time on the west coast, he worked on projects for fashion heavy hitters such as Kit and Ace, Reigning Champ and Lululemon. Mendoza returned to Edmonton just before the pandemic began, wanting to rededicate himself to I’ll Call You Tomorrow, which was essentially dormant while he lived in Vancouver.
“I came home with all these new ideas about where we could take I’ll Call You Tomorrow,” he says. “And then COVID hit, and all of that went out the window.”
But being forced to reorient themselves at the same time the rest of the world had to do the same allowed the collective to focus on doing the kind of projects they had always dreamed of.
I’ll Call You Tomorrow did it all in 2020. The ensemble helped bring art exhibits to town, such as October’s Riding Horses with White Men, which showcased the art of Calgary-based, multidisciplinary artist Jae Sterling (and, of course, included a gift shop with commemorative T-shirts and handmade rugs from local artist Rashelle Campbell. When the Black Lives Matter movement owned headlines last summer, they partnered with non-profit initiatives like The Come Up to raise money to amplify Black voices and support the fight against systemic racism. The collective even compiled a local shopping guide to help shine a light on small Edmonton businesses and help people find unique local gifts for their loved ones.
Advertisement 4
Article content
But it all comes back to the humble T-shirt. The collective’s collaborative shirts have become hot commodities around town, and the releases highly anticipated events — a way to connect with others in a time when connection is needed more than ever.
“It’s not a new idea, but there’s this idea that the T-shirt is the perfect medium,” says Mendoza. “A T-shirt is one of the simplest and most immediate ways to get your message and story out to people.
“Merch like T-shirts and hats allows people to show their support for businesses that people believe in. Not every business has the resources to develop a proper brand, but almost every business can create a T-shirt.”
At the end of 2020, I’ll Call You Tomorrow even dipped its toes into the waters of the cut-and-sew world, releasing wool scarves created from repurposed leftover fabrics sourced from ateliers in Montreal.
While I’ll Call You Tomorrow’s online shop remains the primary storefront, pieces from numerous collaborations can also now be found at local streetwear boutique Foosh. For a local brand, being stocked in a brick-and-mortar store alongside established worldwide brands like Nike, Stüssy and Converse is a massive milestone, and not one lost on Mendoza, who frequented the store as a teenager.
“It’s a surreal experience,” admits Mendoza. “The first time I saw our clothes on the rack there, I snuck a photo to send to all my friends and family. I remember shopping at Foosh when I was 15 or 16 and just getting into clothes. It’s a very full-circle moment. We just want to prove that you can do high-level creative work in Edmonton and have it stand on its own legs and resonate with people.”
Article content
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.