Welcome
A whole new concept for band merchandise…
Imagine visiting the merchandise booth at your favorite band’s concert and purchasing a tour t-shirt that will fit you comfortably, is the highest of quality and is trendy enough to wear day to day…
309 Designs is bringing the latest fashion to the fans of the biggest bands. All 309 Designs products are created with each individual band’s fan in mind, from the colors and the artwork down to the style and fit. This fashionable concert wear has been inspired by the basic box cut, one size fits all, tour t-shirt with dates on the back and a photo of the band or band logo on the front that ultimately is used to wash the car 3 months after the concert. Kids and teens will want to wear their band merchandise to school the next day and the average joe will wear his new t-shirt into the office at work.
All 309 Designs products are manufactured in Los Angeles, California in the heart of the fashion district where quality standards of products and manufacturing personnel are high.
The designer
Los Angeles based and Chicago native designer, Sarah Shoup, has been working in the music industry for almost 15 years in various capacities. This great adventure began in a local music store called Camelot and at a venue in the little village of Tinley Park formerly known as “The World Amphitheater, (aka First Midwestern Bank Amphitheater)” while she was in high school. After learning the ropes of almost every aspect of the music industry from retail, to venue, to radio, to record label, to promoter, to landing her first gig working on the road directly for a band, her clothing design hobby is quickly becoming yet another accomplished path in the industry.
While working as a Production Coordinator, touring the world with some of the most well known artists and bands on radio, Sarah has gathered invaluable experience and the opportunity to see the ever-changing world of fashion first hand. This has allowed her to create a unique range of clothing, which is hip, figuratively flattering and designed to target specified audiences.
“The secret behind the design is the person is the person wearing it. While traveling the world and seeing a bird’s eye view of various cultures and personal perspectives, not only do I notice the ever-changing world of fashion, but the people that are within the fashion. A person is much more confident in life when they are comfortable about their outer appearance which is clearly seen in the style, fit and quality of the outfit he/she is wearing. I aim to bring out the feel good reaction and positive attitude of all fun loving people.“
The idea
After 5 years of touring with multiple bands as a Production Assistant / Coordinator, my closet began overflowing with concert t-shirts. Unfortunately, only a select few were small enough for me to wear and by wear, that was only to work, and never out in the public eye. So I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be great if I could get some use out of these t-shirts that were exploding out of my closet and enjoy wearing the clothes that advertise a band.” This is where the dream began …
I took an XXL men’s t-shirt and cut it up as if it were regular fabric and began to draw a pattern of capri’s on the shirt. I arranged the pattern so that the logo was strategically placed on the pants for notability. Once I sewed the fabric back together, I wore those pants to work and on tour, this is when the bands began to notice. “Where did you get those pants,” “We should be selling items like that,” etc. are some of the expressions I would hear.
And so production began and a business was started … Each original garment from 309 designs starts as pieces from various bands local crew and tour t-shirts and evolves into a trendy new article of clothing made from the best materials in LA, tailored and customized to fit the fashion sense of a band’s specific target audience and sold at the merchandise booth of a tour all around the world. Check out the Original Creations page of the website to view the conception of each idea.
The company is designed to offer a specialty clothing line of a few pieces which is different from the everyday souvenir item, a basic T with concert dates or photos, and aims to complement your overall Merchandise Company, not compete with the products already offered.