Today we’d like to introduce you to Tod Waters.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Junker (est. 2001) started with stuff I dived outta dumpsters, everything is made with grubby little paws. I have mutated, overdyed, rusted, painted, buried or bled on every piece. The clothes are all one of a kind, made from denim, leather, whatever I can find in the dirty streets of Los Angeles.
Wear It Hard.
Wear It Loud.
TOD was born at St Vincent’s in Manhattan and grew up in Houston, Texas on a steady diet of Ultraman, horror movies, war films, and Star Wars. I spent a lot of time drawing and exploring in the creek by my house. At around the age of 8 I started getting in trouble in school for drawing on all my papers and my desk. In high school I was getting into trouble for wearing biker boots and painting on my clothes, so I quit and started playing in punk rock bands. During that time, I started sewing more and put legs of jeans on my jackets for arms, drew, hand painted, silk screened, and dyed all my clothes. I continued to mutilate clothes when I moved to LA in 2000 I started to experiment with aging processes, and patternmaking. I made a vest at a friend’s house, Lenny Kravitz saw it, bought it, and that’s how it all started.
Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest struggle has been fighting off all the people that will copy your work and undercut my prices. Maintaining and fighting to keep my intellectual property mine.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Junker Designs story. Tell us more about the business.
Junker is known for the creation of high end customer clothing for street, stage and screen. Known for the Motley Crue and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith tour clothes. Also the main window at the Hard Rock Cafe dedicated to Steven Tyler is filled with Junker clothing.
I think I am most happy to see Junker clothing wherever I happen to see it. The thing that sets Junker apart from all the others is the quality of clothes and number of years of experience in the business.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
It’s hard to say. Lucky for most creative artists they finally can control their own destiny. The internet has helped to create a new place for smaller designers and artists to sell work. What I see happening is the public, in general, will be become more aware of all the choices that are out there.
Pricing:
- T Shirts , Hats , Patches and Bandanas under 40 dollars.
- Vests and Pants under 800 dollars .
- Leather goods and custom designed clothing 1200 and above .
Contact Info:
- Website: junkerdesigns.com
- Phone: 323-350-0191
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/todjunker/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junkerdesigns/
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