Story & Lesson Highlights with Christian Thompson II of Ontario, CA.

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Christian Thompson II. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Christian, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
I think there is a lot misunderstood about my brand, honestly. That could be a bad thing to some, I guess. I mostly think the misunderstanding is that the brand is for adults. When people first read or hear the brand’s name, “Glamorous Living Kids,” they tend to get stuck on the “Kids” part. To me, “Kids” represents the youthful, explorative side of creativity. As kids, our imaginations are immersive. I envision my brand as a lifelong art project, where the idea is to come up with as many creative ideas as possible. That is the “kid” side of me, the side that can imagine things with no boundaries.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’d like to introduce myself to new friends, fellow creatives, and a new community. Hello, my name is Christian Thompson, also known as GLK. It is a pleasure to meet you.

I am a passionate design artist who started a T-shirt brand in my senior year of high school in 2006. GLK is the abbreviation of my brand, Glamorous Living Kids, a name I coined after a bad breakup.

My brand has been a universal set of keys to many doors I could have never opened without the ebbs and flows that come with building a brand. GLK is most known for its underdog story of never giving up and always coming back better than before.

My perspective on design in retail pop-up spaces is also something that stays in my audience’s awareness. GLK has raised expectations as a vendor at local events and markets.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
I think my parents have been the most influential in shaping my work ethic. They have weathered many storms together, and they had me at a young age. I grew up hearing stories about them starting with nothing and even living in a car, to where they are today as homeowners with more cars than they can count. They have been both positive role models and a cautionary tale.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Honestly, who does not think about giving up when creating something or trying something new? I almost gave up a couple of times because the weight of starting a clothing brand felt impossible. I had friends who did not see the vision, misspellings on graphic shirts, former teammates speaking negatively about my brand online, and booth fixtures falling down an escalator while the whole mall watched. That was literally one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. Yes, I have wanted to throw in the towel more than once, but those were only temporary moments of defeat.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
So are you getting the real me? Of course, but I know it varies slightly depending on my environment. There are a lot of factors, and we are not monolithic. There is depth to us, and each variation is still an authentic version. I have been blessed to have the same group of friends since childhood, some from church and some from school, and everyone gets the real me, with slight differences.

I am more talkative around certain friends and quieter around others. I do not need to be the loudest person in the room or the center of attention. I am content with myself and can enjoy not saying a word or making others laugh until their sides split. Either way, I am authentically me.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Was I born to do this? Yes. I can say with confidence that I was put on this earth to create. I’m left-handed, for goodness’ sake. I believe in The Most High Yah, and He has shown me that His gift to me, and to the world, is my level of sensitivity for creativity. I have been artistic for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of making people out of colored construction paper with changeable outfits, or creating a greeting card with a pop-up cow saying “moo.”

My family knew I was creative as a child, so many of my gifts were crayons and big poster boards for me to draw on. This question gets asked a lot, and my reply has not changed: “I would do this even if I didn’t get paid.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://glkclothing.com
• Instagram: @glkclothing.co