Brickmob: An Art and Apparel Brand with Meaning

The founder of Brickmob, Chris Garcia, is a Wichita native who always wanted to design apparel. He started earning his a degree in Graphic Design while in the military and graduated from Wichita State University. While in college, he used class projects to refine his printmaking and design skills, and one of his projects lead to the birth of the Brickmob brand.

The project was for a graphic design class in which the professor challenged students to create a clothing brand.

“I always had an affinity for all things street like graffiti, punk fashion, and hip-hop trends," said Garcia. "They exemplify the raw urban lifestyle and I wanted to Frankenstein them together, kind of like Chuck D meets Sid Vicious. Both are strong and bold. Both make statements about our culture and society. Both are visual forces to be reckoned with. This unfiltered outlook has stayed my focus since day one. While we do create fun and lighthearted works, we also make a point to regularly take a stand on important societal issues. The cultivation of the arts, protection of our environment, widespread equality, and freedom of expression are paramount to our brand.”

When looking at Brickmob’s designs, you will see societal commentary as well as non-political designs. For instance, their “Tumbling Equality” shirt looks like an eye chart that one would see at an opticians office, each letter is an E and below the title of the shirt, the website states “We should all see it.” They also have a line of gear called the Maker Minis, which is designed to promote creativity in children. The designs including pirates, dinosaurs, ninjas, astronauts and more.

Where might you have seen Brickmob’s design work before? The crew attends maker’s fairs and pop-up shops across Wichita throughout the year, have appeared at Riverfest, and I even spotted one of their hand-painted signs above the patio door at The Monarch.

Brickmob also has seven murals across Wichita, which Chris says is some of his favorite work to do. Here is where they’re located:

• Under the Donut Whole Awning by crew member Philip Nellis
• Wichita themed J.R. Mead mural across from The Spice Merchant by Philip Nellis
• Maker Mini Madness at The Workroom by crew member Joe Worley
• At the Alzheimer’s Association by crew member and founder Chris Garcia
• At the Former Reverie Coffee Roasters by Chris Garcia
• The interior of the Juvenile Detention Center by Chris Garcia
• The interior of the Juvenile Detention Center by collaborator Brady Scott

Every piece of art and design has a purpose for Brickmob: inspiring creativity in kids, giving back to the community or making a political statement. They do all of this while also being environmentally conscious. This year, Brickmob is giving a portion of sales to charity organizations in Wichita, so you can support the brand while also directly supporting the community.

“Rock our gear and enjoy our works with pride," said Garcia. "They are a testament to being straight outta the Midwest and show that we care about our planet and that we’re proud of it. Be the change for good that this world needs. Don’t be a jerk and always try to shop local. We live by this code and we hope that we can infect others.”

The Brickmob crew will be premiering new designs at Wichicon, Riverfest’s Comic-Con on June 2 and 3. Keep up with them on their Facebook and Instagram accounts.