[dropcap letter=”D”]orian Mays has always been a creative. In October of 2015 he founded Shuē Clothing, an Indianapolis based streetwear brand that is now releasing a one-of-one collection with six original pieces, all hand painted by Dorian himself. I got the chance to photograph the collection before its release and ask the Shuē founder some questions about the inspiration behind each piece and the importance of Shuē. Learn more about this ambitious drop below!
Jacob Moran: If someone asked you ‘What is Shuē?” what would you tell them?
Dorian Mays: Shuē is more than a streetwear brand. It’s a lifestyle, it’s a vibe. It’s the positive energy we all possess.
JM: Where did the name Shuē come from?
DM: Shuē comes from the term Fung Shui. Essentially removing negative energy and replacing it with positive energy that you can use.
JM: How did Shuē clothing start?
DM: It started with me designing for other people. That eventually led me to wanting to put my own ideas and art into clothing, which then led me to start Shuē the brand. It was a natural progression you could say.
JM: This is your first 1-of-1 collection you’ve dropped. Where did the inspiration come from?
DM: Honestly, I wanted to do something other than design something on a computer. For example, my friend Ke’ondris, a fellow artist has done a lot of dope one-of-ones and it got me thinking that I want my designs to reflect me and my passions. It’s easy to whip something up on photoshop, but there’s something about painting that’s personal and intimate. I guess you can say my inspiration was truly putting myself into my designs
JM: How long did it take to construct all six pieces from the collection?
DM: Man, about two months or so, but because of COVID and basically being inside all the time, time really flew by.
JM: You hand painted the designs, stitched together some of the sleeves and put the patches on yourself. These are your babies. Is there any piece you’re just a little sad to see go?
DM: I mean yeah of course, I put a lot of work in these pieces, but that’s the point of being an artist right? Giving someone the experience of your work.
JM: This collection seems like a new artistic direction for Shuē Clothing. Was this intentional or did it organically happen during the making of the pieces?
DM: I would say a little bit of both. I wanted to do something different, but I never thought I would paint on clothing, that definitely happened out of nowhere.
JM: What is your favorite piece in the collection?
DM: My favorite piece is definitely the cherry blossom jacket. I really enjoyed painting that piece and it came out better than I expected.
JM: Knowing you have a piece of art that was handmade and literally one of a kind is something special. Do you plan on releasing more one-of-one collections in the future?
DM: Oh absolutely, I’m actually working on more during the winter seasons. It’s nice to give the mind a break in between seasonal drops.
JM: After this collection drops, what can we expect next from Shuē?
DM: As far as the rest of the year I’ll be pushing the fall collections that I have recently dropped. I’m looking to get an ad spot on Hulu so hopefully that works out. Be on the lookout for some more one-of-ones in the meantime before the spring collection drops.
