OUR STORY
hey - i’m claud!
i’m from the uk and i started clouded label back in 2020. i've always dreamed of doing something in fashion, and one day my dad told me about a clothing brand that was up for sale, but i didn't believe in the products.
they weren't my style and i knew i wouldn't be able to truthfully promote them. so he said "do it yourself then? start your own brand, what you waiting for?".
and thats how clouded started!
clouded label is for the people who love graphics tees, streetwear and the planet. i believe we should be helping the planet as much as we can, and when i realised how bad the fast fashion industry was, i was shocked at why brands are intentionally harming the planet and people with their actions.
if people come to us for our style, amazing. if people come to us for sustainability, amazing. if people come to us because of our brand name, amazing.
whichever way people come to us, support us and buy from us, i want it to be a positive experience all around. there should be a conscious effort to reduce our harm on this earth + i try to make the best decisions i can at each stage of the business.
our piece are made from organic, sustainable materials, using eco-friendly packaging, plant a tree with every order and donate to climate change and environmental charities. we also give a sh*t about ethics! to find out more about our sustainability and ethical efforts, check out the sustainability page on our website!
but more about our story and what clouded means!
whenever i design a product for clouded, i just think about what is most authentic to me. i love streetwear, oversized fits, neutral and cool colour palettes. i keep it really personal, all the designs, colour ways, fits, there's back stories and even hidden messages throughout my designs. because why would i create something that i dont love myself??
i have a hugeee appreciation and love for asian aesthetics and culture. from a young age, i tried to learn japanese language, how to draw anime and manga, adored the food and art etc. my grandad also heavily influenced me to love japan after his love for it, travelling there and working for decades with japanese schools. i would also help out with the exchange programme he ran at my school, meeting the students and sharing our lives with each other. they would teach me to write, give me their favourite snacks to try, show me their fave songs.
on each product page, you'll find the story behind each design. i love the background and sentiment behind the cultural understanding mixed with my random hidden messages (scroll down to find some out). i design some graphics/logos but also work with incredible designers. they are created by Asian designers, paid at a rate they determine and they are given the freedom to create the designs within my concept. i work closely with the designers, speaking to members of the culture and personal research/knowledge/appreciation for the beautiful designs and culture.
for my other hidden messages, i am a huge marvel nerd so i couldn't resist having secret meanings to the mcu, especially my favourite film/franchise ever - guardians of the galaxy. my first 3 collections are called vol.1, vol.2 and vol.3 after the mixtapes and gotg movies. there's also a tee called the guardian tee - which is also because of the symbolism of foo dogs as guardians. the force of nature tee features a women with white eyes, this is based off my favourite character - storm from the xmen comics! then on the cloud walker tee, the icons are wearing my fave pairs of shoes i own - jordan 4 retro shimmer and jordan 1 dutch greens (i loveee jordans). there's also sun and moon emblems across the designs.
and then there's the main feature throughout the brand, clouds. hence the name - clouded, duh. i used to get called cloud when i was younger and always been mesmerised by them for so many reasons. so i try to include clouds in as many designs as possible. i love travelling, being up in the clouds, its a reminder to dream big, every cloud has a silver lining, nature, symbolising the beauty of change.
i lived in italy and i walked in a shop which had big cloud lights, so i complimented the shop owner and she told me the cutest story about why she loves clouds too: 'clouds have no define shape, just like a human body shouldn't, every shape is beautiful' how cuteee! body confidence is a big thing for me and i want everyone to feel confident in clouded - we're fully unisex and have a wide size range from 2xs - 5xl!
the tagline of clouded is: embrace the uncertainty. the opposite of uncertainty isn't certainty, its presence. everything happens for a reason, just accept it, live life by hoping for the best and enjoying the small things. its on our sakura tee but also written in different ways throughout other pieces like ichigo ichie, on our torii and guardian tee.
at clouded, we are still a small, independent brand. its female owned. i actually currently live abroad in bali, running the business remote, whilst nicole (mum) and the dogs - run clouded from the uk, fulfilling orders and working with our printer who is local!
we have had a great team along the way, helping clouded be where it is. so here's the clouded family so far. for photography, I've worked with @cameronmhillphotography @createdbyleandro @shotbyswan @thealohaboy @allunshie @socialeyes__
for our amazing models: jade, jake, tom, seb, lyn, kane, frank, vinny, syrah, meghan, ben, thomas, laura, mari, chloe, casper, carlos, sebass🫶🏼
my dream is for clouded to build bigger and wider, and the go-to for streetwear/style which without even having to think about it helps the planet. if you want to help the planet and move the industry in the right direction, or just want a new tee, be sure to check our products out and find us on our socials!
if you have any questions, ideas, feedback - anything at all! - please feel free to contact us on any of our socials.
lots of love, claud xxx