What a busy few weeks it has been for us at REX, not only have we been making a brand new website! (this one) we have been speaking to new retailers, attending fabulous networking events around the city and attending Liverpool's Student Enterprise Conference at LJMU where our director Matt headed up some talks, workshops and we held a competition for one lucky student brand to win a space here at REX.
You can read why we chose Dissapate here.
Here's what they had to say about the win;
What is Dissipate and how did it form?
Dissipate is a brand created from passion and inspiration. Passion from the idea of individuality, amongst the confines of society, inspired by the wild that surrounds us.
We are a brand new and fresh approach to the world of clothing, sharing inspiring moments and adventures through our distinct and abstract artwork, utilising the technique of dye-sublimation printing.
We began planning Dissipate in summer 2014 and launched our online shop in December. The idea was formed from Cain's photographs. They are all from his adventures and always have an inspiring story behind them. Our aim was to share these moments in nature to inspire others. The idea of Dissipate was always to build up our brand and values then venture into our products. We want to inspire others to disperse from society.
What inspired you to start your own business?
I always had my career path all planned out. I'd go to sixth form, get my A levels then get an apprenticeship in accountancy. In reality it didn't work out like that. I failed my first year of sixth form and was unable to go back. I applied for several apprenticeships but got nowhere, then it came to me... Why should I stay in education like everyone else? Why should a qualification or a grade decipher the rest of my life? I decided I didn't want to conform to the standard life of education, then more education, then have the prospect of finding a job.
I wanted to live in the moment. All the way through education you attempt to fit in and be like everyone else. People judge you for being different but when everyone is studying the same subjects being individual is the one thing that will make you stand out. I've always believed being who you want to be makes you a lot happier and stronger as a person, that is why I was so determined to create Dissipate as a brand on the basis of being individual, dispersing from society.
I put all my determination and passion into the idea of Dissipate. I knew if I was dedicated there would be every chance of success, and slowly but surely mine and Cain's passion and determination is pushing the brand in the direction I dreamed of.
Why do you think REX is the perfect fit for your brand?
Me and Cain ventured to REX to see what it was all about we got down the stairs and both just looked at each other. REX just screams Dissipate! The atmosphere is so relaxed, each retailer has unique products, each individual brand came across, it wasn't just labelled and placed on the shelf. Each product told a story. This is exactly the kind of place Dissipate needs to be. We've always wanted our brand and product stories to be showcased and REX does this with each retailer. We want our customers to experience the Dissipate way of life and know REX is the perfect place for them to do so.
Do you have any future plans?
With our online store only launching in December we definitely have a lot of plans for the future.
We want to expand out product range; more designs and product types. We feel all of our products should tell a story and when combined should create the tools for an adventure. We also want other peoples art to inspire others so we will be looking to collaborate with photographers and illustrators in the future.
One of Dissipates key aims is to build a community, a place to share inspiration and to be inspired. We currently encourage people to tag their adventures and inspiring moments with #dispersefromsociety to begin our online community however in the future we would like to create an offline community and run events.
If you want to have a chat with Dissipate follow them on Twitter here... you can buy their products in store and on our website!