NEW RESOURCES

More Than T-shirts With a Message

“My Life’s Story Will Be a Good One,” “Give Up on Giving Up,” “Goal Digger” and “Pets Are People Too” are just a few of the sayings on Good hYouman’s T-shirts, designed by Brett Novek in memory of his dad.

“He passed away, so I [thought] maybe I’ll put some T-shirts up on a website for him,” said Novek, who was extremely close to his father. He bought a YuDu screen printer off an infomercial and started screen printing T-shirts in the bathroom of his home in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood.

The collection immediately started selling on his website, so the model/actor turned designer decided to take a chance and launch the collection at Project in Las Vegas. Within 10 minutes at the show, a Japanese company bought $10,000 worth of Novek’s T-shirts, Novek said.

Good hYouman has been in business for a little more than a year and a half and is now in more than 250 boutiques across the U.S., including Kitson and Ron Herman at Fred Segal Melrose in Los Angeles. It has distribution in Europe and Japan—and is growing.

The collection has a hipster-chic, simplistic aesthetic and features meaningful sayings on 20 different styles of cut-and-sew tanks and tees. Shirts, made in 100 percent cotton and a cotton/Modal blend, may be custom ordered by selecting graphics to be printed on any of the bodies. The line, which wholesales from $14 to $32, is knit, cut, sewn, garment dyed and screen printed in Los Angeles.

For Fall, Novek has added tri-blend fleece sweatshirts, shorts and sweat pants as well as a drop-crotch pant. He also plans to start selling basics. Jewelry—including necklaces, bracelets and rings—complements the collection with inspirational sayings such as “live,” “love” or “give.”

“I think people can really relate to [the line] because it’s honest and it’s based on the idea that everyone has a story,” Novek said. Every season, people send Novek inspirational stories and one is chosen to be printed on the hangtags. “So now I hear people’s stories and it’s real and I appreciate them and [what] they’re going through,” said the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.–born designer. “I think sometimes life can suck, but we’re all good humans at the end of day.” For more information, call (954) 593-4431 or email goodhyouman@gmail.com.