by Apollonia Trujillo
Daily Lobo
Matt Witkowski and David Reis met at Loborientation in 2004.
Now, the UNM students are in the process of expanding their clothing company Rhidden.
"It's our own style," Witkowski said. "It's not limited. It's not skater or designer. It's our own thing."
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He said Rhidden does not stand for anything.
"We had a whole paper of business names and would go on the Internet to make sure they weren't taken," Reis said.
Reis said Witkowski wanted to start making clothing designs since high school and got him interested in the idea. Reis said the two started their business by buying wholesale shirts and a press.
Graphic Connection, which specializes in customized sportswear and merchandise, burns screen prints onto their merchandise, Reis said.
"Graphic Connection charges us basically nothing," Reis said. "They are not making money from us, just basically putting up with us."
Witkowski creates the drawings, while Reis completes the graphic computer work and maintains their Web site, Rhidden.com.
"I suck at drawing, so I give designs to Matt," Reis said.
Their shirts have a variety of elaborate designs such as wings and a sword, a spring tree, falling leaves and feet.
"We want intricate designs so people buy us for our designs and not for the name," Witkowski said. "A lot of people have sayings on their shirts, and it is all computerized. Our stuff is hand-drawn. I despise those other shirts."
Reis said it is all about being original and not using computerized graphics.
"Those shirts will go out of style. We don't want to go out of style," Reis said. "We want various people to wear it - maybe gothic, or under a blazer for a nice look."
Witkowski said the clothing is mainly marketed toward college and high school students, but really is designed for everyone. They have not spotted anyone wearing their clothing, but their friends have, Reis said.
Their line can be found at the clothing store Toad Road on Central Avenue, or on their Web site. The shirts they print on are from American Apparel - a sweat-shop free company that operates out of Los Angeles. The shirts run from $20 to $28 at Toad Road, but the prices may differ on their Web site.
Witkowski said their merchandise is limited to T-shirts and sweatshirts, but they are working on pants, tank tops and more. He said they would first like to get their merchandise into big stores, and then open a large specialty store for only their products. He later wants to take their company overseas to Europe.
In January, Rhidden will be in Magic, a Las Vegas trade show. The show has an admission fee of $5,000.
Reis said they want to make the majority of their profits by sales.
"We are not making as much as we put into it," Reis said.
The two are attending school in the fall with full course loads along with jobs. Reis works at Sandia Labs, and Witkowski works at Banana Republic as well as Exhib-it, a trade show marketing company.
Witkowski said if you are going to do something, do what you like.
"It's not even a side job," Witkowski said. "It's a hobby. It's fun, and that's why we do it."
