A common misconception regarding fashion and design is that prior knowledge is a requirement for a successful brand. With an insurmountable number of new designers joining the game each year, it makes the scene just that much more competitive. Competition brings about ego, and that is when technical knowledge is utilized in a defensive attempt to build credibility. Not to say that being educated about your industry isn’t advantageous, but Frisbie’s journey shows that all of that knowledge can be picked up along the way, as long as you are willing to learn. Frisbie didn’t grow up in a bustling metropolis, he grew up in Iowa City. There was no creative scene around him; Frisbie learned to hustle on his own accord. And he didn’t listen to professors lecture him about pattern-making and the influence of famous designers from the past; Frisbie approached everything with a uniquely fresh perspective. Instead of thinking too technically about what he wanted to create, Frisbie simply created. Although now his hustle includes projects that take well over two hundred hours to finish, it all started as a simple “what if…” type of question, and Frisbie has never once shied away from finding the answer.

It wasn’t until high school that Frisbie asked himself, ‘What if I started making clothes?’ At the time, Dad-hats were having a bit of a moment on the internet, so Frisbie decided to get in on the action. From a young age, he knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur, and this was his first stab at it. Hats that featured pop-culture references were Frisbie’s initial products sold, eventually moving into other articles of clothing. This decision was not rooted in a passion for artsmanship; it was rooted in hustle. 

Frisbie didn’t have the money to get cut and sew samples overseas, so he resorted to teaching himself how to sew. What started as rather elemental patterns and designs began to slowly morph into a catalyst for brand expansion. Frisbie’s college experience was relatively normal, but it changed drastically at the end of his junior year when COVID first made headlines. His side hustle had started to turn into a business, and seeing as his Senior year classes were going to be entirely online, his schedule suddenly cleared. Frisbie went out to Arizona to shoot for a collection he was working on, and stayed at his friends’ place while he was in town. They told Frisbie that they had an extra room if he wanted to take it, and knowing that his classes could be done from seemingly anywhere, Frisbie didn’t flinch at the opportunity to change his surroundings. He flew back to Iowa, packed his bags, and drove back to Arizona in his ‘09 Honda Accord the following week.

Upon his arrival, Frisbie began to put more thought into the social media aspect of the brand. Part of that was rooted in the refined style that he had developed, and an eagerness to share it with a larger audience. Unaware of what exactly to attribute it to, Frisbie felt like he found his aesthetic in January of 2021. Around this time, Frisbie also began to dive into the upcycling aspect of his brand: Finding his own thrifted materials and repurposing them as elements of his own unique concepts. The creative scene in AZ didn’t necessarily offer anything crazy to him, yet the simple act of changing his surroundings, the people he interacted with, and the inspirations that he was pulling from, culminated in unexplored forms of creative expression. Over the next few years, Frisbie spent his time stationed AZ, consistently traveling back and forth to LA for work opportunities. His pieces became more complex, his social following began to skyrocket, and as his network grew in Los Angeles, a potential move seemed feasible. So, in January of 2024, Frisbie took another leap of faith and followed his dreams to LA.

Now, at the age of twenty-four, Frisbie has built a name for himself across the global fashion landscape. His following has surpassed 200k across all platforms, but more importantly, his connections in the industry have remained strong. Frisbie approaches each new relationship, whether that be a fan or a fellow designer, with an open-mindedness that can be hard to find (personally, I think it’s the Midwest mentality, but that might just be me), and that is what has allowed him to surround himself with similarly driven individuals. He pushes the needle for the rest of the game when it comes to work ethic, unafraid of putting in upwards of 16 hours in a single day. While it may seem crazy to most, Frisbie has learned to enjoy the ride, leaving behind his own messages through each piece he releases to the world.