Spirited Away

SpiritHoods has always given their customers the chance to get in touch with their wild side. They have been making hoods since 2009 with designs ranging from lions, wolves, and blue jays. Now, their new line of vibrant, animal-inspired Terrycloth Hoods, which are excellent for the summer, are light weight and make an interesting conversation piece at any beach. Not only do the designers at SpiritHoods keep producing great accessories, but they are also protecting the wildlife. Talk about accessories with a cause! The guys from SpiritHoods all share common interests: an adventurous life and a passion for wild animals. I was so inspired by their work, and where their passion resonated, I was interesting in knowing more. Cliché reached out to the three co-founders, Alexander Mendeluk, Chase Hamilton, and Marley Marotta, and they were excited to answer some of our questions.
CLICHÉ: Who were your initial customers? How has SpiritHoods branched out further than those customers?
SpiritHoods: When we launched at the Pool Tradeshow in Las Vegas in 2010, we opened up about 35 accounts; some of those were international and many of those were domestic boutiques, like Singer22 and Ron Herman. A lot of our online sales were generated on a grass roots level by marketing at popular venues around Los Angeles. Soon, it started spreading organically like wild fire. A lot of interest naturally came from the festival circuit as we began taking our products out to festivals like Coachella, Burning Man, etc. Our product was absorbed into those communities where it still remains strong.
I read that you have a new line called Terrycloth Hoods. What makes them unique?

SH: We have been looking to develop a lightweight hood that still falls in line with our animal inspired headwear for a long while now. The design adds function while still keeping in line with our animal theme. What makes them unique is their design and the fact that there is nothing else like them out there! They are perfect for summer festival adventures, beaches, pools, rivers, lakes, or people living an active lifestyle.
Where did the idea of Terrycloth Hoods come from? What were your inspirations?
SH: The idea came from a lot of testing. Like I mentioned, we’ve wanted to make a light weight SpiritHood for a while now. We removed the hood off a sweatshirt, applied our SpiritHood shape to it, and added the terry cloth for function. It’s the first design that we hope is a going to become a series of products that are custom designed for an active lifestyle, i.e. you might see our built-in washable headphones added to this design in the future.
What is your design processes like? Who is your head designer?
SH: We often go on safaris together in the Congo or South Africa, depending what we are all up for. From there, we draw on our inspiration and decide on the go!
Are your Terrycloth Hoods just being marketed to beach goers?

SH: Not at all! Naturally, the beach is the perfect representation of summer, but these hoods are fun, cute, and functional. They’re perfect for festival season and any active summer adventure session in the sun!
You can read the entire interview in this month’s issue on www.clichemag.com.