Why reboots of classic Black TV shows are succeeding where other nostalgia fare fails

Nostalgia is in the air. Already 2022 is turning out to be the year of revivals of classic TV series — and particularly so for shows considered hallmarks of Black entertainment.

Among the long list of culture-defining sitcoms and animated shows returning this year, the reboots include new looks at The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Proud Family, both of which premiered in February. By revisiting these shows now, Peacock (home of Bel-Air) and Disney+ (The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder) are clearly looking to replicate some of the same TV magic as the originals — but to their credit, they're doing so with a sense of nuance. It's working so far; both shows are critically acclaimed, which is rarely the case for most rebooted franchises.

For those who didn't grow up watching The Jeffersons, Fresh Prince (which ran for six seasons beginning in 1990) was likely the first time they saw an all-Black cast depicted as a wealthy family. The show likewise introduced classic characters and launched the careers of Hollywood legends while interweaving social and racial topics that still hold relevance today. And for younger millennials and older gen Zers (like myself), The Proud Family was the gold standard of representation as one of, if not the only, Black-centered animated shows on Disney in 2001. The series did for Disney animation what Modern Family did for sitcoms; it reshaped the look and feel of the channel, and opened doors for other Black actors and shows to shine on the popular network.

But why reboot them now? Judging by the recent renaissance of Black entertainment, strategic timing certainly plays a part. In the 1990s and early-to-mid 2000s, shows like Martin, Living Single, A Different World, One on One, and All of Us were at the forefront of Black media, with each of them representing a different layer of Black America during that time. But a large majority of these shows slowed in the mid-2000s and early 2010s — that is, until the airing of Black-ish in 2014, which recreated a zeitgeist that once permeated airwaves. Its success paved the way for a steady stream of shows dedicated to Black families and daily life rooted from a place of authenticity; Black-ish inspired spin-offs like Grown-ish, Mixed-ish, and reportedly the filming of Old-ish, and instigated more Black creators being tapped to spearhead TV shows on their own accord, including Courtney A. Kemp's Power, Donald Glover's Atlanta, Lena Waithe's The Chi, and most recently Quinta Brunson's Abbott Elementary.

The resurgence of Black media likewise inspired ABC to reimagine one of its classic shows with a Black family at the center. Last year, The Wonder Years debuted on the network and starred Elisha Williams as Dean Williams, a 12-year-old boy growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The show was inspired by 1988's The Wonder Years, which chronicled the life of Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage) in the late 1960s and early 1970s — and, notably, starred an all-white leading cast. The first two episodes of 2021's The Wonder Years, on the other hand, revolve around the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King and tackle culture-altering events while also bringing a sense of levity found in the original series. 

Other reboots haven't been as lucky. New versions of classic programs like The Odd Couple, Charlie's Angles, MacGyver, and others have been rightfully ripped by critics. But 2021's The Wonder Years — and in turn, the reboots of The Proud Family and Bel-Air, which premieres the season one finale on Thursday — are succeeding where other shows with similar influences aren't because of their willingness to insert new ideas or elements to captivate a new generation of viewers while at the same time honoring fans of the original series. While hinging on viewers' nostalgia can be a show's strength, it can be detrimental when there's no sense of originality, even if the concept is based on a widely popular entity.

Sure, certain elements of the Peacock and Disney+ shows are the same as their predecessors, like the list of main characters and their backstories, and in the case of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, a near-identical animation style. But they have both also added to their source materials' mythos, drawing in a younger generation of viewers with new concepts, characters, and direction. For example, diverging from its more comedic and lighthearted origins, Bel-Air has taken on a more dramatic and ultra-realistic turn. The show trades in a live studio audience and multi-cam set-up of the original and focuses on a more introspective look at a young Black man who was plucked from West Philadelphia and is abruptly moved to one of the ritziest enclaves in Los Angeles. 

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, meanwhile, broadened its cast of characters with EJ Johnson voicing nongender conforming character Michael Collins and Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto voicing gay couple Randall and Barry Leibowitz-Jenkins. Instead of relying on the same narrative tropes and cultural topics that were prevalent when the original show aired in the early 2000s, the show has leaned into topics like LGBTQ rights, the effects of social media, the different shades of "wokeness" and other subjects that loom over today's society. The show's subject matter has evolved to draw in modern audiences, all while retaining the beloved characters and unmistakable charm that made The Proud Family a classic animated series.

Given the shows' new creative directions and refined scopes, The Proud Family and Bel-Air have a chance to stand on their own as summits of Black entertainment and the larger TV industry — just like the classic series that preceded their arrivals. 

– The Week

Don Toliver closes Rolling Loud's SXSW showcase with thunderous performance

The final hours of Rolling Loud's South by Southwest showcase were very, very Texas. 

After Houston legend Trae the Truth took center stage Saturday, drawing in lovers of syrup-sipping tunes from the city's musical roots, emerging trap-rap and R&B crooner Don Toliver crept under the platform's blistering lights to the horns of "After Party."

Fans jumped over discarded beer cans and water bottles inside the mosh pit, screaming "Donny" over the stage's booming speakers and whiffs of marijuana smoke at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater.

As many fans as there were inside the venue, just as many were stacked inside the divided entrance lines, with many able to catch only the echoing sounds of Toliver's electrifying vocals.

The "What You Need" artist started out with ear-rattling tunes like "Backend," "Cardigan," and "HAD ENOUGH" before switching to his more atmospheric and wavier standouts.

His dark silhouette could be seen under the bright lights and smoke cannons while he zipped from one end of the stage to the other, enchanting fans with his fiery energy and harmonic runs as he transitioned between songs.

The neo-Houston artist couldn't help but confess his love for his hometown and the city of Austin, where many of his day-one fans reside and have watched as he's grown in musical stature.

Collaborations with artists like Kanye West and Kid Cudi on "Moon" and Eminem on "No Regrets" are evidence of his expansion since 2018's "Donny Womack" and a sign of what's to come from the 27-year-old headliner.

As he closed out his set with "Can't Feel My Legs," Donny Womack gave his respect to Austin and Rolling Loud, which stood behind the emerging talent as he's racked up popular songs like "No Idea," "5X" and others from his deepening musical index. 

"Austin, I love y'all," he said as he walked off the Rolling Loud stage to a roaring crowd. 

– Austin 360

Nicolas Cage's 'biggest fan' posted flyers across SXSW asking the actor to call. It worked.

Saturday update: Nicolas Cage called!

After printing more than 500 flyers and projecting a building-scaled picture of actor Nicolas Cage against a downtown wall with the message "PLEASE CALL ME" around South by Southwest, superfan Robby Schnetz's wish was granted. 

Schnetz, 31, received a call from the Academy Award-winning actor, known for roles in “Con Air” and “Face/Off,” on Saturday afternoon. And as the Austinite promised he would, Schnetz thanked Cage for the work he’s done in Hollywood and told him that he was, in fact, his biggest admirer.

“I wanted to just thank you so much for everything, all the years of content you’ve put out, all the roles you’ve chosen and the characters you’ve played,“ Schnetz told Cage, who is in Austin for the premiere of his movie "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." “It’s amazing and I honestly feel like I am your biggest fan. I can’t necessarily prove it, but in my heart of hearts, I really do believe I am.”

Cage thanked Schnetz for his support, and let him know his outrageously ambitious efforts didn’t go unnoticed. 

“I’m a film enthusiast, too. So anytime somebody is interested in a movie or cinema, I’m always happy to talk, Cage said. “But I just wanted to let you know I got your message and I called you and I wish you the best of luck on all your endeavors.”

Earlier: South by Southwest has long been a festival bursting with super-fandom, with droves of fans pouring into downtown Austin hoping to spot their favorite actors, musicians and influencers.

If you've already made rounds on Day One, you've likely seen one of the biggest signs of fanship floating around this year's festival, the first in-person SXSW in two years. 

Slapped across the columns and walls of the Auston Convention Center are flyers featuring a photo of actor Nicolas Cage with the messages "I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN" and "PLEASE CALL ME" above a 737 area code phone number. 

The fan responsible is Austinite Robby Schnetz, who printed nearly 500 copies of the flyer in hopes of connecting with the "Face/Off" and "Con Air" actor, whose newest film, "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," is one of the most anticipated flicks to screen at SXSW. The film plays at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre.

We gave Schnetz, 31, a ring to talk about his admiration for Cage, the bold move of posting his phone number throughout downtown Austin, and the hundreds of calls and texts he's received from impersonators of the Academy Award-winning actor.

Although we were initially sent to his voicemail, where the Plano-native requested a verification selfie in case we were Cage, we finally got a hold of him for a quick Q&A.

This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity. 

American-Statesman: Out of all the fans of Cage, what makes you the biggest?

Robby Schnetz: I don't know if I could technically prove it because there are so many people, but I know in my heart that I am.

I started younger, man. One of my fondest memories with my parents was when I was super young. We watched "Con Air," and it was funny because he played some guy named Cameron Poe in the movie. The thing was, I had a friend in elementary school named Cameron Poe, and that's why my parents were like, "Hey, let's watch this movie."

They already saw it but they wanted me to see it so that I could go, "Oh hey, there's my friend." But you know, I watched (Cage's movies) throughout the years, and when I got to college, he was the main actor my roommates and I really started to follow.

But now, I got shower curtains, pillows, coasters, even a Nicolas Cage flag. I just know that in my heart of hearts I am his biggest fan. And if he's here in Austin, like, why wouldn't I do this stuff?

What about Cage made you such a massive fan?

I mean, he's been around for so long and he's not like one of these, "Oh, I'm gonna do a couple of blockbusters, get my millions and get out." He's not just doing roles for the box office. He's doing roles for the fans and because he wants to do them.

In his past couple of movies he had little dialogue, and in "Willy's Wonderland" he had no dialogue. He can act without saying a word. And with his upcoming movie, "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," you can tell he did this for the fans just by looking at the trailer. This is him thanking the fans and really appreciating everything they've done and supported.

I don't know many actors that would do that and go out there and be like, "Yes, I'm going to play myself and give myself to this role." He really loves the fans and is an actual actor. Well, he is more of a thespian than an actor.

Why did you decide to print out the hundreds of flyers?

(Cage) was here a few years ago doing a movie, and I was, you know, a poor college kid. I didn't have the money. I was going around hoping to see him. But at this point, now in my 30s, I got a couple hundred bucks to just say screw it. Why not just try it?

Aren't you afraid you'll get calls and texts from weird strangers?

I've gotten literally hundreds of calls and texts of people pretending to be Nicolas Cage. I guess it's all a part of the process to find him. You have to play to win.

How excited would you be if you actually got a call from him?

I don't get starstruck that often by celebrities and stuff like that, but to actually meet somebody that you admire so much, It's going to get my heart pumping. I just want to thank him for all the content he's put out through the years. I just want to say, "Hey, I appreciate everything you've done artistically." I just appreciate his talent.

If the flyers don't work, anything next?

(I'm) going to see if this digital projection on buildings can get me to meet the legend himself or if it can get me into the movie premiere.

– Austin 360

From pink polo shirts to weird boots: How Kanye's fashion has evolved

It’s hard to imagine a time when the masses weren’t drawn to artist and fashion designer Kanye West, a man who's spearheaded some of the biggest cultural shifts and era-defining trends since he first stepped into the industry spotlight.

But the Netflix documentary Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy chronicles the days when West was a quietly confident producer who was known for his soul-stirring beats but fighting to land a record deal as a solo artist.

The first two episodes of the three-part film, titled “Act I: Vision” and “Act II: Purpose,” are pieced together from 20-year-old footage recorded by now-director Coodie Simmons, who gave viewers a glimpse into the recording sessions of songs that made West a household name. Simmons, who directed the project with fellow filmmaker Chike Ozah, first turned his camera to West with the belief he would ascend to rap superstardom. But even with his remarkable foresight, not even Simmons envisioned what kind of force West would become in the world of fashion.

Nobody knew — except Ye.

“LOUIS VUITTON DON”

The self-proclaimed “Louis Vuitton Don,” a nickname West first christened himself on the song “Last Call” from his debut album The College Dropout, mixed luxury brand pieces like Dior, Gucci and others with streetwear essentials — which blurred the lines of modern couture forever.

From leather kilts, Margiela masks, and Venetian shutter shades, hip-hops fans and high fashion mavens have been drawn to West's influence. And for the 44-year-old rapper, conquering the fashion industry was a goal he set from the time he signed his record deal at Roc-A-Fella Records.

“If West’s rubber BALENCIAGA RAIN BOOTS aren't evident enough, HIS STYLE has always been AGAINST THE GRAIN.”

In “Act II: Promise,” West made his intentions clear during an interview following his car accident in 2002: “I had an accident and almost died and everything, right? But I was sitting up in the hospital for the first seven days, and I’d just be watching TV and I just came to this revelation …. people are like, ‘You almost just died. What came from this?’ And I just sit back, and just decided that I’m going to be the best, the best, dressed rapper in the game because their gear was crazy whack.”

If West’s rubber Balenciaga rain boots aren't evident enough, his style has always been against the grain. On his song “Touch the Sky,” West addressed how his stylistic choices early in his rap career hindered his success: “Back when they thought pink Polos would hurt the Roc/Before Cam got the sh*t to pop/The doors was closed/I felt like Bad Boy’s street team: I couldn’t work the locks.”

In the same way he was viewed as an artist, West’s clothing style didn’t fit the mold of a “rapper,” which better aligned with the gangster rap image that loomed over the genre in the early 2000s. When everyone was wearing XXXL Mitchell & Ness jerseys, jump-rope length chains and baggy jeans in the early 2000s, he was draped in bright rugby shirts, a monogrammed ​​Louis Vuitton backpack and Ralph Lauren sweaters adorned with the "Polo Bear," later inspiring the “Dropout Bear” that was placed on his first three album covers.

Throughout the documentary, West was also spotted in Superhero and movie-themed graphic T-shirts, knit turtleneck sweaters and a retainer that was far from camera shy. While maligned at the time, a lot of the pieces West wore 15-20 years ago are touted in high fashion circles today, which is a true testament to his vision for future trends. Vintage Polo pieces and other brands West donned in his “College Dropout” days are treasured items for hype beasts and online resellers, and some pairings would even hint at future brand collaborations.

During West’s Def Poetry Jam performance of “All Falls Down” called “Self Conscious,” he wore Adidas Superstars, and even sported a Gap shirt throughout the series, foreshadowing the release of his “Yeezy Gap engineered by Balenciaga” collection in late February.

But in time, everyone would begin to rap, produce and dress like West.

RESISTANCE

Before becoming a rap superstar, West maneuvered through the industry on his own accord, using the scraps and resources he had to place his form of artistic expression at the forefront. And much was the same when it came to fashion. Even with a Louis Vuitton footwear collection, West arranged to intern for Fendi in 2009 alongside the late Virgil Abloh, who was the artistic director at Louis Vuitton's menswear collection before he passed in November 2021.

The New York Times reported that the two men were making $500 a month to run errands and fetch coffees at the famed fashion house. And in a 2013 interview with former BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe, West reaffirmed his genius, claiming that he and Abloh introduced the idea of leather jogging pants to Fendi – a trend that would emerge in high-end circles years later.

In 2009, West enlisted industry notables such as Abloh, Don C, Kim Jones, who was Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director at the time, and others to establish his first clothing line in 2009: Pastelle. It wasn’t his first dive into the depths of fashion design — that was Mascotte by K West, which was scrapped in 2004, but Pastelle was his first full-fledged attempt at creating his own brand.

But after West’s outburst against Taylor Swift at the 2009 Video Music Awards, Pastelle’s LA office shut down and his plans for the brand’s flagship stores and events soon did as well, according to Complex. His frustrations were made public during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!,”where West talked about the resistance he’s faced at the gates of the fashion world.

“I WANT to make the next RALPH LAUREN.”

“I spent 10,000 hours at this; I dedicated my life to this. And a lot of people say, ‘OK, you know, you have to do music.’ Imma keep doing music, but what if people told me I couldn’t rap. What would have happened? What if people told me I couldn’t perform?’” he said. “I’m only 36 years old, I have other goals and other things, and I’m going to use my platform and every platform to stand up and say, ‘I want to make something. I want to make the next Ralph Lauren.’”

While the interview was nearly a decade ago, it’s reminiscent of the moment in Jeen-yuhs when West played “All Falls Down” to a puzzled music executive, whose colleagues roamed in and out of the room, and he left the Roc-A-Fella office momentarily deflated.

YEEZY EMPIRE

After footwear deals with Louis Vuitton and Nike, West continued to push for his own clothing line and would eventually take the reins of his Yeezy brand in 2015. And in the seven years since its inception, the brand’s apparel and sneaker releases have helped boost West’s estimated $1.8 billion net worth, according to Forbes.

Yes, the numbers are astronomical, but West’s impact has been nearly unmatched because of the stylistic trends he’s set ablaze. He broke ground years ago with collaborations and footwear deals with high fashion brands, inspiring other rappers to level up their drip game and even delve into the business of fashion.

As Yeezy has generated millions of dollars — and quenched the thirst of hype beasts from around the world — he’s opened doors for others to succeed in fashion and has consistently drawn in the industry’s top talent. Designers like Heron Preston and Matthew Williams, who’s now the creative director of Givenchy women’s and men’s collections, have made their marks in fashion after working alongside West and his extended creative team.

So, while many will point to West’s polarizing statements, failed presidential campaign, thickly rubberized rain boots (for now, at least) and his antics on social media, which has half the country calling Pete Davidson “Skete,” his impact in fashion is undeniable and will remain an integral part of his legacy – just as he envisioned.

– Input Mag

'An earworm that never left': Columbus jazzman embraces musical gifts to inspire others

For jazz musician Miles Smith, the poignant sounds of classical strings and soothing tunes from the likes of Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and other legends of the genre echoed through his home. 

There was never a moment of dullness, Smith, 21, said. Every morning, his ears were filled with the reverberating sounds of trumpets, saxophones and piano keys, with jazz seemingly becoming an inescapable fix.

And with both his parents dedicated musicians and music professors at Ohio State University, the Fort Collins, Colorado native — who moved to Columbus at age 12 —said his  culmination as an instrumentalist was a near formality.

"I like to joke that I was either going to become a musician or be disowned by my parents," Smith said jokingly.

Named after American trumpeter Miles Davis, Smith, now a Dublin resident, picked up the drums at age 3 before switching to the trumpet in sixth grade. From there, "jazz was an earworm that never left his body," Smith said.

"That was the turning point," he said. "I pick up the trumpet in sixth grade and think, 'Maybe this will work.' I picked it up, notes started coming out, it was feeling pretty good."

Instead, his affinity for jazz music soaked deep within him, becoming a sequential part of his every day. And while many his age gravitated to other popular R&B and hip-hop artists, he leaned toward the genre that got its start in the backwaters of New Orleans. 

"It's something to be prideful about," he said. "With jazz becoming a lost art, but still very present even in 2021, is something I'm very proud of. It found its way to me, and jazz music just felt right." 

An affinity for teaching

Now, Smith is a member of the OSU Jazz Emsemble and the OSU Fusion Jazz Ensemble, led by his father Mike Smith.

As he held a picture of a younger Miles Smith resting in his arms as he conducted a band, Mike, 61, looks at his son's artistic growth in awe. 

“He has an absolutely amazing ear," Mike said. "He can hear (the sounds) and spit them out. He formed an intimate relationship with the trumpet. He could figure them out and play them out.”
Mike, a lecturer and jazz professor at OSU, said even during those early stages, he knew Miles would morph into an incredible artist.

That never shocked him. What surprised him is Smith's affinity for teaching, a role he vowed he’d never do.

“I'm thrilled by it," Mike said. "I really am.

"Me and his mom laugh at it because they seemed to do anything but teach. Both of them have found they excel at it. It’s funny but it's heartwarming to see it happen. I hear him giving lessons on Zoom to people and I marvel at how good he is at that.”

Between his commitments at OSU, Smith works as an instructor at various Columbus-area schools and previously held teaching stints at the Lincoln Theatre, a place he frequented often as he built up his own command of the leadpipe. 

Smith's influence on local musicians

Gamal Brown, associate director of The Lincoln Theatre, said Smith’s involvement there has been an incredible addition and has provided assistance toward to developing local musicians through practice and education.

“I'd love to see organizations use (Smith) as the poster child for what jazz is in the city," Brown, 49, said. "They would benefit from him as a source,"

Smith said he works as an instructor to inspire other young, Black kids to embrace their inner musician, just as his professors and mentors did for him. 

Along with his parents’ influence, Smith credits the mentor-to-mentee relationships he’s developed with famed musicians and former professors for his musical maturation. 

Having met and briefly instructed Smith when he attended OSU, Jon Lampley, 32, said he had the talent from the start.

‘He had talent from the start’

Lampley, who currently plays with the house band of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," quickly recognized Smith's desire to be great in the time they spent together.

From listening to Smith, Lampley said he knew he had the tools to be a great musician.

"I gravitate towards people who are inspiring and uplifting, and to be able to have a direct line of inspiration at an early point is really cool," he said. "I'm excited to see how Smith progresses, and hopefully, we can make some music in the not-so-distant future."

Anthony Stanco, 32, Smith's former trumpet professor at OSU, said the young musician's budding talents are only surpassed by his dedication to the craft.

"I've always been blown away from his talent," said Stanco, who currently works as a professor at Michigan State University. " To play this music, you have to be around the culture, and Smith does that."

From transcribing the solos of Miles Davis and fellow trumpeter Clifford Brown, Stanco said given Smith's love of the genre, the sky is the limit.

"If you take care of the music, the music will take care of you," he said. "That is huge, and I don't see him having a national name as a far stretch. As his previous instructor, I'm going to help as much as I can."

As his young musical career marches forward, Smith said there are many things he wants to pursue. While grad school is a possibility, he's thought about a full-time role at the Jazz Arts Group or the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and, more recently, teaching on the collegiate level like his two parents. 

But above all, Smith said he wants to reach the heights of Lampley and others who have inspired him. 

– The Columbus Dispatch

'Just be a little nerdier': Austin fashion designer creates 'nerd-wear' based on science

In an industry built on creative nuance and a flair for chic stylings, Austin designer Ryan Britton has embraced the call for originality.

The El Paso-native combined his love for history and science to create the National Bureau of Product Research, a limited clothing brand that merges streetwear with scientific exploration.

Renderings of planetary surfaces, scrapped rocket blueprints, geographical landmarks and patterns of radio beacons, radiation detector dials, and other tech are placed throughout his clothing pieces.

Interwoven into each garment, which range from $69 to $1,000 in price, are stories that unfold like a paperback, with texts and images detailing the inspiration behind Britton's designs and where they come from – an element he says is missing from fashion and the world at large. 

"I feel like The National Bureau can push things forward a bit by advocating for everybody to have a little more nerd in them – to look at our shared reality a little more empirically," the 49-yar-old designer said.

Described as "nerd wear," the brand's designs are directly drawn from decades-old documents from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that Britton archived following his days as a science reporter. 

On the brand's "Trippy Trajectory" T-shirt, Britton stitches in a graphic that details a mission NASA developed in 1966 to test its ability to dock two ships in space at the same time. 

The inside of the shirt reads: "The graphic on your shirt illustrates the approach angle the Gemini 12 Spacecraft took in its rendezvous and docking with the unmanned Gemini Agena Target Vehicle. A major objective of the Gemini project was to learn how to dock and tether space vehicles together. The Gemini Spacecraft and Agena Target Vehicle left the Earth's surface on different rockets at different times to successfully meet in low Earth orbit. At the mission's conclusion, Gemini 12 (and its two astronauts) parachuted down and landed safely in the ocean. Everything else burned to a crisp in the atmosphere :-D."

An untraditional path to fashion

Britton's path to becoming a designer is as unique as his aero-inspired motifs. 

Before launching National Bureau, he worked as a journalist for Earth & Sky, a daily radio series focused on science and nature. The company began broadcasting in 1991 and eventually switched its operations to online-only. 

While at Earth & Sky, Britton's admiration for astrogeology was at its highest. He began collecting vintage blueprints, drawings and graphics from past projects and interviews with industry scientists from NASA and other organizations, and soon built a database filled with keepsakes.

Britton developed the archive in 2013, and instead of naming the catalog "Ryan's Database," he settled on the National Bureau of Product Research. 

At the time, he didn't know what purpose the catalog would serve, but he knew he wanted to put the valuable relics to use. 

It wasn't until a friend suggested placing one of the graphics on a T-shirt that he considered getting into fashion. And from there, the concept of the clothing line was born. 

"(Fashion) wasn't really a new thing for me," Britton said.

"It was just me kind of in the middle of my career thinking" no one in fashion was telling stories like his, he said. 

"The idea for a fashion brand was so big in my head, I almost felt obligated to do it," he said. "If I didn't do it, I would just be carrying this idea in my head."

Where to eat on Valentine's Day: Austin restaurants with special menus

Beyond creating basic print designs, Britton wants to give his consumers an inside look into his clothing brand and embrace the pursuit of knowledge and truth through his designs and the stories they carry. 

"The goal is to create a brand but also a community," he said. "There's value in digging a little bit and understanding truth, like real truth, and understanding the value of scientific method and scientific inquiry.

"Let's just be a little nerdier and our world will benefit."

Education at center of the brand

After some time selling his initial designs, Britton decided to join the first cohort of the Austin Community College Fashion Incubator in October 2020, where he remains a designer-in-residence. He'll have access to the program's space until October this year. 

The Fashion Incubator is housed inside the former Highland Mall – Austin's first suburban shopping mall that closed its doors in 2011 and has been transformed into a campus for Austin Community College.

The fashion design school is now housed inside a 7,500-square-foot space, where aspiring designers and entrepreneurs have access to  $13 million of Gerber Technology, business coaches, networking opportunities and other resources to sharpen their skills. 

The year-long program helped Britton hatch his plans for The National Bureau.

Director and fashion designer Nina Means said Britton quickly refined his concept and learned to compose his intricate designs in a way that celebrates the power of education. 

While niche, National Bureau has everything a brand needs to grow into a successful business, Means said.

"I think Ryan is on to something with The National Bureau, and he's tapped into the archival space and into a customer that's also obsessed with learning," said Means, 41, who worked for American Eagle and other brands before taking on her role at ACC.

Science and innovation are next

Before launching the first National Bureau capsule last year, Britton said it was hard for other designers to grasp his concept.

"Before I actually had clothes made, people just didn't get it," he said. "It's taken some education, drawings and things like that to explain what it is I want to do. But when I hand over a T-shirt, people just get it."

Fellow designer Lord Justice Canton was immediately drawn to the brand after a conversation with Britton in a Los Angeles clothing store. 

Canton, 28, said Britton, a "nerdy, 6-foot white guy with glasses," didn't look like a typical designer, but once he saw the vibrant colors and aero-inspired patterns he created, the Queens-native said he knew Britton and the brand were worth exploring.

"(Britton) is definitely a needle in the haystack," said Canton, who works as a store manager for the LA location of the streetwear brand The Hundreds. "I know a lot of creatives, but a lot of people don't push the boundaries. When I first met him, I knew he was doing something most people don't take the time to do."

Since connecting in LA, Canton has helped Britton drive the creative direction of the National Bureau. From social media posts to public appearances in different pieces, he wants to inspire other lovers of streetwear to put the brand name on their back. 

"It's' going to take some time, but I think he's going to go really far," Canton said. "I think (Britton's) biggest contribution to fashion is his previous work history – going from that to designing. He's also teaching people within the garment. A lot of people that own brands are just not that innovative."

While the first capsule serves as a nod to space exploration, Britton said he's placing computer science and innovation at the center for the next National Bureau line set to release in late May or June. 

So far, the geometric patterns of vintage computer circuit boards are already in play. But above all, Britton said he plans to continue encouraging the world to be a little nerdier.

– Austin American-Statesman