Posted by: @noneofusfounder (UK)
I (28M) am the founder of NoneOfUsOfficial, a UK-based underground streetwear brand. We’re anti-hype, low-logo, and influenced by 2000s grunge and protest culture. We’ve been running since 2021, growing slowly and intentionally. No paid influencers, no massive drops. Just limited runs, handmade stuff, and loyal fans.
A few months ago, we started gaining traction overseas—especially in the U.S. A stylist in LA put one of our pieces on a B-list artist, and we saw a huge spike in interest. A U.S. fashion consultant (who has worked with some pretty major names) reached out offering help with “international expansion.”
We had a few calls. She liked the clothes but said our name, website, and vibe were “too abstract and dystopian” for mass-market America. She said:
“NoneOfUsOfficial sounds more like an art collective than a fashion brand. People won’t get it. You need a story they can buy into.”
She recommended:
Changing the name to something more literal or luxurious
Removing politically charged imagery
Repackaging our social media to focus on “aesthetic lifestyle” content rather than protest roots
She said if we made those changes, she could get us meetings with big-name retailers.
I said no.
I told her the brand is the name. It’s about anonymity, shared struggle, and not needing a face to be valid. Our designs are about cultural commentary, not just “cool fits.” Diluting that for clout isn’t growth—it’s selling out.
Since then, she’s posted a few TikToks vaguely shading “UK brands with good potential but bad attitude” and how “genius gets ignored because of ego.”
My mates say I’m a purist and I blew a real chance. Others say I was right to stick to our core. Sales are stable