1794

Ok, what is the DEAL with the 1794 on the Guerrilla Republik shirts?? I hear this so many times that we do just point to the mission statement.

WE AT GUERRILLA REPUBLIK DRAW OUR INSPIRATION FROM THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL SLAVE REVOLT IN HAITI, 1794. THIS REBELLION EXEMPLIFIES UNITY, STRENGTH, DETERMINATION AND THE WILL OF GOD.
OUR MISSION IS TO STIMULATE MINDS AND EXPAND THE DYNAMICS OF THINKING IN OUR INNER CITIES AND MOTIVATE INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION, SELF-RELIANCE, AND PREPAREDNESS.

When You Don't Know What to Wear

With so many clothing lines on the market, which should you choose??

Well, here's what I am thinking:
Wear something BOLD. Something that can make a statement.
My answer...Guerrilla Republik!

Now, whatever image you decide to go with, you will definitely be making a serious statement.
For Example:
The Gas Mask Shirt. This is by far the best-selling shirt by GRep, beating out the original AK logo. Designed by Justo.

Images of Guerrilla Republik are directly inspired by weapons used in guerrilla combat. The gas mask is clean and punctuated by an AK crossmark.

This image is white on black and may also be seen on:
-t-shirts
-long sleeved shirts
-thermals
-hoodies
-bandanas
-girl shirts
-diy tops
-tote bags

The AK is no slouch. It's the original design, an old favorite.
One particular individual was so impressed with it, he included it on his logo:

The story goes:
Tech sees a GRep shirt in the Spring of '06 in a boutique and is floored. He purchases every last AK shirt in the place and asks the owner who GRep was. The store owner gives Tech Rabb's number and the rest was history.

GRep, at this point a two-man operation teamed up with a young, up-and-coming political rapper and this produced a kind of symbiotic relationship. One can argue that GRep would not have been as successful without the help of Immortal Technique, but many would say that Tech gained popularity only after collaborating with Guerrilla Republik and coming up with such a noteworthy logo.

Over the years, Guerrilla Republik has teamed up with many MC's. People who were not afraid to push the envelope with their wardrobe. All this from a simple image on a great quality t-shirt!

Starting Out

It was late last year when I had been beefing up my resume and fishing thru potential internship job listings as a Fashion assignment. It was at this time that my boyfriend, Justin, had suggested interning with Guerrilla Republik. I shied away at first, as the political aspect intimidated me some. I'll admit, I do have an angry rise against side when it comes to matters of animal rights, but as far as human rights go, I would have no knowledge of these matters to back up what I'm fighting for. I understood the gyst of the Guerrilla Republik mission statement. Honestly, I read it, I didn't get it. I got the words and the sequence with which it was written, but I guess I didn't feel it and want to rally behind it so much. I understand that with political views come views of much strength. For this, I feel I am not strongly opinionated enough nor have the intellectual heft to back myself in an arguement.

I decided, however, to start off slow. I would help around Justin's shop, cleaning and prepping screens for printing. Justin spotted my Xgirl bag that I had diy-ed from an old favorite shirt that had become discolored in the wash, and proposed that I make him a sample bag that he could print and then present to Rabb. I gladly complied. I had purchased several colors of canvas material. I had appreciated the aesthetic of Guerrilla Republik. I was ecstatic that I was allowed to leave raw edges on everthing. This was something I could get very used to. It was my style, and it was something I could effectively sew in a production-type setting. The first prototype I made was from a brown canvas that I made a mini messenger from. It included a flap and a braided strap. And a natural bead closure. I then printed a tan gas mask on the front and even though I thought I had cut the bag too small, it ended up being a bit of a happy accident when I decided to print the "Guerrilla Republik" on the flap. I fell in love with this bag and, to this day, refuse to sell it. I had made variations of this bag, but this was the first bag I ever made for Guerrilla Republik, so I will always think of it as special.

Guerrilla Republik 7/24/08

The highlight of my summer with Guerrilla Republik...
It's the third week of July and Justin and I are headed to Delaware for the People's Fest-- a tribute to Bob Marley. Already I am feeling a mixture of anxiety and excitement as I have never traveled out of state. We are both exhausted, not knowing a good night's sleep since the summer began but we both knew what we were getting into: This summer was going to be dedicated to Guerrilla Republik and the debut of the girls' line and the designs that Justin had been working on in secret. The idea of going to the East Coast was even more intrigued that it was going to be a Bob Marley festival. We were also eager to see how the other chapters were doing. We had arranged to stay with Iz the Truth--the head of the Delaware chapter.
We knew nothing of him except that he was a dedicated member of Guerrilla Republik with a big heart. I guess he had to have been if he was going to accept two strangers in his home for the next ten days.
As far as design ideas specific to the show, we immediately thought rasta blend images. Almost simultaneously. The bags I had been slowly cranking out were now flowing like a production line (in the form of one individual). But I ought not complain because (as our mission statement so clearly explains): "Our mission is to...motivate individuals to take a proactive approach to life through...self-reliance..."
These new bags included a rasta blend of the gas mask along with a braided strap and a natural bead for a closure. The tops I had been deconstructing out of tshirts were now being draped and had now evolved to no-sew halters and tanks, so as to solve any issues of grading.

As we met up with Iz at the airport, I was already drawn to this magnetic character. We met with a handshake and a key exchange. I was a little amazed at his hospitality. After all, we were perfect strangers, spending the next 10 days under his roof. What a character though. This man eats, sleeps, breathes, and LIVES Guerrilla Republik. That night we exchanged stories of how we each got started, and, for sure, he was on the political tip. It was intriguing. We had no idea how much work he was putting in promoting the label. To him, it wasn't JUST a clothing line, it was a "state of mind". To a couple of designers, this came as a delightful shock.

He had started out as a fan of GRep. Now, more to Justin than me, it was flattering to hear, but I couldn't help but feel really proud of what I had done. And who I had done it with. Seeing just how hard Justin works, motivates me and encourages me to lend more of a helping hand.

Being that we are such a small company, we are forced to wear many hats. And though I find myself scrubbing and prepping screens more often than I'd like, I know that it's for a cause that I believe.

Having sat in on a conference call, I was really touched at the stories of the other chapters. To them, Guerrilla Republik changed their lives. It brought meaning to so many, people who were on the wrong path now channeling their energy into spreading the vision of GRep.

This togetherness brings us all together on all levels. We are a family. I have never felt so welcome by so many total strangers whose only common thread is an image on a 7.2 oz shirt.

The reason this trip was so important to me and why I'll always remember this date is because this was the day that I felt I had transitioned myself from an intern to an actual member of GRep. Something that I can stand behind. I will never forget the words of our new friend-for-life Iz: "Justo, every time to print a t-shirt, you are creating power. These words, our vision, you are making something that will be worn by others and touch many more than that."

Iz had lined up 2 shows for us. We could've (if we wanted to continue working) jumped on the Rock the Bells tour as it coincided with the time we were on the East Coast. We opted out, as we felt we needed an actual vacation after half a summer of hard, hard work.