What's up with that logo?

I get the question all the time: 

"What does the gas mask mean?" 

"What's the deal with the mask?" 

"What's up with that logo?"

     While it may not be the most self-explanatory design out there, it does have some reasoning behind it. My original logo concept was an hourglass that saw many different manifestations that you may see on some of the very first gear produced. However, it lacked that "stamp" feel, and usually just acted as filler since it couldn't quite demand the aesthetic attention that the gas mask can. 

     For me, the original hourglass represented a countdown, time running out, etc. This bode well with the concept of Vita Brevis- "Life is Short" in that time is always running out- each minute gone by is a minute you'll never have again. But I struggled for years before I really pinpointed what it was about that design that just didn't grab my heart. There was something weak, complacent, victimizing about looking at an hourglass. Sitting there watching the sand fall just seemed far too passive for what VB Clothing was evolving into. The concept of time running out is sound, but there is no action or call to arms with that mentality. Anyone can live their life as a spectator, counting grains of sand until it's empty. But we don't get to flip our metaphorical hourglass over and do it again. When it's over, it's over, and I for one refuse to sit idly by watching it tick-tock away until I'm dust. 

     Enter the mask... 

     A militaristic symbol to many, a warning label to others. It most often represents a fearful situation in which one can't even trust the very air they breathe. A poisoning, an attack, a war. And that's exactly how I view what's happening around us. While our air may be breathable now, there is a poisonous fog rolling over the world as we know it. We see basic human rights under attack globally, while integrity crumbles under the fist of ego and "progress". Freedom redefined, and an entire race of human beings losing sight of what it means to be just that. Kids that can exhaust an iPad, but unable to handle sticks and rocks. People who struggle to smile, who have lost sight of what it means to be happy. Although the opportunity to connect is stronger than it has ever been, we seem to distance ourselves further and further from the world around us. Passive living, waiting on that next great drug or product to come along and make us happy when all we need is ourselves. 

     To me, the mask stands firm as a tool to salvage more life. It represents my opportunity to filter the poison from my life, giving me that vital breath of life and a clear vision as I focus on making the absolute most out of the life I have left. More art, more laughs, more enjoyment. Getting outside and playing, having a blast every single day, and creating things that inspire my fellow man. You ask me what the mask stands for? It's the reminder that I get another chance at living well every day. When I see you wearing my gear, I see a breath of life I was able to share. You may only see a shirt, but I see the ground-up process to become who I am today. I feel like I've squeezed just a little bit more out of life every time I see it. When one dons a gas mask, it isn't just for giggles or because it's the cool thing to do. It's a fight. A fight for clean air, a fight for your future, a fight to survive.The VB mask is an artistic representation of digging in and going forward with all you have. Clear eyes, clear heart. Now THAT is a message I can stand behind.