Every brand, every company, every collective is made of it’s people. Guy Vernes is a singular name, but a denunciation that surpasses the individual. This segment is an introduction and a tribute to the ones who make it all happen. Kicking-off is Mr. Guy Vernes himself.

The rise of every brand starts with nothing and over time, if you play your cards well, it might become a little something. The recipe is somewhere out there, I suppose: maybe between the lines of a Richard Branson biography or a Phil Knight interview somewhere on the net. The key to success is your definition of the latter. Needless to say, we’re all striving for it. Whatever it is.

Allow me to reintroduce myself, something I should have done a long time ago. My name is Bilal Al Mashta and although the brand surpasses the person, I’m also known by the more fashionable name of Guy Vernes.

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Born in 1985 in a city called Constantine, I spent half of my life in the lower lands, the place I call home. I graduated in 2009 as a master in Law with a degree in commercial law from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. On the second of June I handed in my thesis and that same evening I decided to dedicate my short-term future to a name I worked on building for a couple of years: Guy Vernes; a t-shirt brand I started in 2006. I will tell you all the reasons behind this somewhat radical decision another time, when the complete story of the brand’s coming to existence is published. For now it suffices to tell that it’s a decision I hardly regret.

My love for creation is the only thing I’m sure of. I cannot tell you what my exact talents are, but I find pure joy, life’s most encompassing feeling of happiness in the process of creation. Add to that a free spirit and an obsessive tendency to be original and you have the drive behind a brand that’s trying to tell it’s wonderful story in the world of art and fashion. Hence the company has become my way to give the world what I have been given, my supposed raison d’être: unlimited creative production.

After 24 years on this planet, my young mind has enveloped itself on the philosophy that life is a gift you ought to live in all humbleness and gratitude. In order to be your genuine self: live, love and give the world your talents. Maybe Guy Vernes is just a boyish dream I will wake up from some day, maybe it’s a beautiful reality I will dream about later. All I know is that we’re peddling along the canals, our girls on the back-carrier, not sure whether this is the road to success or success itself. In the meantime we’re doing what we do best and if you want to be part of it, just grab a bike and tag along. It’s a ride you’ll never forget.

With pleasure, Bilal

Read more about Bilal’s work
Photograph by Laura de Haan

On the red corner, weighing a 72,6 kg, it’s the incredible, the undefeated, the Unstoppable Vigorr!

Nobody really knows when Vigorr (read: Veegorrr, with rolling “R”) was born and it surely seems as if everybody who happens to have met him, has marked a different birthday on their calendars.

Vigorr was a restless child and in adulthood, he continues to be a very lively spirit. His peculiar love for punching things got his parents to send him to the famed Takeda’s Dojo where he was introduced to his life’s love: boxing. Through his energetic spirit and a body that seems to withstand every blow, Vigorr has become famous throughout the World for his unbreakable character. In the hundreds of fights he has entered, none has been lost, granting him the adjective of “unstoppable”; a nickname he carries with pride.

Silk-screen printed on a very smooth 185 gsm tee, The Unstoppable Vigorr comes in two different color variations: white and heather. Using 100% preshrunk cotton, the tee is tailored with a round knitted body making it a perfect medium-fit tee for both the summer and the chilly days.

Those of you who’ve seen the sketch on Facebook dropped last month: this is the end result.

Big news regarding the upcoming collection: Colored Like Coal will be hitting the shelves in the week of August 16! This retail launch will be preceded by a presentation of the collection celebrating the summer and the new series.

Colored Like Coal by Guy Vernes: The Presentation
Sunday 15 August 2010
15:00 – 17:00h CET
At The Coffee Company
Delft, the Netherlands

During this beautiful event you’ll be given a complete update on past, present and future happenings in the realm of Guy Vernes. Of course we will be displaying the new series and we have an awesome little surprise to expose. Simply put, the Presentation is an event you can’t miss!

See you at the Coffee Company everybody!

PS: Those of you wondering about the online launch; the collection will be available on guyvernes.com in September, although we will make earlier pre-ordering possible. More on that later.

In honor of one of the best (fighting) games ever made, Guy Vernes will release it’s second Special on Friday August 20 titled “Super Fighting People IV”. A brand new collectors item for all fans and especially for those who have bruised their thumbs over a Hadoken or a Sonic Boom sometime in their lives. More on this Special later.

To celebrate this fabulous event, a Super Street Fighter IV tournament will be held on Saturday August 21st. For those of you willing and able to enter the contest, we’ve included all info below. So bring on that trash talk and subscribe now!

A butt being kicked is a wonderful sight for all, so if you can’t fight or too chicken to bring it, but still want to watch the spectacle feel free to join as well.

Tournament information

Super Fighting Man
Saturday 21 August 2010
Starts at 19:00h CET
Labs55, The Hague (the Netherlands)

Prize: a “Super Fighting People IV” Special + SFIV figurine + the ultimate title of “Super Fighting Man”.

Note that the tournament will be played with the later edition, Super Street Fighter IV, on the Xbox 360 console. Default Xbox 360 controllers are available; arcade sticks are of course welcome.

Subscribe by sending an e-mail to ithinkicanhandleit[at]guyvernes[dot]com. Please include in your e-mail your character of choice (for statistical purposes; you are not obliged to actually play with this character).

Ready? FIGHT!

Meet Benni & the Wayfarer, the first characters to be introduced from the upcoming Colored Like Coal series.

Like all winged creatures, Benni was born in the Kingdom of Penninox from a family of royal messengers working directly under the King for decades. By an unkown cause, Benni lost his ability to speak by the age of four; leaving his parents with a lifelong mystery. Some say that Benni witnessed a traumatic event early in his life, although his relaxed and joyful attitude proves the contrary, others suggest that he simply refused to speak any longer. Benni grew up to be one of the finest messengers of the city regardless, delivering news, letters and packages in a record time further enhancing the impeccable reputation of his family.

It was not until the King himself decided to send Benni to deliver outside the kingdom that a curious, small creature entered his life. It was said that sending a mute messenger to the unknown world could be a risky business, so it was decided that a talkative, ray-banning creature should accompany Benni on his travels. Since it could not fly, the creature was given the name “the Wayfarer”. Now an inseparable duo, Benni and the Wayfarer travel the lands of the World through extraordinary adventures you’ll surely hear about one day.

Benni and the Wayfarer appear on a smooth, medium-fit 100% combed-cotton tee. To make sure that the fabric follows the shoulder lines perfectly, the tee is manufactured with a shoulder to shoulder necktape. Of course the whole is double stitched to give the textile a qualitative sturdiness. Two color variations will be available: white and dark grey.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the new Guy Vernes Blog!

As you might have noticed, some things have changed since your last visit on our digital playground. From the layout to the content, the Blog is renewed and ready to deliver consistent awesomeness. The Gayel Philwaki episodes are still available and will continue to be released, but we felt a strong need for a new medium that makes immediate output possible. There is a lot to show you and even more to talk about, but within the Gayel Philwaki format we felt that it was inefficient. So from now on, be prepared to be supplied with a continuous delivery of news items, special features, inside stories and more!

To warm you up for what’s coming, here are some examples of new categories that will be added to this blog. In Making the Brand we will be sharing with you the brand’s story, introducing the people behind it and recounting insights, anecdotes and lessons we have learned so far in this beautiful business. Fabulous stories and happenings about the characters will be narrated in The World of Guy Vernes and in Freebies we will be supplying your desktop, mobile theme and other customizable features of your generation-Y tools with digital Guy Vernes must-haves.

In summary, this new blog marks the beginning of a new era and it promises to be a juicy one. So grab a camera and say Cheers!

Those of you who couldn’t withstand Apple’s or RIM’s technological wonders, i.e. if you own an iPhone or a Blackberry, here are a couple of wallpapers to brighten up that theme of yours.

More to come.

Blackberry:
(Curve 8900, Tour 9630 and Bold 9700)

iPhone:

Colored Like Coal. It’s the poetic, slightly romantic translation of the word “black” as well as the name of the upcoming Guy Vernes collection, set to hit the shelves this summer.

Offering a total of 7 new items, Colored Like Coal takes on a different approach than the current series while maintaining the distinctive Guy Vernes look and feel. It’s a mixture of an extensive array of ingredients, resulting in a brand-new product range for the summer of 2010.

To give you a quick overview of what is coming up, here are a couple points of interest. Each topic will be discussed in full detail in the upcoming weeks, but for now a short summary:

While the current collection is inspired by the numerous manifestations of the arts, especially of music, Colored Like Coal takes on another topic of the young adult male life: Success, or to be more specific, the road to it; the aspiration to success. This inspirational subject, that seems to be entrenched in today’s modern, post-graduation youngman’s life, is a recurring theme throughout the series.

Colored Like Coal means that in comparison with the current series, the upcoming one is toned down in terms of paint use. Toned down, not purged from color. A choice has been made to use more black and white tones in the designs leaving behind the “in your face” type of prints used for the current collection. The result is a more subtle and defined series, accessible and classic.

From our point of view, it is better to offer a handful of classic items than dozens of designs, which might or might not include great pieces. It’s like an album: it’s better to have 10 great songs on the record, than 10 great songs + 20 other average ones. The first is a classic album, the second simply is good. It’s a choice that serves the collection as a whole. Colored Like Coal also consists of a marginal product range. Dozens of new items are in fact created, but a strict selection of a handful few finds its way to final production and eventually to your closet.

The new series consist of four new tees as well as a new polo shirt and two other surprises, making a total of seven brand-new items. The Classic tee (brand logo) and the Guy Vernes polo remain in (every) collection. The latter will be enriched with two new colors.

Product overview Colored Like Coal:

- Benni & the Wayfarer (tee)
- The Unstoppable Vigorr (tee)
- Muny, Puny and the tree of Ambition (tee)
- The Male Brain (tee)
- Eye Eye (polo shirt)
- Surprise 1
- Surprise 2

Of course the website will be refreshed, with new photographs and an updated boutique. The current collection will still be available for sale (although in another format), but the restocking stops. So starting now: if it’s sold-out, it’s sold-out forever. So if you’re still doubting whether to get that tee or not, think twice.

There is a lot more to say on what is coming up and we know what you’re thinking: enough talk, show me the goods! During the forthcoming weeks, each of the abovementioned topics will be discussed in more detail to give you a good insight on what to expect. Each individual design will be presented in full detail, warming you up to meet a sunny summer in your brand-new Guy Vernes piece. The next post will open the curtains on a spectacular, fashionable show called “Colored Like Coal”.

Happy summer, folks!

Starting this week Guy Vernes will be available at Shy & Fly, a young online store offering a handful of carefully selected brands.

With roots deeply entrenched in the Dutch hip-hop dancing and choreographic scene, Shy & Fly is a unique formula in the lower lands. Opening its digital doors in 2009, the store is already becoming an epicenter for those craving the better brands. With an impressive line of exclusives, Shy & Fly sets foot with an immaculate delivery.

The current Guy Vernes collection is now available.

Cut the ribbon and pop the bottle! Starting today The Guy Vernes Specials are available! Kicking off is The Big Idea!

For the beau monde and by popular demand, the opulent “The Big Idea” raglan crewneck sweatshirt is created as an elite item combining Guy Vernes design with a fashionable translation of what the brand has best to offer.

After receiving numerous requests for a new Guy Vernes design that would be closer to the original drawings, the big idea for The Big Idea was born. More and more people asked for an accessible piece with clear definitions in its composition and preferably a wintry item for the surprisingly cold spring days here on the continent. Hence, it was felt that it would be great if a new, original piece could be created, a special item outside of the regular collection that would answer to the call in a most fashionable manner. Thus Guy Vernes proudly presents: The Big Idea.

The choice was quickly made for a crewneck, raglan-sleeved sweater; a simple item with a sophisticated appearance (if done the right way). A raglan sleeve has the characteristic that it extends in one piece fully to the collar, as one can see from the diagonal seams that go from the underarm to the collarbone. In our opinion, it’s these lines that add a manly trait to the garment, making it the number one choice for The Big Idea.

As with all our products, this special piece was fully created in The Netherlands with a two-phased finishing process by hand both here at The Mansion and by an atelier alongside our famed Dutch city canals. Twenty one editions are manufactured in four sizes bringing about another memorable piece.

The Big Idea: heather raglan crewneck sweatshirt, fitted cut, 295 grs, 50/50 combed cotton and polyester combination, fleece on the inside for premium comfort, 21 items produced, made in The Netherlands.

Get your Special here.