As a creative strategist at WP Engine, Doctor Popular is used to making videos and cartoons. But he’s also eager to showcase his fashion sense.
“I want to design a classic combo around a hoodie and dress shirt,” says the WeWork Transbay member. “It’s a bug I’ve had in my brain for a long time. I wanted a classic look with a twist—almost like you wouldn’t notice the hoodie at first.”
He gets to show off his handiwork through a design competition open to all WeWork members. Sponsored by Betabrand, which specializes in innovative apparel, the objective of the contest is to design the most comfortable workwear that’s versatile and practical.
Julia Marino, Betabrand’s think tank content manager, says the reason for inviting the WeWork community to submit designs is to give creators an outlet to unleash their creativity. It doesn’t matter if you’re an engineer or coder or marketing specialist.
“A lot of people work in creative fields or have creative minds, but they aren’t fashion designers,” Marino says. “What’s fun about my job and the contest is that I get to see these ideas from people who don’t normally put clothing designs out into the world.”
The winner will be the submission that receives the most votes. The prize? A $1,000 shopping spree with Betabrand. Betabrand may still choose to manufacture products based on all the ideas submitted, regardless of whether the design is voted as the winner.
Doc Pop’s advice for those who plan to enter is to get it done fast and make it simple. He says the biggest hurdle to submitting a design is overthinking and making it complicated.
“Don’t do anything that gets so complicated that you never submit it,” he says. “You can even submit something that’s text-based. The important thing is hitting that submit button and not worrying about everything being perfect.”
Submissions will be accepted online through the end of July.
WeWork members receive 20 percent off site-wide on Betabrand.com from July 16 through August 31. Use the code WeWork20 at checkout.