Roulé Social Aid & Pleasure Club is inspired by the "streetwear" scene. I've been a fan of the streetwear subculture since I was a kid. I started to notice that the popular streetwear brands only really represent the coasts; New York and California.
Was there a reason for this? Is the streetwear industry so exclusive to the coasts that other states get left out? Or is there just so much hype over New York and California that consumers overlook brands from other areas? It seems like it's harder for a southern brand to gain popularity outside of it's own city or state. Growing up, it pained me that it was so hard to find a cool shirt that represents New Orleans, or even just the South as a whole. I wished my city was represented in the streetwear scene; I wanted the culture of New Orleans to be celebrated from coast to coast.
Some might argue that New Orleans is already a well known city - but the city is mostly known for its stereotypes and generalizations. Example: Visitors think that wearing Mardi Gras beads is a year-long fashion in the Crescent City. To locals, it is the most annoying thing to witness at any time other than Mardi Gras. Nothing screams “tourist” like beads being thrown in the French Quarter in October. But that fact isn't shared anywhere outside of New Orleans.From my own interactions, it really seems like outsiders believe New Orleans is nothing more than cajun food, drinking and jazz. While these aspects are relevant to New Orleans, they only make up a small percentage of what the culture is today. My goal is to create a better representation of my city.
RSPC also aims to help raise and support communities, and raise awareness for local businesses, artists and movements. This is the meaning behind "Social Aid and Pleasure Club." We’ve all witnessed a locally-owned business with great ideas and products close down due to a lack of community awareness. Businesses that could have supported communities are gone before they have the chance. I want to change that as much as possible.
