Phelan Marc
Doncel Brown is wearing multiple hats when running his company, Generation Typo. From owner to accountant to designer, the man is very busy. Based in the DMV area, Brown is spreading his ethos of hard work to the community and beyond. His line was featured in NYFW but he wants to slowly expand. He has so much love for the D.C. community that he’s taking his success in stride.
Beauty News NYC recently sat down with the budding fashion designer to talk how he got involved in the fashion industry and NYFW, his hard work ethic, and the meaning behind the line’s name.
How did you get involved with fashion?
I feel like it’s such a crazy story. Honestly, it started with graphic design when I was twelve years old to process my emotions as a way. I kept it as a hobby then it progressed over time. I started to learn Photoshop and Illustrator. So, when it came time to start Generation Typo, I had this idea to start a brand that’s focused on sparking dialogue between different generations. I wanted to start a podcast, but the best way, I thought, is that the best translator is fashion. You can put a message on a shirt, and you don’t have to click on it to see it. Someone could be walking down the street and could hopefully start a conversation. That started the basis of the idea.
I started digital mockups on t-shirts with the phrases “back in my day” or “lazy” as generational words that you heard pass down. I was working full time in tech, but my friend said that there’s a lunch that I set up with you with someone in fashion. My sister ended up going to the lunch. It was a huge casting call that turned into D.C. Fashion Week at the time. All we had was a small look book, but they liked it so much. I either had to say yes to the opportunity or say no and let the opportunity pass me by. I had to learn how to make runway looks. Our first show turned out well. It was a complete accident getting into fashion. I was completely self-taught. I enjoy learning about the construction and history of fashion.
Where did you get the name Generation Typo from?
I grew up in the tech field. I was pretty much the youngest one, but no one really knew. I was the youngest manager in Apple at the time. I heard things in board rooms with words saying that millennials and Gen Z were a lost cause. They were contradicting everything about who I am based on a year that someone is born.
I think the cheat code to life is to learn from someone who had already gone through it. I knew I wanted a brand that spoke to what helped me to life to break down that generational barrier. So, I knew I wanted to be generational based, and Typo shows someone can look at you and think that you are doing it wrong. That’s not a bad thing but I believe the biggest commodity is time. I want people to have conversations while they can.
Have you ever thought about bringing your line from DC to and relocating to New York City?
I have. I hear it all the time that you want to make it in fashion, you have to be in one of the major locations like New York City or Paris. It’s a balance between keeping the roots in D.C. In order for the brand to work, we need community. I am definitely open to move it to New York City. We can’t just focus on one area. It’s just making the right decision because we are a brand new company still. I don’t want to sign the wrong contract. I want to deal with customers directly and then expand. We have GenerationTypo.com and you can shop on Facebook and Instagram as well.
What’s your day to day look like?
I’m a creative and business manager and CPA. When you are in start up world, you are doing everything for the business. I am delegating more tasks now and bringing on experts in the space. My day to day right now includes trend research, business analysis, designing, as well as other activations like pop up shops. I hope to open our first pop up shop in the first quarter of next year.
Your line is predominantly red and black?
Yes, but we are about to start teasing some neutral colors like tans and browns. But red is our accent color. We have men’s formal, dresses, accessories, purses, and eyewear.
Do you think NYFW was a major highlight for you?
For sure. I think that was the first green light that you have something. We got featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle Magazine. A highlight and a ceiling broken. Now I know I can go as high as I want. I must put the work into it.
What’s next?
Community building! The most important thing for brands to focus on is who are you bringing into the space and how they provide value as well. For 2024, there will be in person activations to pop up shops to connect in checks and of course fashion shows and we will continue to create new lines.
