Photo Credit: Adam Block

Chances are, if you’re in a student group on campus, you’ve ordered one of Adam Block Design‘s super cute (and super comfy!) tees. My sorority sisters and I love to rock our ABD gear on campus, so I knew I had to ask Adam what it takes to design apparel for students across the country.

Here, Adam tells us how designing shirts for his fraternity inspired him to start his own business, talks what it’s like to be his own boss, and shares his best tips for becoming a graphic designer.

The Interview:

College Fashion: Where did you go to college? What did you study? What was your college experience like?

Adam Block: I attended UCLA and graduated with a BA in History. I also took 3 years worth of Pre-Business-Economics courses thinking I would become a Bus-Econ major, but let’s just say that didn’t really work out.

Switching to history gave me extra freedom to take some art and design classes, and also provided me with the time to take on an internship at a clothing company. So even though history isn’t really a standard segue to get into graphic design and that sort of thing, I would definitely say it helped me on my path to starting ABD.

I also lived in an apartment with the same 10 guys for 3 years, so I wouldn’t say having some extra time was a bad thing. College was amazing, I attended every football and basketball game I could (home and away), got involved with club sports, joined a fraternity, and met some amazing people – many of who would later really help get ABD off the ground, including a bunch of friends in sororities and fraternities and my business partner, Jesse.

CF: What was your sense of style in college like? How would you say it’s changed?

AB: Oh man… less neon. Definitely less neon.

My senior year, I was working for a (now defunct) clothing company called Grn Apple Tree. We were making some really wild stuff. I was literally a walking black-light poster, with fuzzy printed ink on my shirts and everything. Grn Apple Tree was definitely pushing the envelope at the time–we were doing all-over neon printed on art shirts and sweatshirts made from fabric you would find on a ’70s couch – and working there I got free stuff, so….yeah, there you have it.