PSH Senior is Dressed for By Paula Marinak Capital Times Staff Writer Halman Smith has always enjoyed drawing, but he never imagined that doodles would launch his career. “I just fell into it. It’s not like I had a lifelong urge,” he said. “It’s almost like the Newton effect. I was just working on a logo and it hit me. Someone said ‘Hey that would look really cool on clothes.’ I guess that per son was the apple that hit me on the head.” Smith’s Newton mo- Success ment came in his market ing class. What began as a project to create and dis tribute a product for a fic titious company has evolved into a full fledged business for the 28-year-old PSH senior. Though he will not receive his communica tions degree until this May, Smith has already applied many of the lessons he has learned in the classroom. Since 1998, he has designed and sold his own clothes under the label ONX (pronounced onyx), Urban by Design. Starting the business was difficult for Smith. He had to find more than just investors who would support his company and embellishers who would produce the quality of silkscreening, embroidery and patchwork he wanted for his garments. He also had to over come his initial feelings of doubt. “I never really showed people my designs, I was just really insecure about it,” said Smith. A chance meeting with friends helped the self described introvert shed his shell. “I just happened to go to the restroom before I was heading home, and Theron [Holmes] was in there. I had a brochure in my book bag, and some thing just told me to take it out. I asked him to look at it and tell me what he thought,” Smith said. “A couple days later, Brad Moist asked if I would allow his band to wear my clothes while they went on tour. It all just started to snowball after that, and I just kept on going ever since.” When Smith began his business from the makeshift studio that occupies the third floor of his York home, he had four designs to decorate the hats and T-shirts he produced. He will unveil 11 new designs for his upcoming fall line. Though it will feature updated versions of his first products, the line has expanded to include jeans, overalls, sweaters, jackets, and football, baseball, and basketball jerseys The new apparel could debut as early as January 2000. The up-and-coming designer hopes to dispel the media’s often negative image of urban culture. He believes only cloth ing should have labels, not the people who wear it. “I was trying to develop some sort of connection, as opposed to some of the names I heard like thug life and a lot of other
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers