Robbie Vasquez

Biography

West Loop — Every rocker requires a reliable T-shirt. Every fashionista craves quality threads. And every sex machine wants something to show it all off.

Like a ’69 Plymouth, 426 Brand drives every need home.

With the desire to create honest rock ‘n’ roll attire for the subculture by the subculture, 426 Brand founder and CEO Robbie Vasquez switched gears, expanding his original 426 Inc. marketing agency to a clothing line of traffic-stopping T-shirts. “Subculture will never die because there are always going to be people who want to do things their own way,” he said. Keeping this philosophy alive, Robbie created a label designated to the underground community that brings together timeless, classic looks with high-end quality, all wrapped up with the 426 Brand edge.

Hot rods, hair metal and pin-up girls inspire the designs of 426 Brand’s snug-fitting Ts, tanks and thermals. With its home being a 1950s decked-out loft in Chicago’s Meat Packing District, 426 Brand prides itself in Midwest values, but distinguishes itself with cutting-edge gear for scenesters in Los Angeles, New York and everywhere in between. 426 Brand clientele are represented in the label’s real-life models: the master brewer, the tattoo artist, the punk rock bartender and the corporate-job rockabilly, to name a few. With so many of Chicago’s artistic community catching onto the 426 Brand vibe, Robbie can easily keep true to his original intention of creating clothes for the underground culture.

Robbie has expanded the 426 Brand with a full line of hot new looks for women and men, due out in fall 2007. Daring divas can expect to delight in “June-Cleaver-meets-Betty-Page” dresses, jackets, skirts and shirts, while boys will be boys in “James-Dean-meets-Johnny-Cash” jackets, shirts and ties. Plus, 426 Brand will continue to supply new designs of their staple T-shirts.

With garments starting at 20 bucks, rock-star quality never felt so good.