We had the good fortune of connecting with Donnie Remus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donnie, what do you attribute your success to?
I think setting the standard for what quality is supposed to look and feel like is what brings the most success to Deranged. The question “this feels great, looks great, but what’s next?” runs through my head constantly when it comes to designing and sourcing the garments we print on. This mindset pushes me to compete with myself and also show other brands how it’s supposed to be done. This really proved to be important when we switched to having all of our clothing made in the United States. Making that switch was expensive and risky, but it proved to be a great decision in the long run because it increased our sales, added an entire new selling point, and most importantly gave our customers an extremely comfortable article of clothing that leaves them satisfied.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What really sets the artistic side of Deranged apart is that we are not afraid to be bold and different. So many clothing brands are afraid to do this because of what people might think or say, but for us, it lessens the competition and makes us unique. Designing clothing in this way has developed us a very tight-knitted, loyal audience that get excited to see what we could possibly do next. That excitement has a snowball effect on me and friends helping out with the brand, and allows us to keep pushing the boundary on what’s typically printed on clothing and keeps us moving forward. I feel like this is a great life lesson for everyone… never be afraid to be different! Show your true self and be proud of who you are, there’s only one of you out there, so let it shine!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is actually a really funny and relevant question for me right now. I am in a long-distance relationship with frequent visiting so finding great local spots is very prominent to me. One of my favorite places to visit with people is the OdySea Aquarium over in Scottsdale. It is one of the largest, best ran aquariums I have ever been to. Bringing visitors here to get away from doing common “touristy” things is really refreshing and relaxing. Other than that, I am a huge fan of the Tempe area. Tempe Marketplace, Dave N’ Busters, College Town, you name it, it’s happening in Tempe. One of my favorite places to eat down there is Shady Park, a ramen bar near ASU. For date nights we also have so many good options down in the valley such as RA Sushi, Shakes N’ Cones, Red White & Brew, and Snooze. A more uncommon place I take visitors is to the airport- not to leave, but to go to the top of the Terminal 3 parking garage. The view from the top shows off the entire valley and is an amazing sight to see at night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A lot of my inspiration and motivation comes from my friend group. I have such a supportive group of friends that are always helping me come up with new ideas and be the best version of myself. When my friends took notice of me wanting to start designing clothes, I was instantly met with tons of encouragement, help and support. Even in difficult times, especially over the past few years, they have always been right by my side.

Website: https://deranged-shop.com

Instagram: shopderanged

Image Credits
Deranged®

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