By Arianna Johnson
Co-founded by a Clark Atlanta University alumna, Vintage U Apparel seeks to fill a hole in the market of Historically Black University and College (HBCU) catered clothing.
CAU graduate, Alexis Mccruter, and her partner, Krystle Cooley (an Alabama A&M University graduate), created their clothing brand after a picture of Mccruter wearing a custom Clark College shirt blew up on Instagram during the summer of 2020. The couple received an overwhelming amount of inquiries regarding the shirt, and thus Vintage U Apparel was born.
“I didn’t think anything of it. I wore the outfit, I posted the picture, and everybody wanted one — that was literally the start of Vintage U Apparel,” Mccruter said. “If you go in the bookstore, there is no Clark College apparel. We took over 100 Cash App orders just that day alone.”
The brand focuses on HBCUs primarily because both owners graduated from one. However, Mccruter revealed that after having a bad experience with another well-known HBCU focused brand that is allegedly known for having poor customer service, the couple wanted to fill space in the market where they saw fit. Vintage U Apparel organically grew into the business that it is today.
The company has proven to be a lucrative business. Since the brand’s conception, its clothing has been adorn by the likes of the reigning Miss CAU, CAU administration, and actor and fellow CAU alum, Wallace Smith. However, one of the brand’s most notable moments was when NBA player Chris “CP3” Paul wore a custom Savannah State University (SSU) shirt just a few months into the business’s creation.
According to Mccruter, Cooley spoke the collaboration into existence. Around three weeks before the shirt was ordered, Cooley told Mccruter that it would be amazing if Paul were to wear one of their shirts. His stylist reached out, requested an SSU shirt, and a week later Paul was spotted rocking it. Paul is a big supporter of HBCUs and has frequently been spotted in their paraphernalia.
“Our motto is that you can get whatever you pay for because we source our products, and we hand make them. We knew that it was for ‘CP3’ but that just speaks to always being ready,” Mccruter said.
Mccruter stated that one of her biggest dreams is to see her brand in the CAU bookstore. She is extremely appreciative of the overwhelming amount of support that the company has received. To purchase clothing from Vintage U Apparel, visit their website, https://vintage-uapparel.myshopify.com/, and keep up to date with the company on Instagram, @vintageuapparel.
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