Back in October, Denver couple Baldrick and Benjamin launched a clothing line with one goal in mind — to Make America Gay Again.
“We had this idea to put more queer clothing out in the universe,” Baldrick said. “It’s something that we both have a passion for; we just had to find a way to make our clothes stand out in a sea of designers. And we had to decide on how we wanted to spread the word.”
It didn’t take long for the duo to land on one of the best platforms of advertising: Instagram. Yes, it’s a social media platform, but used in the right way — and with the right men — a small company can build quite the following. In the eight months since they posted their first Instagram post, a vintage photo of two beefcakes sporting crop tops, their following has skyrocketed to nearly 35,000 followers.
In the early months of their launch, they posted multiple shirts, tank tops, and sweaters reading “PUP,” “REALNESS,” and “BUTCH.” Their clothes were splattered with iconic gay imagery and some legendary quotes. Then, in January, they posted a photo of a white crop top with the words “CAKE BOSS” boldly stretched across the chest.
From there, the clothing line exploded, thanks in large part to the array of muscled-up dudes proudly wearing the tops and not much else.
Originally, the clothes were only sold online. They targeted audiences across the world who were still in their summer months. It gave them time to receive feedback and to see what was selling and what wasn’t.
Recently, the couple started stocking a few Denver shops, Needz and Pleasures, with their gear. As they work tirelessly to meet customer’s needs, the duo wouldn’t change a thing.
“Things have really picked up, and we are working long hours to make sure we stay on top of the game,” Baldrick said. “It’s unreal to see all the love and support we’ve received. It’s a reminder of how special our community is, and it keeps a fire lit under our asses.”
