WE ARE WRITING A BOOK
Share Your Dirty Coast Story
In 2025 we will be celebrating 20 years of being in business and making things for you to wear, share and spread around the world. Part of this celebration is the release of a coffee table book titled "PUT THAT ON A SHIRT."
In this book, we delve into the story behind Dirty Coast, through interviews with past employees, heartfelt testimonials from loyal fans like yourself, and profiles of the talented designers whose creativity brought the brand to life. Each chapter will uncover the inspirations behind some of our favorite designs and tell the back story of how our brand has evolved over time.
We would love to include your story and any images you might have. Hopefully we can collect images and stories going back to the very beginning.
2004
The Start
It started as a personal need by Blake to wear shirts that would proclaim his love for New Orleans while poking fun at our culture. Working with local designers and illustrators, the first 10 designs were put up on Cafe Press for sale.
2005
Be a New Orleanian, Wherever You Are
Once the feneral levees and canals failed, the city filled with water and Blake and Susan were displaced to Lafayette. While there, Blake designed our "Be a New Orleanian" sticker and printed them for when he could return to the city.
6 weeks later his neighborhood had restored power and internet, so he moved back and began to distribute the stickers at businesses that were open. The response to the sticker is when we knew there could be a greater mission of the company. That shirts can not only express local pride but also raise awareness and funds.
2006
Blake & Patrick
This is the duo who took Dirty Coast to the streets post-Katrina and eventually with our first storefront. The early days were fast, fun and experimental.
2006
First Photoshoot
We needed images of our first 15 or so shirts, so we organized a meet up at the Fly with some good friends. Beer and daiquiris were provided and we ended up with our first promotional images to try and spread awareness.
2006
Our First Public Appearance
Up through Jazz Fest 2006 we had been selling shirts online only. It was Jazz Fest that year when we set up shop in front of a friends house near the track. We handed out free stickers and sold what we could to passers by.
2007
Our First Fundraising Shirt
It was out friendship with Levees.org that led to the design of our first fundraising product. We could design, promote, produce and spread the word about organizations while building a larger audience for both us and our partners.
2007
Our Fashion Shows
We of course used the growing awareness of our brand as an excuse to throw a party. We started having fun fashions shows each year that friends all chipped in to help us put them on.
2010
The Dirty Coast Tattoo Projects
As we saw the growing examples of our fans getting tattoos with our designs, we decided to pay for some ourselves and launched our tattoo project. Fans get free tattoos, a local tattoo artist gets a bunch of work and we have fun doing a crazy marketing project. Win. Win. Win.
2017
Trolling Atlanta
We had this idea to buy a billboard in Atlanta before the Saints game and troll them about their epic Superbowl loss. We raised funds through GoFundMe, but then the billboard companies wouldn't let us reserve space due to fears of vandalism. So we pivoted our plan and rented a plane to fly over the city before, during and after the game. Check mate. Your move Atlanta.
2022
We go bigger
After 16 years on Magazine Street, first with a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop and then one across from Whole Foods, we decided to take a chance and renovate an old building just down the street.
Our team members Price and Cat took the lead and designed and oversaw the buildout out of a new flagship store we are all very proud of and excited every time a customer sees it for the first time.
