Fans are tired of the (somewhat lazy) approach to official merchandise that involves sticking an album cover or artist picture on the front of a t-shirt or sweater. So many are now taking merch into their own hands. Over the past few years, there has been a huge increase in fans using their creative skills and channeling their passion for their favorite artists into starting their own merchandise stores. Many have since built successful social media followings and launched viral products. Why? Because fans know what fans want to buy.
Last year, I launched Fanufactured in cooperation with mutuals Agency; an organization aiming to uplift and promote fan-owned merchandise stores. We provide opportunities for fan stores to promote their work and to work collaboratively with organizations, such as Fan To Band, to create limited edition merchandise collections. Fan stores are quickly becoming the future of the merchandise industry, so here are some of our favorites.
Pressed Paper Shop
Ran by 19-year-old Emily from Phoenix, Arizona; Pressed Paper Shop is the fangirl’s go-to for comfy sweats and zip-ups. Emily blends her two loves of fashion and music to create eye-catching and unique loungewear inspired by artists like Taylor Swift and One Direction. A couple of standout pieces include the wholesome Matilda’s Heart hoodie and the All Too Well zip-up which even has ALL the lyrics on the back (yep, the full 10 minutes).
EKelleyDesign
You must be living under a rock, if you’re yet to see Emily Kelley’s TikToks attempting to create an illustration for every Taylor Swift song (spoiler: she’s almost finished!). Born out of the Covid-19 quarantine, Emily turned this illustration project into a flourishing business by selling prints and apparel of the drawings. Emily evokes Taylor’s lyrics and sentiments beautifully in her illustrations. She’s even creating a complete Taylor Swift world through her ‘That Little Town Street’ (including shops like ‘Best Dress Boutique’ and ‘New Soundtrack Records’) and ‘A Place In This World Map’ (plotting key Swiftie locations such as a Christmas Tree Farm and the infamous Lover house).
Like Starlight Studio
One of the best things about fan-made merch is the sheer variety of products created by fans. Created by Victoria, a college student from California, Like Starlight Studio is one of the most unique fan stores, merging passions for reading and music to make artist-inspired magnetic bookmarks. On her Etsy, Victoria sells vinyl record bookmarks inspired by iconic albums, featuring the most beautifully coloured vinyl, and bookmarks inspired by some of Taylor and Harry’s most iconic outfits. Like Starlight Studio is the best place to buy sweet gifts for book lovers!
MuseThreadz
MuseThreadz aims to create affordable and inclusive apparel for stans, most notably for fans of Harry Styles and BTS. MuseThreadz specializes in embroidered sweaters, each detailed with intricate designs to represent different songs, such as a cute, instagrammable ‘Boy With Luv’ cake and a ‘Fine Line’ sweater featuring Harry’s infamous butterfly tattoo. MuseThreadz also sells printed t-shirts and tote bags – their glitter crop tops, such as the ‘As It Was’ one below are iconic!
ROARA Magazine 