“Paying homage to the spiritual threads sewn into the fabric of our existence” is sophomore broadcast journalism major Tanze Bridgett’s motto for her clothing line, “Anceztaz” (pronounced ancestors).
Bridgett came up with the idea for her line during high school. “I had about three different concepts that I had tried, but I didn’t like. But one day, while learning about our ancestors in history class, I looked at the bulletin board in the room. It had a border around it with Aztec and Mayan patterns, and then it clicked,” she said.
“I got tired of seeing the skulls and crossbones and the overall negative images that a lot of other lines carried,” Bridgett said. “I wanted to create something positive, but still fashionable.”
And with that, “Anceztaz” was born.
At first glance, the logo for “Anceztaz” looks as if it could be an elaborate Chinese character. Upon a closer look, one can see that it’s a combination of the letters of the label. “I made the letters into a symbol, which represents our ancestors without a name,” said Bridgett, while drawing out the symbol to show each letter.
“I didn’t want ‘Anceztaz’ to just be about my ancestors. It’s about everyone’s ancestors,” Bridgett said of her designs, which range from simple T-shirts and cardigans to elaborate designs featuring historical figures from all ethnicities.
“I wanted to give credit to every culture. I always see the ‘Made in China’ tags in clothing, but I never see any Chinese influence. I never see the person behind the movement.”
Bridgett made one step closer to her movement when she met and exchanged information with Sonny Vaccaro, the man responsible for Michael Jordan’s first sneaker deal. “I called and e-mailed for two months before I ever heard from him again,” she said, showing her level of persistence.
Fortunately, Bridgett’s determination paid off in the end. When Vaccaro finally answered the phone, the conversation ended with a $1,200 investment in her line.
Since then, she’s been taking steps to bring “Anceztaz” to the forefront. She won third place in the “Concept 120” contest, where she presented a business plan to rapper 50 Cent in front of the student body in Cramton Auditorium, and she started a blog that features her designs.
For more information on Anceztaz, check out anceztaz.blogspot.com.
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