What was started as a bedroom hobby has now turned into a full-blown passion project for Nonexistent Collective creator Jeremy Lopez. “It’s come a long way,” says Lopez. When the project first started, it was no more than a few sketches in notebooks but, it didn’t take long for those sketches to make their way onto T-shirts and that’s where Nonexistent Apparel started to take form.

A longtime fan of streetwear brands such as Rip n’ Dip and Sketchy Tank, Lopez wanted to take his ideas and present them in a similar but unique way. “I’ve always had an eye for art and, I just wanted to offer a more affordable and intimate brand”. In pursuit of accessibility, Lopez listed the first Nonexistent designs onto websites such as BigCartel and, later to, in Lopez’s opinion, a more artist and user-friendly app Depop. It wasn’t until 2019 when nonexistenapparel.com was created. As an active member of the Albany and Worcester music scenes, Lopez says that punk music remains to be one of his biggest influences for his sketches.

“A lot of the phrases I pair with my sketches are influenced by the different musical artists I listen to. Its like, trying to evoke meaning only by using a handful of words. “
When asked to describe streetwear in his own words Lopez says that “ its just a cool word really but, there’s such a hardcore community behind it. That’s why I don’t call Nonexistent a brand, I call it a collective, because I want this to be a community of people and their ideas and passions.”

Lopez also takes a unique take on product promotion shooting one-man, part-animated, clips modeling the newest in Nonexistent apparel. Video editing is yet another one of Lopez’s creative interests that sneak their way into Nonexistent. Today, you can find Jeremy pumping out designs amidst the COVID-19 mandatory Quarantine. Nonexistent is also currently offering services for bands and artists in need of designs and album art.
This summer, Nonexistent will be an extension of the Season 3 Artist Collective started by Lopez and his friends.