About Us

 

My Oma (grandmother) was a seamstress. She made all her own clothing in addition to my Ota’s (grandfathers), as well as for my father and two uncles. Growing up around that, I didn’t realize the level of hard work it took, and the genius she possessed. It was just a normal thing that she made seem so simple and effortless. In my mid 20's I fell into a job at a t-shirt printing factory, screen printing t-shirts, but spending most of my time working with harsh chemicals cleaning the screens. I did get to design a few shirts, and I learned a lot about how the industry works. I also got some basic knowledge of color mixing, and the process of separating images into multiple color screens. I like to create and got the desire to make a t-shirt from nothing, start to finish, and then screen print my own design on it for fun. I went to visit my Oma, and she was excited to hear of my interest and gave me some basic construction tips. She also gave me a sewing pattern to construct a t-shirt that she used to make shirts for my father and uncle's when they were teenagers. I still refer to those patterns as my magic patterns :) I bought a cheap sewing machine and got to work. Trying to read the pattern instructions was like deciphering hieroglyphics. My first t-shirt was a bit of a disaster. The shoulder seems were inside out, the waist hem was incomplete, and the collar stitching was jagged, but it still resembled a t-shirt, and I wore it very proudly. I could not afford fabric from the big box store, so I started going to thrift shops and buying old throw blankets, bed sheets, curtains, and table clothes with neat patterns. I started making everything: t-shirts, shorts, pants, dress shirts, and jackets. Being self-taught, it was a learning adventure. and it gave me the freedom to conjure up my own sewing techniques. I eventually started designing my own fabrics and finally had the confidence in the quality of my product to take it to the next level. I spent a lot of time creating a brand name, and it has a mix of meanings to me. It is a shortened version of highly altered clothing design from my practice of transforming old, second-hand re-purposed fabrics. It has a kind of spiritual connotation by putting the cotton fabric on a high altar. Most significantly for me, my logo represents my Oma. She is my angel, and I know she is watching over me. I miss her more than words could ever describe, and I only wish she were here to see how far I've come from being the young, inquisitive man interested in sewing. I appreciate everything she did in life so much more and truly understand her hard work and dedication. I feel like I’m carrying on her legacy and keeping with a family tradition. Thank you for taking time to read my story and being a part of the HighAlter Legacy.