Over the decades, the t-shirt has cemented itself as an integral aspect of classic American style. As a versatile garment, it has become a virtual canvas for broad strokes of popular culture expression and high fashion statements alike.
Insert the Bow & Arrow clothing line. Established in 2011 by founder and CEO Peter Lee, the Los Angeles-based label’s design sensibility embodies its East meets West ethos. Within four short years, the line has managed to perfect the art of attracting the attention of both national retail chains and celebrities alike.
Celebrities such as Will Smith, Nick Cannon, and Justin Bieber became early supporters of the label that embellishes soft, quality cotton blend tees with original and imaginative graphics. Fusing elements of Western style and Eastern flair, their unique men’s and women’s designs adeptly illustrate their initiative of integrating a vast array of world cultures. Bow & Arrow’s maiden voyage in apparel commenced with The Bruce Lee Collection. Through an exclusive licensing deal with the Bruce Lee Estate, Bow & Arrow introduced a line of hoodies as well as V-neck and crew neck long sleeve and short sleeve tees featuring the martial arts legend and film icon.
As the brand has grown, it has firmly established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the apparel industry. Kevin Hart wore the shirt in an episode of his BET reality show Real Husbands of Hollywood. The shirt was also prominently worn by Golden Globe winning actor and Bow & Arrow supporter Robert Downey, Jr. in one of 2015’s biggest box office smashes, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Downey has since repeatedly and generously sung Bow & Arrow’s praises via his Facebook and Twitter accounts. The film star went as far as hosting a giveaway contest for the Gung Fu Scratch tee with his nearly 25 million Facebook followers. In the wake of the film’s success and Downey’s social media exaltations, Bow & Arrow’s production has increased exponentially as the demand for the tee has spiked. The Gung Fu Scratch shirt has skyrocketed overnight as one of Urban Outfitters’ top selling items.
With the objective to usher Bruce Lee into the 21st century in a fresh and dynamic way, Bow & Arrow cultivated a series of designs that frame him in contemporary pop culture settings. Other celebrities have caught on like UFC president Dana White, Nelly, B.O.B, Joe Rogan, Nas, Ne-Yo, Stephen Curry, Sugar Ray Leonard, Rhonda Rousey, DJ Tiesto, Snoop Dogg, and Chad Ochocinco.
