Origin Story and Rise of Buried Apparel | Festival Fashion Brand

The Origin Story Behind Buried Apparel

Buried apparel has become a popular clothing brand in festival fashion communities in recent years. With its edgy graphics and embrace of music festival culture, many fans are sporting Buried's eye-catching designs at events across the country.

But how did this relatively new company establish itself so quickly in the competitive apparel space? What's the backstory behind the Buried brand?

Launching at Bonnaroo Music Festival

Buried founder John Smith came up with the idea for the clothing line while attending the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee in 2017. Surrounded by festive music fans in creative outfits, he saw an opportunity to design unique clothing specifically for the festival community.

He brought a selection of handmade tie-dye shirts with an underground music vibe to the next year's event. Setting up shop in the Plaza 3 campground, his colorful designs were a huge hit with Bonnaroo attendees.

Expanding to Other Major Music Festivals

Encouraged by the enthusiastic response at Bonnaroo, John expanded the Buried brand to other major U.S. music festivals in 2018 and 2019. He set up shops at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), and more.

The edgy t-shirt graphics, bomber jackets, hats, and other merch resonated with fans at these events. As the Buried name grew, more music lovers took notice on social media, sharing posts tagged with hashtags like #theburied, #festivalseason, and #ravemoments.

Transitioning to Full-Time Buried Business

By early 2020, John decided to leave his desk job and focus exclusively on growing his festival apparel company. He brought on a small team to help manage sales, design new products, and expand Buried's reach.

While COVID-19 postponed music events that year, it ended up fueling tremendous growth for Buried. Stuck at home and missing festivals, fans still wanted to rep their favorite event brands. Buried's online shop saw sales spike as people looked to cloth themselves in music merch.

What Sets Buried Apparel Apart?

Today, Buried operates a thriving ecommerce store at BuriedApparel.com in addition to setting up shops at festivals across the country. But what is it that makes their clothing so popular in festival communities?

Music Culture-Inspired Designs

Buried graphics are often music-themed, like t-shirts featuring cassette tapes, retro boomboxes, and musical artists. They also embrace festival culture with rainbows, trippy prints, and sly drug references.

These creative designs allow fans to visually express their love of music, festivals, and the community spirit these events create.

Limited Edition Releases

Buried keeps designs fresh by constantly rolling out new graphics and clothing options. Many pieces are limited edition runs, which incentivizes fans to buy merchandise sooner rather than later.

When a hot new design debuts, Buried fans rush to purchase before items sell out. This sense of urgency and excitement keeps the brand relevant.

Grassroots Music Community

From its earliest days, Buried Apparel has embedded itself with music festivals' passionate fan bases. These loyal, tight-knit groups are the engine driving Buried's viral growth.

When music lovers rock Buried gear at events, the eye-catching designs often spark conversations with strangers and connections over shared tastes. This community-building ability makes the brand stand out.

What’s Next for This Festival Fashion Label?

With momentum on its side, where does Buried Apparel go from here?

New Product Categories

Beyond its apparel staples, Buried plans to test new product lines like outerwear, swimwear, and accessories to expand year-round relevance.

These additional categories allow the brand to extend its reach beyond the festival season and become more present in customers' everyday lives.

Brick-and-Mortar Shops

As an ecommerce-first company, Buried lacks local physical retail presence beyond temporary festival setups. Opening a few flagship stores in music meccas could raise awareness with potential fans who discover brands in-person.

International Expansion

Large music gatherings happen worldwide, presenting a growth avenue beyond just U.S. fests. Testing shop spaces at events like Glastonbury, Tomorrowland, and Lollapalooza overseas can help cement Buried as a global festival fashion brand.

FAQs

When did Buried Apparel first launch?

Buried Apparel was first launched with a small selection of handmade shirts brought to Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in 2018.

Where can I buy Buried Apparel products?

You can purchase Buried products on their ecommerce store at BuriedApparel.com or at temporary shops set up at major music festivals across the US.

What makes Buried’s designs unique?

Buried graphics are very music-inspired, featuring things like cassettes, boomboxes, and musical artists. They have an edgy, underground vibe that resonates with festival-goers.

Does Buried sell anything beyond apparel?

For now, Buried focuses primarily on apparel like t-shirts, bomber jackets, and hats. But they plan to expand into new product categories like outerwear and swimwear.

Where is Buried Apparel based?

The Buried brand is based out of Columbus, Ohio but sells its festival-inspired designs online and at events across the country.