How This Brand Started With 200 Dollars

An interview with ANGELtype.

Esteban: To kick things off, could you give us a quick introduction to ANGELtype?

Morgaan: Sure! So, ANGELtype is really my personal creative project centered around clothing, accessories, and fashion in general. It's heavily inspired by higher-end brands that I’ve admired for years—think Acne Studios, Rick Owens, and Yohji Yamamoto. But the key difference is that we operate on a more personal level. ANGELtype is very much a social media-driven brand right now, which allows us to stay connected directly with our customers, ship out orders quickly, and keep our prices relatively accessible. Ultimately, it’s just been an incredibly rewarding passion project for me, where I get to create and share something personal with an audience that appreciates it.

Esteban: So how did ANGELtype get its start? Was it just a way for you to express yourself creatively, or was there a gap you saw in the market that you wanted to address?

Morgaan: Funny enough, ANGELtype started from something completely different. Back in 2015, I got into graphic design and stumbled upon this niche community of people making and selling stickers—like really unique, custom graphic design stickers. The community was small but really active, and people were selling their designs through private online stores, Instagram, Etsy, you name it. Stickers were a great entry point for me because they were affordable to produce, unlike clothing, which has way higher costs and minimums. But even back then, clothing was always in the back of my mind. I knew that clothing was the ultimate form of self-expression, and I loved the idea of creating something that people could wear to express their individuality.

Esteban: That’s super interesting—so you were doing stickers before you even got into clothing. At what point did you make that jump from graphic design and stickers to actual apparel? Was there a specific moment where you thought, "I need to start doing clothing," or did it just happen naturally?

Morgaan: I’d say it happened pretty naturally, but the spark came from media and pop culture. I started getting more into fashion culture—collecting second-hand pieces from designers like Chrome Hearts, Vivienne Westwood, and Kapital. These brands had a huge influence on me. Even though I was buying second-hand to save money, I realized how valuable these pieces were, both in terms of quality and the personal connection they brought. That’s when it hit me: I could create something similar—clothes that people feel connected to, that they want to keep. It wasn’t just about selling clothes; it was about giving people a way to express themselves.

Esteban: So, once you had that realization, what did those early days look like? Did you start by producing everything yourself, or were you already working with manufacturers from the beginning?

Morgaan: It was super DIY in the beginning. I started with screen-printing T-shirts in my own house. I’d go to Blick Art Materials, pick up some screens, ink, and a basic flash flood light setup, and just go to work. I didn’t have a big budget, so I had to keep things simple. I even used a regular printer with clear transfer paper for the designs. You can literally start a screen-printing setup for under $200, which is what I did. I would take old T-shirts from my closet and screen-print my designs on them. It was a really personal way to get started, but once I realized I wanted to take things further, I started reaching out to local screen printers in LA to see how I could scale up production.

Esteban: It sounds like you really bootstrapped your way into the clothing space. Was this around 2020 or so?

Morgaan: Yeah, it was late 2020 into early 2021 when I really started taking it seriously. The screen-printing at home was great for experimenting, but if I wanted to turn it into a legitimate brand, I knew I had to start working with professionals.

Esteban: At what point did you feel like you had something that could grow beyond just being a personal project or hobby? Was there a specific moment when you thought, "Okay, this could be an actual brand"?

Morgaan: It was a gradual process, but I think when I started getting consistent orders, that’s when I realized this could be more than a hobby. I was using Instagram to promote my designs, and people started placing orders. It felt organic. I also did a lot of research on what was popular in fashion at the time. I’d go on Grailed and sort by price—just to see what the most expensive items were and what people were willing to pay for. That really helped me figure out what kind of products I wanted to create and how I could bring my own unique spin to it.

Esteban: Smart approach—using market research to shape your vision while keeping it authentic. Once you had that vision, how did you scale the production side of things? Did you stick with local manufacturers, or did you eventually go international?

Morgaan: Scaling production was definitely a learning curve. In the beginning, I stuck with local screen printers, but as I started to expand, I reached out to manufacturers internationally—mostly in Asia and South America. I’d research suppliers, send them my designs, and request samples. Sometimes it worked out, and other times it didn’t. I had a few samples come back that were completely off from what I had envisioned, but it was all part of the process. You learn by doing. Eventually, I found manufacturers I could trust, and that’s when I could really start producing on a larger scale.

Esteban: It sounds like there was a lot of trial and error, especially with international suppliers. How did you handle the logistics of managing production across different countries?

Morgaan: Yeah, the logistics can get tricky, especially when you’re dealing with suppliers overseas. There were definitely a few bumps in the road—miscommunications, samples that didn’t turn out as expected, and the occasional delay. But once I found suppliers that understood my vision, things started to click. I realized early on that you can’t expect perfection with the first sample. Sometimes you have to go through a few rounds to get it right. It’s all about building relationships with your suppliers and setting clear expectations upfront.

Esteban: How did you approach marketing in those early days, and what worked best for you?

Morgaan: Social media was everything for us—especially Instagram. We did a lot of organic posting, but I also ran ads, which really helped us scale. I’d set up small ad campaigns with a modest budget—like $10 a day for 30 days. If even one person bought a shirt per day, it covered the ad spend, and we were building momentum. I recommend this approach to any new entrepreneur. You don’t need a massive budget to start. Just run ads on your best-performing posts, the ones that already have a good amount of likes and engagement, and you’ll see results. We also experimented a bit with TikTok and Twitter, but Instagram was definitely our main platform.

Esteban: That’s great advice, especially for someone just starting out. Given how much the social media landscape has changed, do you think you could replicate that success today if you were starting from scratch?

Morgaan: Yeah, I think so. The key is having a clear vision and creating something that resonates with people. It doesn’t have to be the most extravagant design in the world—sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that connect the most. You just have to find that sweet spot where it’s wearable but also makes a statement. People want to express themselves through what they wear, and if you can tap into that, you’ll find an audience.

Esteban: Let’s dive into the drop model. How do you structure your drops? What’s the process like from concept to execution, and how do you manage marketing, production, and everything else that goes into a successful launch?

Morgaan: Our drops are typically five to seven products. I’ve learned that keeping it curated works best. If you offer too many options, it can overwhelm the customer, and it’s harder to build excitement around a drop. We usually start promoting a drop one to two weeks before the actual launch, using Instagram stories and posts to build anticipation. We’ve done pre-orders in the past, and I like to keep those open for less than a week. I also make sure to order double what we sell in the pre-order phase so we have inventory on hand for new customers after the drop. I’ve found that five to seven products offer a good variety without being overwhelming, and it lets us focus on quality over quantity.

Esteban: That’s a smart approach—curating the drop to make sure it’s manageable and exciting for customers. What’s the biggest challenge you face with this model?

Morgaan: The biggest challenge is definitely conveying the quality of our pieces online. Without a brick-and-mortar store, it’s hard for people to really understand the fabric, the fit, and the craftsmanship. We use high-quality materials, and I want people to feel that when they’re shopping online, but it’s a tough thing to communicate through photos and videos. That said, we do everything we can to showcase the details—flatlays, close-up shots, fit pics—but nothing compares to seeing and feeling the product in person.

Esteban: If you could go back to when you first started ANGELtype, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself?

Morgaan: I’d tell myself to focus on making things that I love, not just what I think will sell. For a long time, I was designing pieces that I personally wouldn’t wear, thinking they’d appeal to a broader audience. But once I shifted to creating designs I was passionate about, the brand felt more authentic. I’d also advise myself to find reliable suppliers sooner. Having a good relationship with your manufacturers is crucial when scaling production. And lastly, I’d tell myself to reinvest as much as possible back into the business. It’s easy to get excited when money starts coming in, but you need to be smart about where you allocate those funds—whether it’s more inventory, better marketing, or upgrading your website.

Esteban: So what’s next for ANGELtype? Do you see the brand expanding beyond its current scope, or do you like where it’s at?

Morgaan: I’d love for the brand to expand beyond just being a social media brand. Right now, we’ve built a solid following—88,000 followers on Instagram and around 30,000 email subscribers. So even if Instagram disappeared tomorrow, we’d still have a way to reach our customers. That being said, I’d love to eventually have a brick-and-mortar presence or partner with select retailers. I’m also thinking about experimenting with new collections and pushing the creative boundaries a bit more. But for now, I’m focused on growing the brand and seeing where it takes me.

Esteban: Well, thank you so much for taking the time today, Morgaan. This was a really insightful conversation.

Morgaan: Thank you! I really appreciate the opportunity. It was great chatting with you.