The Buyer Who Pissed Me Off (and Taught Me Everything)

In 2003, I brought my work to my first trade show in Las Vegas "the Punk Is Dead Tour”. Everything was hand-dyed, with images spray-painted directly onto the shirts, along with spray-painted stencil patches and my signature sewing.

Andrew Hanson, 2005 - YRB Magazine advert with Andrew Hanson in his studio

YRB, the NYC magazine and store behind Yellow Rat Bastard, picked me up straight from that show. They became one of my biggest accounts and backed my work for years.

Andrew Hanson, 2005 - YRB Magazine Advert

The buyer

I can’t remember the buyer’s name. Isaac, maybe?

I do remember that he pissed me off the first time we met. He was a real businessman, and I was the Padawan learner.

Andrew Hanson, 2009 - YRB Magazine t-shirt feature “L.I.E”

I didn’t change what I was making to please him. I stood my ground on my work, but I listened, and I learned a lot from him. If I ran into him today, I’d probably thank him.

The ads

These are two ads I made for YRB’s magazine. They featured an elevated version of what YRB had bought from me in previous years: the “N.y.U.k. N.y.U.k.,” a nod to New York, the United Kingdom and the Three Stooges. It even featured Bert McCracken of The Used.

Andrew Hanson, 2005 - YRB Magazine advert featuring his creative process

I documented the whole process, and that was the spirit of the ads. At the time, a lot of people didn’t get why I’d bother. I did it anyway, because the process is part of the work.

That’s why this archive exists. Twenty years later, the record shows exactly how these were made.

The relationship didn’t stop there. By 2009, YRB was still featuring my work. The “L.I.E.” t-shirt ran in their magazine, including the issue with Nas on the cover.

On doing it my own way

I’ve spent over 26 years making handmade work on my own terms. I’ve had a lot of support, and I’ve taken some heat for not following the crowd. I’d make the same choices again.

To those of you who were there: I salute you. And to everyone who’s stuck with me through the ups, downs, pivots and experiments: thank you for witnessing the evolution.

Andrew Hanson, 2009 - YRB Magazine T-shirt feature “L.I.E.” with Nas on the cover

Your turn

What artist, designer, musician or brand do you remember getting overlooked before everyone else caught on?

Leave their name in the comments. Let’s give some credit where it’s due.