IT ALL STARTED WITH A
Ben Chavez (co-founder of Ben x Til) on what led to the brand's creation:
"I've always loved art, but I was discouraged to pursue art as a career. I found myself trapped in unfulfilling jobs, feeling lost and yearning for purpose in my life. It was then that I decided to move to Portland. Infused with my newfound inspiration, I quickly got back into painting and created the Lemur piece titled Lost.
I printed my Lemur artwork on a hoodie and sent it to my friend and now co-founder, Til.
Til frequently sported the hoodie in Chicago, and was amazed by a flood of compliments and questions, asking where to get their own Lemur hoodie. By then, I knew we had something special. Lost allowed me to be found, and I finally had the purpose and drive I was craving.
Ben x Til is a celebration of the value of artistic expression.
Both Ben and Til take inspiration from their journeys in life, which we can all identify with. Sometimes, you just feel lost. It takes some of us a long time to find our true calling. The important thing is to always enjoy the journey you're on. The paintings you see on our garments are all a celebration of the journey of life, and our experiences throughout. It is a beautiful reminder that although we may feel lost sometimes, there is always a path waiting for us.
LOST AND LOOKING FOR
Questioning his future and lost in an unfulfilling career, the artist Ben decided to move to Portland where his passion for art was renewed.
After spending years developing his style as a painter, he found a sudden inspiration to experiment with something new.
EXPERIMENTING BY PLAYING WITH
Ben began combining painting with wood burning, creating a brand new, unique style of art that drew attention. To showcase his pieces, he printed his art on hoodies and shared them with his friends, who encouraged him to begin selling them.
Til (an old college friend of Ben) was especially inspired by Ben's work. A recent law school graduate, Til wanted to help Ben turn his innovative art into a business, with the intent of promoting the simplistic beauty of Ben's art. In 2019, Ben x Til was born.
