Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Paige.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I mainly play music and tour in my band DeeOhGee, and had always been crafty so I started making leather bags, by hand and all sorts of leather goods during my down time. Then the pandemic hit and my band wasn’t able to tour anymore, so I looked for another creative outlet on the more cost effective side. I have always loved hats, especially of the vintage variety. I had purchased many over the years and they would come close to perfection, but never quite how I wanted them to be.
Luckily my mother taught me to use a sewing machine earlier in life so I started experimenting with making hats that I thought compiled all the elements I liked. Since I had been touring for 10years, up to that point, I had met some very cool people who were interested in getting a funky hat from me, so I almost immediately had a wait list. This was a huge blessing and I kept refining my style and sewing technique as I went. I chose to stick to making fabric hats (as opposed to felt/ cowboy style hats) because I saw there was so much fabric going to waste in thrift stores and elsewhere. It was cheap, and helped turn otherwise wasted material into something cool, funky and potentially a life long companion that could be passed down.
It’s been six years of hat making and I’ve expanded into other garments I love, such as: vests, jeans, chore coats, bags & purses.
It has brought me so much joy being able to take something discarded and turn it into something that makes people happy and inspired. I try to be an open book to help others get started sewing and making their own things. And I’m always learning and trying to get better as well. It’s another life long art form, just the way music is, and I’m happier than ever to be spending my time keeping people entertained with music, and dressed in a way that keeps them radiating with joy and positivity
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There is rarely a smooth road in the pursuit of art and creativity, which can be a huge blessing. It’s like bumping your way down the bowling lane, to eventually hit some pins!
I started out in a literal garden shed, since the bedroom I was renting had no extra room for sewing. I had to move the lawn mower out of the way, and run an extension cord to the shed. When it was cold, it was cold, when it was hot, it was hot. So I’d bundle up or wear nothing depending on the weather and I’d just hone my craft the best I could. Lots of trial and error and I can imagine my neighbors hearing some of my curse words when another sewing needle broke, and I couldn’t find out why..and wondering what I was doing in there.
I had high expectations of myself since I wanted to take pride in my work, and I knew a good hat when I saw one.
It could have been much rougher, but I had a lot of support from the community and my family.
Now I have a separate room in a house with climate control for my sewing! Sounds basic, but coming out of that shed, I now never take light, heat, A/C or a little elbow room for granted.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’d say I specialize in creativity – making something from seemingly nothing. I grew up with very little resources so it’s baked into my being: if you want something special and unique, you must make it.
I mainly make music, I’ve played music since I was 12 and have been touring and performing full time since I was 19 (now 36). I’ve learned a variety of instruments and can play a handful of them at a professional level. I tour, I write, I make records, I assist others on their shows and recordings. I’m proud to have moved to Nashville from Portland Oregon at the age of 19, knowing no one, and starting a band. Successfully creating an entity that keeps me fed, happy, and in the front seat of an interesting life.
With performing, I’d always been interested in fashion and cool clothes that I liked. But well made, vintage, unique clothes can be expensive for a working musician, so that led me to make my own things.
Now I’m know as a substantial, versatile musician, that can make his own clothes. And I’ve offered my services to my community as well, so I’m regularly fixing, hemming, altering, and creating garments from scratch in Nashville, a town full of other well dressed performers.
What sets me apart is that I make everything unique, and I don’t work by a certain set of rules. I roll with what’s going on already, I make it work with what we already have. I keep things cost effective for my financially limited, but extremely fabulous clients. I always knew money never had anything to do with style. And style is our outward communication, and now people trust me to help them speak how they want to be interpreted. It’s huge amount of trust I don’t take lightly.
I’m most proud that I now have become proficient in the ethereal works of the intangible (music) and the tangible, inspiring craft of turning peoples inside ideas into something they can wear. And when you look good, you feel good. And then your life is just a little better. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend my life’s effort.
Any big plans?
I hope to continue to expand my Matt-Hatter brand to include a variety of hat styles. And to include an array of clothes that will be well made, hand made and for those seeking something unique in an ever growing homogenized world.
I want to expand my audience and make my wears available more globally rather than just in my part of the world. Which has been super supportive and encouraging!
I look forward to getting a proper website and webstore established, so anyone can see and purchase my creations. Currently I’m just on Instagram and in a few stores in Nashville and Sweden (where I recently had an artist in residence experience where I made hats and clothes for 3months).
I’m also looking forward to getting more proficient at the art of tailoring: taking someone’s measurement and creating clothes from scratch for them. I keep taking lessons and doing as much research as I can in my free time. Slowly but surly I’m getting better at that and will one day be able to offer a full suit of clothes that will fit perfectly.
As that all progresses I’m happy learning as I go and honing my craft, which will undoubtedly fill my life with interesting people and experiences.
Pricing:
- Custom hats: $99 + shipping
- Custom selvedge jeans: $200 + shipping
- Custom chore coat: $180 + shipping
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.deeohgee.org
- Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/matt.hatterr
- Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/matthatterrr
- Youtube: https://Www.youtube.com/@matt-hatter
- Other: https://Matthewpaige.bandcamp.com/album/matthew-paige
