I started creating my own distressed t-shirts and boots because I couldn’t find what I was looking for when shopping.  It’s become one of the most theraputic hobbies I have ever taken up. I just put on a Black Sabbath record and get lost while creating.  I never have an exact plan, but that’s how I work best. For instance, I was working on a Kiss shirt that had flames on it, and I thought, “why not light this shirt on fire?”  So I did and it turned out amazing! I have buried shirts under ground for weeks at a time, soaked them in bleach, paint thinner, and acetone. My intention is not to take a vintage piece and change its appeal, or to take a new piece and try to pass it off as vintage; I want to treat each piece as a canvas.  When I see a pair of boots or a shirt, I wonder what they’d look like if I soaked them in bleach, or rubbed them against a brick wall?  There is nothing more rewarding than someone saying, “hey! great boots, man.”

Check out Christian’s collection in our Soho and LA store or if you would like a piece of customized, email christian.benner@wgacany.com