Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Cronin
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 have always felt an urge to create. Throughout most of my 20s, I was actually a songwriter. I work with everyone from local music artists to film companies to established artists like MGK and Vybz Kartel.
One day, I decided to channel my creativity into a different medium: fashion. I began designing hats with this idea that freedom is a state of mind. What started as a personal project for myself and my friends quickly turned into the Permanent Vacation brand. This unexpected progression from music to fashion allowed me to explore new avenues of artistic expression. I have always felt that everyone is an artist deep down, sometimes it’s just about finding your medium of expression.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been smooth by any measure. Even though I feel like I’ve had some great mentors in my life to help me, I think it’s impossible to escape challenges when you’re trying to great something remarkable. I am extremely lucky to have found my business partner and co-founder Andre DuMouchel, he has helped me navigate the challenges that we have faced getting to where we are. We’ve burned a lot of money dealing with supply chain issues and bad marketing companies, we have also been dealing with a lot of other brands infringing on our trademark and stealing our designs just to name a few hurdles. We feel that our brand is getting stronger as we overcome all of these challenges so we’re not too stressed about it, and lets be honest, it’s all play and no work!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have always been fascinated with brand. I think people are brands themselves. The things that you believe in and the things that you do will create a reputation that is associated with your brand. I have a strong determination to inspire people to pursue their creative passion and live a free and happy life.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mother’s unconditional belief in my ability to do great things has been my biggest inspiration. My partner Andre DuMouchel’s unwavering work ethic has been elemental in our success. Huge shout out to the entire team behind Permanent Vacation (Brady Shaw, Andrew McQuillan, Adora Wong, Jaden Trinh, Justin Haberman)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.permanentvacationbrand.com
- Instagram: @permanentvacationbrand
Image Credits
Photographer – Jaden Trinh