We were lucky to catch up with Terrance Demons recently and have shared our conversation below.

Terrance, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My creative journey began about 14 years ago, in transition between the post information age in pre-Covid. In this time, I was fresh out of undergrad back at home in Decatur- full of passion but like a leaf in the tempest, rudderless in terms of carving out my own lane of success. As a child, so much of my time was spent tearing apart & upcycling pillows, curtains, and small handicraft from vintage shops or thrift stores, piecing them back together DIY style. It was a hobby that refused to die.

I took a different approach in 2013 while caring for my mom and hungry for professional opportunities. Similar to Ralph Lauren’s start with his label, I said Off creating square in neck ties from feed sack fabric source from the Midwest. It was in those final months of her life that I gleaned a wealth sartorial and practical knowledge with hand sewing techniques from her. It was also during this time that I learned from her that sewing was a practice that had deep familial roots – knowledge from my grandmother and great grandmother, who made suits and other garments for church members in South Georgia. That commitment to the craft from what many would consider Megger or humble beginnings continues to inform my practice. Through small goods, footwear and accessories, sustainability and sourcing locally aren’t simply trends to rely on. Rather, they’re tenets that are intrinsically linked to my creative practice.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Dumont is the working title for the brand that’s to be officially announced later this year. My core focus relies on offering products experiences, and materials with strong emphasis on sustainable production, secondhand and dead stock material sourcing. I spent endless hours in the thrift store as a youth. Early on, it was hard to take stock in the richness of experience that you can get from places like these, but they’ve been foundational in an overall design approach. So you’ll see fur mules, both natural and synthetic, mixed with dead stock outsoles. A recent unclaimed cache of indoor ballet flats are in the process of having toe supports installed – a prototype to a super shoe that I’ve been concepting for a while.

Regardless of the product or offering, the goal has always been sustainably sourced design with an upcycled, premium feel – an experience for a community focused, intentional consumer.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Often in my approach to design, from ideation to construction of a prototype, I think of the nobleman from E. A. Poe’s story The Assignation. My own metaphor characterizes Aphrodite’s child, lost in the water, to that of my own focus – in essence, the idea of “saving” it from the troubled dark waters of the fashion industry for it’s second chance. Our processes as creatives aren’t always narrow in scope but grow, evolve and take meaning on their own – in effect, having their own narrative from infancy and beyond.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I consider myself a constant student of life and therefore knowledge, both practical and theoretical, remains a perpetual reward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vs.co/e70u5umz
• Instagram: @telfarious
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrancedemons/

Image Credits

All images (including product shots) are credited and authored by featured artist