We recently connected with Effraim Aloni and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Effraim thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?
So the decision to rebrand was not a spur of the moment thing. HATELAND has not been me for a very long time to be completely honest, but I still had to continue creating and releasing clothing so I wouldn’t get stale and get caught in the “production phase” of the brand. I decided that I didn’t want to have any negative connotation with my brands name anymore, and had a lot of inner dialogue regarding what I wanted out of the brand, as well as how I could execute and achieve this.
I was given the advice to make the name “something timeless, yet personal”, which was amazing advice. I decided to honor my family name which is Aloni, while also being something else, so there’s a few meanings in this name. In Hebrew, an “alone” is an Oak Tree, something that represents strength, honesty, and [to me] personal growth. I emphasize the last part of that with the A in my logo. The name Aloni is a strong name that I am proud to have, but I’m not super fond of brands that are named after the designer, as it just kinda feels like you’re designing merch for yourself? So I wanted to honor this in a way I could feel comfortable.
Growing up, I would also get made fun of for having this last name, I’m sure you could fill in the puns like “he’s all Aloni” and “effraim alone”. I figured I’d also lean into that.
I just want people to feel a sense of community with these clothes, and HATELAND was doing the opposite.
Effraim, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Well, I’m a 21-year-old clothing designer. so uncommon! Growing up, I found myself mostly drawn to Hip-Hop and its culture. Tyler, the Creator, and Kanye West were, and still are, some of my favorite artists. Later, I realized why I liked them so much compared to other musicians: they weren’t JUST musicians. They were creative directors, designers, and visionaries. All things that I’ve aspired to be for most of my life. I asked myself, “Why don’t I just start making clothing?” and that’s what I did! I started out on PhotoShop and Illustrator, scribbling out designs and popping them onto tee shirts in high school. I was growing a slight local following, but I wasn’t impressed with myself. I knew I wanted to do more. Once the pandemic happened, I took a brand into the light did my thing with it for a little while, and finally rebranded in 2024.
What sets me apart from the other up-and-coming “designers” is simple: they’re looking for quick money. They ride trends, steal designs, and use the same Gildan blanks as each other. I’m here to stay. I’m devoted to quality in not just garments, but design and experience. If you haven’t been following me before this interview, I’ve been working on “the perfect” garments for years. The first version of my own cut-and-sewn tee shirt was released last June and received rave reviews. I’m forever thankful for the support and feedback. This brings me to the point that I want someone who wears my brand to never feel alone. Anyone who supports me in any way is my friend. I have a mutual respect for those who support me. Thank you.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Start supporting your creative friends! Obviously, I don’t mean go out and buy everything they make, but if you’re posting an album release announcement or a new movie that you’re looking forward to on your story, why not post your favorite design/song/piece that your friend made? It would mean the world to them and give them some much-needed motivation to keep working toward their dream. Also, tell your friend if their work is bad! Good negative feedback is way better than just saying that the design is cool. That’s really all I’ve got to say on that matter. Change comes from within.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Instagram DM’s have been my best friend. I have made literally every single creative connection by messaging people that inspired me. I wish I hadn’t been “afraid to be annoying” at the beginning of this journey; maybe I would have been a lot more successful by now, haha. There are also some great books for inspiration out there, my favorite being “Logo Modernism” by Jens Muller. Museums too! Being creative is great, as well as knowing certain programs and how to draw. But knowing things on a technical aspect really boosts your creativity and quality design output.
Contact Info:
- Website: alone.ooo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/al0ne.ooo/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/EffraimAlone
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjqP50MdBWaDCyoKfQ_YIeQ
Image Credits
Images taken by Jody Santiago https://jodyshot.us/ https://www.instagram.com/jodyshotyou/