We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tyler Rice a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tyler, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Perceptions from the beginning has been all about messaging, how each individual sees the world differently. Being from the Pacific Northwest, my fascination and appreciation for Nature has been a huge part of who I am. There is so much to be learned from the natural world and it is integral to understanding ourselves as well. I have been working towards creating this brand from these two concepts in a cohesive and open way. My goal is to spread a message of empathy through tasteful and thoughtful design that comes from a place of personal authenticity and passion. The brand has been my learning tool over these past three and a half years and it’s finally beginning to take shape.

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

March of 2020 I was 17 years old in my Senior year of High School when the Covid pandemic hit and shut down normalcy. It was a time of reflection for me, when I was able to figure out what I truly loved spending my free time doing. And that was when I fully committed to starting Perceptions. Now almost four years in it hasn’t been easy and has taken many different shapes. But the idea that sparked my initial excitement stayed consistent all these years later. Perceptions is a brand not limited to any one medium. Clothing has been an effective way to create certain feelings and tell a story, but this brand is a space for film, photography, ceramics, art, and creative expression. The ethos of Perceptions lies in the diverse landscape that is Oregon, my hometown. From the mountain culture of the high Cascades to the ancient surf and forests that guard the Pacific. When I moved to New York City for school, I found myself feeling the allure and pull to the West the Americans have felt for generations. There is a romantic but tumultuous culture of loggers, Native Americans, pioneers, and mountaineers that make up the history of Oregon, and this history can be felt throughout the core of the brand alongside the incredible landscape that makes up my home State.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After being in the pandemic lockdown, it was time for me to go to college. With a fresh box of Perceptions t-shirts, I loaded up my car and hit I-5 South to Eugene to start my first year at the University of Oregon. My time there was enjoyable and I created many strong friendships that first year, but something was nagging at me. I felt like my time in school sitting in front of a laptop learning economic theory wasn’t positively benefitting me and where I wanted to take my future. So I decided to apply to design school across the country to see what would happen not thinking too much about it. But when I got in I was elated and took it as an opportunity to take my passion to a new level. I am very fortunate to be able to have access to higher education such as this and it was my way of fully committing to my brand.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I just have one thing to say about resilience when it comes to passion projects and that is to stick with it. This is a cliche I know and it’s only true if you believe in the mission of whatever it is you’re working on, but it has proved a valuable mantra to remind myself. Even if the project doesn’t look the way you want it or is not fully thought out, doing the necessary work allows the project to take shape and have direction. These things do not happen quickly and I had to evaluate Perceptions so many times to understand how to make it authentic, and how to create the world people could step into.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://percep–tions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/percep__tions/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tylervrice

Image Credits
Tyler Rice