Made by People. For People.
We don’t make shirts for everyone. We make them for the person who smiles when they get the reference. The one who notices the overlooked, appreciates the obscure, and finds joy in the little details. If a shirt helps you discover someone who sees the world a little like you do, then it’s done its job.
Finding your people, one shirt at a time.
Collections
Every good story starts somewhere. Ours started over coffee at a little place called Muddy Waters.
VanStephens Apparel Co. began long before it had a name. We met over coffee at Muddy Waters, a small, off-the-beaten-path coffee shop in Santa Barbara. Years later, we’re still creating together.
Our name combines our last names—VanSeters and Stephens—and reflects the partnership behind everything we make.
Today we live in the mountain community of Painted Cave, high above Santa Barbara, where winding roads, oak trees, California quail, and sweeping views of the Pacific inspire much of our work.
It all started in 2013 when we designed a handful of T-shirts for Rex's annual King of the Cruiser Bike Show, a vintage BMX and cruiser bike show held before the annual Santa Barbara Cruiser Run. Those shirts became the beginning of something much bigger.
Rex is a bicycle frame builder, metal fabricator, and artist. Jenny is a creative director, designer, and illustrator. Together, we create apparel, artwork, handmade goods, and one-off pieces inspired by California, overlooked places, curious ideas, and the people who make life interesting.
We’re drawn to authenticity over trends, craftsmanship over perfection, and community over crowds. We believe the best things are made by humans, shared with others, and have a way of bringing people together.
Thanks for being here.
— Jenny & Rex
