Badmath, For the People
A week ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Luke Galle. He is the CEO, and founder of a multi-billion dollar company/clothing line that has worked with brands like Vans, Addis, Tommy Hilfiger and the most renowned designers in the industry. They've styled your favorite artist: from Gaga to Beyonce to Tupac to even Oprah. The most unknown/known company of its time, ladies and gents... THIS IS BADMATH!
Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating. Badmath is not a multi-billion dollar clothing line, and it hasn't collaborated with any of those brands or people... yet. Okay, okay, but for real this time, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite clothing brand, Badmath. This Chicago/Wisconsin based line, is straight from the mind of its creator, and embodies the statements: be what you want, do what you like, and express how you feel.
Luke Galle, a graphic design major, started Badmath about a year ago. He didn't jump into fashion, for him, it was a "long transition period", but he knew he always wanted his own brand. "I've always envisioned making things under a moniker. It was something I wanted to do, but I was
apprehensive, until one day I was like, “Fuck it!" I’m just gonna do it! Maybe it’s gonna be dumb, maybe it’s not, but at least I’ll be able to say I’ve done something."
Since then, he's released a handful of amazing collections/items and gained loyal customers with his edgy apparel. Badmath sets an example of what you can happen when you put fear to the side and just do what you love with no self-limits.
He makes what he wants, and gets most of his inspiration from his family. You can really see this in his most recent line. “My brother brought the coolest navy coralloid hat in Wisconsin. There was like a big Musky embroidery on it and I borrowed it one night without asking him. I ended up going to a party, this was like in my peak college years, and lost the hat but I never told him about it. That was kinda what inspired my most recent collection. I made a hat and with Badmath Musky on it and gave it to my brother. He got a lot of compliments on it and I was like ok, this is cool."
Badmath is 100% Gale. From the design, to the final product, he does it all, but not without the help of some of his closest friends. In his newest project, Galle is collaborating with designer and friend, Nate Coleman. Together, they are creating high quality cut and sew garments with a nostalgic theme. This is Badmath's first time doing cut and sew work, but that's not stopping them at all; Galle likes to push himself.
That's why he started Badmath. To him, it's more than a clothing line, it's an an excuse to learn, a creative project, and a place where he can be "unapologetic" about his ideas. That's what Badmath represents. It's a line that basically says "Do whatever the fuck you want." And Galle doesn't limit himself on any topic. From his "Fucking Recycle" tees to his Charleston influenced "Nazis Scum" shirts, Galle continues to push the box by touching on political topics in a creative, edgy, fashionable way.
Galle isn't trying to force people to like his stuff, he's just making his art. That's what gives Badmath its authentic grassroots feel. It's a line that wasn't made to please anyone or go with the wave, it's natural. That's what I like the most about Badmath, it's a different company/platform, making dope shit that doesn't try to be anything. You never know what they are gonna do next.
