Ok so last time I told you that my name is Neil. That is still currently still the case. Ha. Well, my full name is Stephen Neil Fox. Find me on IG at @stephenneilfox. I’m writing this post because I was feeling like maybe I should continue to share some insights on myself that would attribute to the “why” behind the existence of this blog.
I’ll continue to unfold some insights along the way, as well as some product features and such over time, but as I said earlier I love product. For, man, as long as I could remember, I had wanted to start a brand. I didn’t know what the brand would be, but I knew that I wanted it to be in apparel. Fortunately, I was able to grow up in one of the best, maybe the best, era of skateboarding. At that time, all the dudes I loved skated in denim. So denim has always been a huge influence and just tactile love in my life. This textile has always had a serious value to me. It has always stood for something tough, something that stands the test of time.
So after years of dreaming and wanting, I was fortunate enough to start this “brand”. Now, just to prepare this story doesn’t end with some great wow you’re so talented or creative type of ending. In fact, it is just the opposite. Now we continue…….
Started this brand. It was called Reynard Vixen. Decent name….maybe….maybe not. Who knows; really who cares. Anyways I was lucky enough to do this for about 8 years or so. Along the way, I leaned so much. I learned design, I learned budgeting, I learned photography, videography, and so many other things. I’m not an expert in any of these things, but I love learning so now I can say that I’ve at least learned new stuff. As an aside, skateboarders inherently are just jack of all trades. We just like doing stuff. We end up become a sort of multidisciplinary beings.
That brands goes on. It has some ups and had many downs. And ultimately was shut down. Don’t feel sad. It needed to die; really the big take away is this……
I had always heard don’t worry about your “first thing.” In fact, really don’t put too much stock in it. There is a high probability that it will die. I thought I was the exception. I was not. You can shit all over me if you want, it’s fine. But any young person always, whether they say it or not, thinks they’re the exception. The cool part, and the follow on to what I had always heard, is that it will usually birth something more, something better, and maybe even various other things. And starting, running, and shutting down Reynard Vixen has done just that. And I’m super thankful.
This is a lot of backstory and maybe even just lame boring stuff, but I love context. It really helps gain a great understanding as to why someone does or doesn’t do something. Honestly, feels like context is lacking in the world in general. Another story for another day……
Anyways, the death of RV (Reynard Vixen) has ultimately spawns 2 new things: 1.) This silly blog idea 2.) A Design Practice
From doing RV, I really found that I like doing what can be called brand strategy and development. Ok, in design world, this is such a broad brush stroke term. It is like say someone is creative; it can mean so many things. But just overall helping others develop their brand from visual and strategic level. And secondly, having a brand fail the first go around, really helps you flush out what you would do differently and or better next time. And that is where NORMAL association fits in. AKA this blog. Thats probably enough for now as I’m sure this is super long and poorly written. But at least some more of the why as to why this exists. Maybe I’ll just start doing videos where I talk about it; because as I’m sure you’ve gathered I’m a shit written…….HMMMMMMM.
So there you go kids. Some more babble as to why you may be here. Thank you a ton, seriously, if you’ve gotten this far.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t have a life lesson I could leave you with. A piece of value so to speak. So here it is, don’t put too much stock in the first things you try and get off the ground. Don’t NOT do it, but just remember it is a means to an end.