True Love and False Idols plugs into La Jolla

We recently checked in with True Love & False Idols’ Jim Shubin to see how the brand is doing since the La Jolla Group acquired the master license in January.

True Love & False Idols is the La Jolla Group’s first streetwear-influenced brand. La Jolla hired Shubin to run the brand’s sales and marketing, and kept founder, Alex 2-Tone Erdmann, to run the brand direction and artist program.

Shubin said being under the La Jolla Group umbrella has benefited the brand.

“They literally sunk us right into their infrastructure, and they gave us the freedom to build the brand properly, because it is something different for them,” he said.

For those of who have never seen the brand, Shubin describes it as “a boutique-minded streetwear company with an eye on fashion.”

True Love & False Idols is influenced by music, art and street culture. Founder, Alex 2-Tone Erdmann is an artist himself, and the brand also works with other artists including Sunny Gheris, EWok, Joe King, Henry Lewis, and Akiko Stehrenberger.

The brand is also quite irreverent.

“We add a twist of humor, and have some really good, quality garments,” said Shubin.

True Love & False Idol’s mascot is a Koala Bear named Reggie who holds an Uzi. The brand parodies street culture and “Hollywood-esque” icons in their designs.

One Spring 2011 T-shirt features a guy with an afro and a shower cap, flashing a gangster sign and holding an Uzi. He is photo shopped onto a surfboard getting barreled inside a huge wave. The ink on the shirt smells like coconut and it will be shipped with a shower cap attached.

On page 2: more on printables, integrated earbuds and the future