By Cassell Ferere originally published on Forbes.com

In a recent collaboration with AND1 for Footlocker's “12 Days of Greatness” holiday campaign, digital artist Jeff Cole channeled the nostalgia of street style basketball and the style of the 90s into a capsule that represents the ethos of the iconic basketball brand. 

This capsule collection, however, is just a window into Jeff’s creations. He is also the artist behind IKONICK, an inspirational art brand he co-founded with Mark Mastrandrea. IKONICK blends nostalgia, pop culture, and the kind of inspirational quotes you find on social media to create unique, motivational canvas art.

Originating from the Gold Coast and the East Coast, Jeff, who grew up in Chicago, and Mark, a born and raised New Yorker, have come together and found a way to translate art into a business. A business that dresses a room and sells inspiration as its product, the co-founders and dynamic duo of IKONICK have found a sustainable way to operate as a businessman-artist team. 

The AND1 collection exemplifies Jeff’s artistic skillset. Designing for a brand he is most familiar with from his youth, Jeff essentially feeds his inner-child. Playing basketball in Chicago, among other sports, AND1 gear was his preferred street style of clothing, especially when hooping, it made him feel confident and motivated. “I would wear AND1 three to four times per week,” Jeff recalls.

It's that warm fuzzy feeling any kid gets while wearing their favorite athlete's sneaker or jersey that Jeff wanted to translate through his AND1 apparel designs. Getting the call to create for them was a dream come true for the designer who grew up watching. AND1 legends, like Skip To My Lou and The Professor, put on a show with their crazy ball-handling abilities. He also recalls his favorite NBA player Vince Carter wearing AND1 sneakers during his famous dunk contest performance.

When designing his capsule collection and recreating the iconic AND1 shirts, hoodies, and shorts, Jeff leaned into this nostalgia. His classic basketball apparel silhouettes are infused with retro typography referencing bodegas, restaurants, local businesses, and charities that would often sponsor summer basketball tournaments in the inner cities around America.

Jeff and his business partner in IKONICK, Mark have found a way to make inspirational moments, like the AND1 basketball tour and sneaker culture, which they were both immersed in growing up, tangible to the masses and the next generation.

Mark, who has over ten years of brand building experience as a CEO, CMO, and a sales rep for myriad brands, made his first foray into the art world in 2014 touring with a hat company. He eventually met a young artist in Boston and went on to manage the artist for many years. It was this experience that led him to identify a huge white space in the affordable art market and an immense digital marketing opportunity with the rapid growth of social media and meme culture.

Since IKONICK entered the market in 2017, the brand has experienced unprecedented growth. Within 15 months of launch, the company drew in $10M in sales and attracted attention from entrepreneurial icons Gary Vaynerchuk and entertainment industry tycoon Scooter Braun, who both joined the IKONICK team as strategic investors in 2018…

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