social studies was formed
in the spring of 2004 from a union of two like-minded individuals who
felt there was a hole in the market for unique, hand-made yet affordable
goods for the urban male.
inspired by attending an urban craft fair, aldo and sean were tired of saying "i can do that" , and focused their attention on actually doing just that. based in the l.a. neighborhood of silverlake, together they supported and encouraged the other's creative passion and vision.
aldo started designing simplistically bold graphics that he silkscreened in their kitchen onto t-shirts and vintage dress shirts that they found at thrift stores throughout l.a.
meanwhile, sean taught himself to knit, and began to make eye-catching unisex scarves out of old t-shirts, using a technique that he created in his mind years before actually trying it.
since then, they have each expanded their techniques and media to encompass other things they love. fear of litigation drove them to change their name from formica tabletop to their current moniker.
all the while, they have managed to maintain full-time jobs outside of the art/fashion world: sean works as a biologist at a public aquarium, and aldo is a physical therapist at a large hospital. since their respective careers are science-based, they saw social studies as a hobby and as an outlet to funnel their creative ideas into one ongoing project.
however, all this may soon change. their representation at various stores in northern and southern california has continued to grow, and have seen their items in print magazines and television programs. this growing attention has resulted in their recruitment to help design a new men's line that is slated to launch in august 2006 for a san franciso-based label.
currently, aldo and sean live in a small apartment with their two dogs, cooper sanchez and chi chi rodriguez, and a happy goldfish named irene.