By Ameera Steward | The Birmingham Times
With a love for creativity and self-expression, the men behind the Broken Dreams clothing brand knew they were destined to partner for a bigger purpose. After much deliberation, Jonathan Blanks, Carlton Gamble, and Anthony Sears, who’ve known each other since they were teenagers, decided to collaborate and debut their first collection in 2014.
The brand is for all genders and all ages, with a colorful yet simplistic style—but there is also something else at play. “The whole concept behind the brand is … to keep pushing, keep your faith, and always believe in yourself,” said 32-year-old Gamble, also known as “Tae.”
“As you keep pushing, things will start to manifest, and you’ll be able to see things come together for you,” he added. “… keep pushing and keep your faith regardless of what might happen.”
A strong pillar for the Broken Dreams team is brotherhood, which is the foundation of the partnership.
Inspiration
Blanks, 32, and Sears, 33, met in middle school, and then attended Minor High School in Adamsville, Alabama. They met Gamble through a mutual friend later. The three have been a trio ever since, but it wasn’t until they all transferred to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) that they reconnected and their friendship grew into a business relationship.
“We kind of just all had a passion for it, had an interest in it,” Blanks said, adding that the group came up with a plan, a concept, and a name inadvertently.
Although fashion had always been something the three gravitated toward, they didn’t know anything about the business. One night, while they were hanging out in Blanks’ apartment, the conversation turned toward starting a business. Someone threw out the idea of a clothing line, and they each agreed that it was something they could accomplish. They came up with the name that same night.
“It was just natural for us,” recalled Blanks. “The [origin of the name] connected with us because it has many layers to it, and we each can give our own interpretation of it. The foundation of the name represents overcoming any obstacles or setbacks that may come in life. Never stop working toward your dreams and goals.”
Their inspiration for clothing designs can come from anywhere—music, their travels, anything positive. They each bring ideas to the table, which brings diversity to the brand’s image because “we all have unique styles, but [they’re] kind of the same,” said Gamble.
“We might start with something as small as a jacket, and then we might just add on from there,” he said. “We might have a certain silhouette we like, but then we might eventually put our own touch on it. … It’s a group effort for sure.”
Once they come up with a concept, Gamble is usually the team member who designs the mock-up, which they all review, suggesting changes or next steps. After that the team discusses fabrics, cuts, colorways, samples, marketing ideas, and more to complete the final product. Then they send it to the manufacturer, and it takes approximately two weeks to get their sample product back.
Broken Dreams designs clothing for men, women, and children at a price point that ranges from $12 to $185.
“We put a lot of thought into the pieces and the quality of the product,” Sears said.
Blanks added, “We’re not just here to make a quick dollar. We could easily just throw out anything just to try to sell it, … [but] we go out of our way, spend more on high quality, and cut our profit to give the people a better product.”
“We pride ourselves on customer service,” said Gamble.
A Shoulder to Lean On
“The best part of being part of this team is that if one of us is lacking, if one of us is going through something, if one of us is not able to perform at our highest level, you know your brother is going to have your back,” Blanks said. “I’ve been through a lot of different things in life. … There were times when I was down and just couldn’t … be part of certain things at certain points, but it wasn’t an issue for the brand at all because [Sears and Gamble] had my back and vice versa: If they go through something, I’ve got their back.”
Sears said, “I look at them like they are my brothers. If they ever need something—I know they probably wouldn’t ask, but they can ask—and I’ve got it, I’ll give it. Loving each other is what kind of keeps us from butting heads.”
Gamble added that a valuable piece of their friendship is that there are no egos, and they mesh as friends: “We’re brothers, and we know how to separate the business from the brotherhood. We’re not getting in our feelings about anything. … We don’t really have fallouts. It’s a brotherhood, no egos, and we’ve been going for 10 years plus.”
Because each team member is a co-founder, the responsibilities of taking care of the brand are shared.
“I know a lot of people say, ‘Don’t start a business with your friends,’ but we haven’t experienced [problems with working together] at all. It’s actually been the total opposite, Blanks said. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anybody but these guys.”
Making Mama Proud
The brotherhood held Blanks, Gamble, and Sears together not only within their Broken Dreams clothing business but also during their hardest times. The co-founders all share the trauma of losing their mothers. Sears’ mom passed in 2005, Gamble’s mother passed in 2011, and Blanks lost his mother in 2019—and they’ve all been there to lift one another up.
“I had to depend on my brothers to help me through that, as well as help me with the brand,” Blanks said. “These guys definitely inspire me, and for sure my mom does. [I’m] just trying to keep going and make her proud.”
In addition to being inspired by one another, they also all share the sentiment that their mothers are a substantial driving force when it comes to the brand. Although there isn’t one special collection dedicated to their mothers—yet—the team believes in some way each collection is dedicated to their mothers.
“Ever since [my mother’s death], it’s just kind of been like, ‘I gotta make it happen, gotta get to it, you know, don’t fall off because she wouldn’t want you to,’” Gamble said.
“Falling off” and quitting are not options for this group. It’s actually what they want to be a piece of their legacy. “Never quitting regardless of the circumstances is part of life, to be honest,” said Sears. “Everybody is going to have circumstances that will either inspire them to go further or inspire them to quit. … [I want to] keep going and do it with love.”
The Broken Dreams team is eying the future on a grand scale.
Gamble wants the clothing line to be a Birmingham staple, like the statue of Vulcan at the Vulcan Park and Museum or the Birmingham Museum of Art: “[We want] to be one of the biggest fashion brands, or just brands period, because we plan to expand outside of fashion, … [to] have different layers,” he said.
Blanks added, “We don’t have small goals when it comes to the brand. We want to be the biggest brand possible. We’re trying to be worldwide. … It’s not easy to get people to buy your product at all, but it’s definitely not easy, honestly, to get Birmingham to stand behind you. … Being able to accomplish that was a big milestone for us.”
To learn more about the Broken Dreams clothing line, visit https://shopbrokendreams.com; you can also follow the brand on Instagram (@brokendreamsclothing), Twitter (@BrkDreamsClothg), and TikTok (@brokendreamsclothing).
