INTRODUCTION: INSOMNIAC LTD

Insomniac LTD is the combined creative vision of streetwear luminary Rick Klotz and the massive EDM promoter Insomniac, with both having roots that go back to the underground origins of streetwear and rave culture. When Rick Klotz was making fliers for underground promoters and plotting his groundbreaking streetwear label Freshjive, Insomniac was laying the groundwork for the type of electronic music events that would go on to dominate the world. So, it’s only fitting that the two entities should reconvene for a label that call to mind the halcyon days rave culture for a new generation.

His early designs were bright and bold plays on familiar consumer goods graphics, ranging from Tide to Bazooka Gum, creating a tongue-in-cheek aesthetic that reflected the sample-heavy music that drove the scene. All of this helped codify the “rave”  aesthetic and established Klotz as a creative force, with his finger on the pulse of the nascent subculture that included ravers, skate-punks & tag-bangers in its milieu.

While the cliched accoutrements of the rave like multi-colored beads, dayglo shades and furry tickle-me-Elmo backpacks were as ubiquitous as everyone remembers, oversized T-shirts and baggy jeans were also de rigueur. Insomniac LTD seeks to highlight the latter and demonstrate that many of the staples silhouettes of 90s rave attire can be relevant and accessible to contemporary consumers who can’t integrate massive furry boots into their day to day fits.

Though Insomniac already provides a wide array of merch to a broad audience of “Electronic Dance Music” fans, this subdivision exists as a more informative tribute that gears towards a boutique fashion-conscious audience beyond the typical contemporary “raver”. Like the early raves of the 90s, Insomniac LTD has the timeless, underground appeal that the average EDC attendee won’t bother to notice.