ABOUT US

Signifying Not started as a simple idea. We wanted to make art that people could enjoy in their everyday lives. Now we transform our love for the strange, whimsical, and literary into design-driven limited edition tees and unique, macabre gifts.

Inspired strongly by literature and the curiosities of the everyday world, Signifying Not uses a dark sense of humor and whimsy to create unique items that are beautiful yet macabre. It’s not just a tee, it’s a work of art that can be loved and lived in. Why does fine concept art have to stay on the walls of galleries and museums? We wanted to take those fine art ideas off the walls and into the streets. Signifying Not aims to make works of art that are beautiful but also durable enough to withstand the adventures of your life.

Signifying Not was founded in 2009 by artist/designer Summer Ortiz. The brand first arose from a lack of the kind of clothing and art that we wanted to wear ourselves. From there, it grew- and continues to grow- into something new and different all the time. We are always expanding with new products, new designs, and new directions.

Signifying Not tees are printed on American Apparel. This was an aspect we agreed was very important from the beginning. We wanted to offer our customers a product that is not only of the highest quality, but also one that was produced in a sweatshop-free environment.

Hello, I’m Summer. I make art. Some people say I am eccentric, but I prefer to think of myself as weird. I find inspiration in all things Victorian, cabinets of curiosities, forests, anatomy and medical history, original-version fairy tales, mythology, literature, vintage diagrams, animal-human creatures, and old photographs.

I love rainy days, polaroid cameras, real and imagined symbolism, and . I’m currently working as a designer and living in Dallas with my girlfriend, our dog, a library of books and all the other strange items I “rescue” and bring home.

Des is Public Arts Director and the charm of Signifying Not. At the same time she learned to walk, she learned to pick up a camera. And since then, she hasn’t stopped taking pictures. She loves her friends, family, Summer, creating, antique stores, learning new skills, and of course, photography.

In 2007, Summer met Des.

They knew right away that this was something special. They began collaborating together from the start making Christmas cards and one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family. Summer had taught herself to screen print in high school and had continued to print her own shirts and Des had been taking pictures since she was little, but it wasn’t until almost 4 years of encouragement and gentle prodding from friends, family, and admiring acquaintances that the pair finally took the leap and opened an Etsy store. From there things began to snowball and before they knew it, their 900-sq. foot apartment was being overtaken by shirts and other creations. It has been a strange and exciting journey since then and they are happier than ever.