Who's Who in Newark

An array of brightly-colored sweatshirts, T-shirts, hats, shorts and sweatpants are scattered throughout the basement. All are hand-sewn and made-to-order, individually crafted and unique.

These eccentric pieces are part of East Coast Normal, the surfboard clothing company created by sophomore Lindsey Pollard in 2004.

Pollard said she conceived the idea for the company from a project for her design class at Newark High School.

"I had to come up with a brand and make stationery for it," she said. "I just took it from there."

Pollard said she creates designs with fabric and paint for her shirts, and include the company logo, ECN. Prices for the surf-style clothes range from $12 for a produced T-shirt to $65 for a patchwork sweatshirt. Customers pick out a design they like best, the color of the garment's base and colors of the fabric or paint.

"So far, everything is different from the other because every person is different," she said. "Some designs are made for certain people and some are picked out from stuff we've already designed."

Pollard began making the clothes approximately one-and-a-half years ago and works on them for several hours per day. Even though she oversees all the designs and makes all the company decisions, a few friends come over to her basement several nights per week to sew and design with her, she said.

"It's my own mini-sweatshop," Pollard said. "Everything is hand-sewn - I've never used a sewing machine in my life. I do have a friend who uses a sewing machine to install zippers and do shorts."

She said she finds inspiration for ECN from observing her friends' styles and blending them with her own personal taste. She also loves to draw and paint, adding to the artistry of her designs.

The beach is another source of inspiration for ECN designs, Pollard said. She lived in Rehoboth Beach, Del. for the past two summers and has enjoyed surfing there for the past four years.

Pollard said she tries to incorporate the beauty of the waves in her designs.

"The colors are so tight, that's probably why I like the colors on the clothes too," she said.

Sophomore Natalina Rager said everyone, not just surfers, can appreciate the clothing style.

"It's versatile, anyone can wear it because it's custom," Rager said.

She said she knows Pollard through mutual friends and recently purchased a custom sweatshirt from her.

"I just hung out with her one night and she was showing me some of her stuff at her house, and I was really impressed," Rager said.

Pollard said she considered majoring in apparel design, however her parents did not approve because they were unsure of potential jobs in that field. She is an agribusiness major, part of the food and resource economics department. She is combining her apparel design skills with business skills from her major.

"She works so hard at what she does," Rager said. "She makes it a business for herself."

This summer, ECN will be sold at Odysea, the store at Rehoboth Beach where Pollard has worked the past two summers. She is also hosting a free fashion show and barbecue at the end of July. Pollard said she hopes both of these ventures will get more people interested and involved with the board company.

She hopes to acquire a sponsor and mass-produce her clothes in the future.

"I want it to get big but still stick to how we started as being something different and unique," Pollard said.

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