University of Puget Sound junior Juan Peal has become a renowned fashion icon on campus, and it’s all thanks to Kickstarter.
Kickstarter is a program meant to foster financial support for young artists, whether it is to record their first album or pay for art supplies. People post their cause online by city and anyone who visits the website is allowed to donate to causes.
Previous successes include funding the Blue Mouse Theater to go digital and the smash science fiction/comedy film Unidentified Flying Assholes.
Juan, on the other hand, has found a way to make this system work in favor of his wardrobe.
“I wanted to tap into the relatively unknown, ‘single girls who want a boyfriend to play dress up with’ demographic. You’d be surprised how much disposable money they have,” Juan said of his motives.
Juan set up an account titled ‘Boy Meets Closet’ and was open for business. Juan has since received thousands of dollars worth of donations to help him build the perfect wardrobe. In fact, Juan has raised more money to put towards neon orange striped sweatshirts and University of Michigan pajama bottoms than the Tacoma Union Station project and the 7th Street organic food program combined.
“They think I’m buying blazers and skinny jeans,” Juan said. “But really I spend most of it on nachos and socks.”
Boy Meets Closet’s popularity has soared almost as quickly as Juan’s notoriety on campus as a fashionista. Now Boy Meets Closet is the second most popular project on the site, second only to a Cats in Bowties art installation in Portland, Ore. That project is exactly what it sounds like.
Kickstarter has yet to apply any enforcement on Juan, which has fueled his confidence. Juan plans to expand into the hand-painted pottery market claiming, “Old people love that shit.”
