Streetwear Catch-Up Session: IVP Designs + GIVEAWAY!

Article written by: Asmara Wreksono
Posted on: March 12, 2010

IVP Designs GIVEAWAY!!

We’ve got 2 Coleman Creative Writing T-shirts from the IVP Designs Collection  via a “SoJones Article Comments Lottery”. Here’s how it works:

1. Every SoJones comment posted on this page from March 12, 2010 to March 19, 2010 counts as a “lottery entry”. Also make sure when you comment, have a link to somewhere we can contact you (like your SoJones account, your facebook, etc.). It makes it easier to contact you if you win.
2. Drawing for TWO winners will be held on March 20th. Winners will be announced on this page and on the forums page (http://www.sojones.com/forums/).

Article Comments Lottery Rules

* One item per winner
* Duplicate comments will not count, like posting “I love this forum” or “hi” 50 times.
* Garbage or nonsensical comments will not count, like “awr#$ASFasdfkl”
* Comments hating on other people will definitely NOT count.
* U.S. residents only

SoJones.com has covered one too many up-and-coming streetwear labels and once a label is featured here, it becomes part of the SoJones family.  Last year SoJones introduced you to IVP Designs, a streetwear company which draws its inspirations from the life in prison.  Formed by former inmate, L.T. Deaton, IVP which stands for a French acronym: “Inspire par la Vie Prisonniere” the clothing line gained quite a wide fan base in a short time due to the meaningful causes they stand for.  SoJones catches up with L.T. Deaton to see what’s cooking in IVP Designs’ kitchen.

What’s up IVP? What have you guys been up to?
We’ve been really pushing the brand and concentrating on raising awareness about George Martorano. The Coleman tee has been really well received and we plan to print new ones for summer. We have some new people working with us and they’ve brought a lot to the table. My partners and I have been working extremely hard on branding IVP and taking it into new markets.

So we’ve heard news that you’re raising awareness of George Martorano through your Coleman Creative Writing tees. Who’s George and what are you trying to promote through the Coleman Creative Writing t-shirts?
George Martorano is currently in his 27th year at FCI Coleman, doing life-without-parole for a first-time, non-violent crime. We believe this is one of the great injustices in American history. While locked up George has been a model prisoner, he has written many books and teaches creative writing to fellow inmates. To keep him locked up forever is a waste of tax dollars and a waste of a human life. Our goal is get people to write to Attorney General Holder or President Obama requesting George be pardoned or have his sentence commuted. And we are hoping media sites like SoJones.com will help us get the word out. George also happens to be the cousin of world-famous restaurateur Steve Martorano. Steve has been a great supporter of this cause and his help has been invaluable.

What are you seeking to do with the proceeds of this Coleman Creative Writing t-shirts?
As a former inmate I founded IVP in part so I could give back for the second chance at life that I got. So we did not create this design for the money and we are donating most of the Coleman Creative Writing tees we’ve made to media outlets like yours but also other charities that work for prisoner rights. For example, we are working very closely with the We Believe Group on this project. WeBelieveGroup.com along with FreeGeorge.com are the main organizations dedicated to freeing George. I highly encourage everyone to go to these websites and support what they’re doing. Of course we are also selling the Coleman tees on our web site. And as always a portion of our profits will go to various prisoner rights groups.

What will be the next hot thing from IVP Designs? Any leak from your Fall 2010 collection, perhaps?
I’m very excited to announce we will be doing several collaborations this year, including a collaboration with one of the most influential sneaker boutiques in the country. They have asked us to collaborate on a tee to celebrate their 4-year anniversary. The design will be extremely limited and I think the public will love the design we’ve come up with. We are also doing a tie-in with a European gambling company that fell in love with our brand. That deal should be announced in a few weeks. It will be huge for us. You’re also going to see IVP really diversifying our product line for fall 2010 with other types of clothing and other items. Same genre, just stepped our game up.

In your last interview with us, you mentioned that you’d love to collaborate with rapper T.I. How’s that coming?

It’s extremely tough to set up a collaboration or any form of joint venture while the other party is incarcerated. I’m sure that after he gets off house-arrest we will reach out to the people in his camp about doing something together.

Looks like you’ve gained a great rep over the past few months -and a fresh batch of fans too! Is there anything you wanna say to your fans?
Just to please keep supporting IVP. What we’re trying to do is change the world and make it a better place. Bring justice to the injustices of the world and to raise awareness of issues that don’t get much attention. When I leave this world, I want to know that IVP did everything possible to make this world a better place…

You heard the man, SoJones readers, and you can help make this world a better place by supporting George Martorano and getting the Coleman Creative Writing T-Shirt, available for $36.00 at ivpdesigns.com.