John Chapman began screenprinting on thrifted apparel as a summer job in high school. So when he opened his own clothing store years later, he wasn’t learning the trade entirely from scratch.
“I retaught myself how to do the whole screen printing thing,” Chapman says. “I messed up a lot, actually. the first ones that I did, I actually burned, because the only way that I had to cure the ink was in the oven.”
Those initial bumps in the road gave way to smoother waters.
Chapman opened the Lawrence and Larimer clothing shop in 2015, and more than a decade later, he’s known around town for his collaborations with brands like Levi’s and Urban Outfitters. He’s also the brain behind iconic Denver-inspired designs, like The Colfax Athletic Club T-shirt, and a coveted Arthur Ashe sweatshirt for Black History Month.
“A lot of our items we do are very exclusive, to where it might be 25, no more than usually 50, of them. I like the exclusivity,” Chapman says.
Turns out, the exclusive nature of Lawrence and Larimer’s drops is good for business, too. For a recent collaboration with the Denver Art Museum, Chapman curated an apparel line in honor of Juneteenth. While the pop-up was supposed to be on display for at least a month, Chapman’s pieces didn’t last.
“Twenty-five of each of those items were made, and I think everything sold out in about a week and a half,” Chapman says. “I was like, ‘What? You got to be kidding me.’”
The best way to stay updated with Lawrence and Larimer’s latest designs is to follow their Instagram, @lawrenceandlarimer. You can expect new drops and collabs, and updates on public events.
“We're just kind of just really keeping the community active as much as possible, especially because we have this construction here on Colfax right here in front of the shops,” Chapman says. “It’s about looking for different ways to bring the community in and keep them coming in, and sharing our experience and stories with them.”
