Blog
2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE November 22 2015
De-stress your Christmas shopping with these Kill Hubris essentials — all under $40. And, don't forget, orders of $75 or more ship free to U.S. destinations.
For the Art Lover
Shirt Nine ($32) brings Surrealism to the Rat Pack.
For the Americana Lover
Shirt Twelve ($32) features iconic, college-inspired typography.
For the Loungewear Lover
Our premium, 100% cotton Washed Basics Pocket Tees ($30 each) are perfect for everything from layering to #netflixandchill. Available in two (2) seasonal colors.
For the Sports Fanatic
The Kill Hubris Champion Raglans ($37.50 each) are tried-and-true fall classics. Available in two (2) color combinations.
And the wool felt Traditional Pennant ($24) is a nostalgic finishing touch for any bedroom, media room, or home office.
For the Well-Appointed Coffee Table
The leather Latin Coasters ($30 per set of 4) bear the Kill Hubris motto, "Confidence + Humility = Grace," translated into Latin.
*A fan favorite, this motto also appears on Shirt Ten and the Latin Mug (below).
For the Coffee Connoisseur
Pick up the sturdy, 15-oz. Latin Mug ($12.50);
Or the equally-sturdy, 15-oz. Modern Pennant Mug ($12.50).
For more options (or to be sure you cross the free-domestic-shipping threshold), browse all Kill Hubris products here.
Happy Holidays!
-Sam
LATIN COASTERS NOW AVAILABLE November 13 2015
The Latin Coasters ($30 per set of 4) are now available in the KH Shop.
These 12-oz. bridle leather coasters were made for Kill Hubris by Loyal Stricklin in Opelika, Alabama, and each features the Kill Hubris motto, "Confidence + Humility = Grace," translated into Latin.
All Latin Coaster orders through November 30, 2015, will include one (1) free Latin Mug (while supplies last).
Have at 'em.
-Sam
LATIN COASTERS October 29 2015
More home goods are in the pipeline - Latin Coasters made of black bridle leather.
-Sam
NEW CHAMPION RAGLAN NOW AVAILABLE October 06 2015
A new Kill Hubris Champion Raglan ($37.50) is now available, just in time for the MLB postseason.
Check out all new releases, including this Champion Raglan, here.
-Sam
NEW CHAMPION RAGLAN October 05 2015
With the MLB postseason imminent, tomorrow seems an appropriate day to release a new Champion Raglan.
-Sam
WASHED BASICS POCKET TEES NOW AVAILABLE October 02 2015
Check out all of the newest KH releases, including the Washed Basics Pocket Tees, here.
-Sam
WASHED BASICS POCKET TEES October 01 2015
The Washed Basics Pocket Tees will release tomorrow at noon Central in the KH Shop. Each Pocket Tee is 100% cotton, tagless, and features a pocket at left chest and woven label hand-sewn at bottom hem.
Colors available will be: Washed Eggplant
and Washed Teal.
Prepare yourselves for a cascade of Instagram reminders making use of the eggplant emoji.
-Sam
RARE YOUTUBE REDEEMING QUALITY - "JESUS HITS LIKE THE ATOM BOMB" September 06 2015
Arnold McCuller, Bobby King, Terry Evans, and Willie Green, Jr., bring the cold-war gospel.
From Les Blank's "Ry Cooder & The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have A Ball," shot at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA, on March 25, 1987.
The Soul Stirrers also recorded this tune, but the above arrangement is closer to that of The Pilgrim Travelers.
-Sam
END-OF-SUMMER SALE August 21 2015
We've marked down several products for a limited time, including:
The Vintage Ballcap by Ebbets Field Flannels (25% off)
The Traditional Pennant by Oxford Pennant (20% off)
The Anniversary Bracelet by Good Wood NYC (25% off)
And Art House One (aka "Locals Only") by Heather Abbott (also 25% off).
Sale pricing will be honored through September 23, 2015 (the first day of Fall); no discount code is necessary. Take advantage here.
-Sam
TAX-FREE WEEKEND; FREE SHIPPING August 06 2015
Texas' Tax-Free Weekend begins tomorrow and ends Sunday. During that time, all U.S. orders (not just those from Texas) also ship free with code "BACKTOSCHOOL" at checkout.
Take advantage here.
-Sam
RARE YOUTUBE REDEEMING QUALITY - "DARK END OF THE STREET" August 05 2015
Eldrich King, Terry Evans, and Bobby King, ladies and gentlemen...
From BBC2's The Old Grey Whistle Test. Year unknown.
-Sam
LATIN MUG NOW AVAILABLE July 21 2015
The Latin Mug ($12.50) is now available in our online store.
This sturdy 15-oz. ceramic mug features the Kill Hubris motto, "Confidence + Humility = Grace," translated into Latin. A fan favorite, the Latin motto also appears on Shirt Ten.
Be sure to check out all the newest & most popular Kill Hubris releases, including both the Latin Mug and Shirt Ten, here.
-Sam
DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY - SHIRT SIX June 22 2015
Shirt Six first came about as a way to point up the connection between the brand name and the expression "eating humble pie." I was planning a trip to Chicago at the time, which brought to mind the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the original Ferris Wheel.
(Image credit: Wikipedia)
And with the Iron Man 2 Blu-ray also on a constant loop in the background, it didn't take long to arrive at the idea of a food tent at a public festival.
(Image credit: Stark Expo; color inspiration speaks for itself)
Shirt Six bears the most purposefully-playful Kill Hubris design to date. As the concept developed, I felt a light-hearted presentation was important to offset the weighty centerpiece - the Wheel of Fortune. In ancient Greek and Roman times, Fortune was considered fickle. The goddess spun the Wheel to unpredictable results. Not being a subscriber to coincidence, I prefer to believe that it is possible to make your own luck through hard work and treating others as you'd like to be treated. People notice. Positivity radiates.
Aside from the introduction of humble pie into the Kill Hubris parlance, there are several other brand-specific symbols:
- The use of a hot-air balloon for big-headedness;
- The clown literally playing with fire; and
-
The recurrence of Shirt Three's self-aware elephant.
Bringing balance to this elaborate design while simultaneously watching it come to life was exhilarating, and I'd like to thank Alex Lopez for his hard work.
-Sam
*Purchase Shirt Six here.
JACK FREEMAN SHOWING OUT IN THE VINTAGE BALLCAP April 17 2015
Jack Freeman showing out on Delo's hook (and giving the Vintage Ballcap a cameo). NSFW.
-Sam
STREET ART - VANCOUVER March 21 2015
Late find. Timely commentary.
(Nobody Likes Me by @iheartstencils)
-Sam
DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY - SHIRT TWO March 20 2015
I majored in English Literature in college. Latin and Greek were my foreign-language credits. Bulfinch, Hamilton, and Campbell have been on my nightstand for years.
Shirt Two is my love letter to the role of mythology in storytelling.
Although Cupid is often used in pop culture as a mischievous remedy for unrequited love, many of his myths are darker than you might expect. In "Cupid and Psyche," for example, his mother (Venus, the goddess of Love) tried to use him to punish a mortal whose beauty offended her. Unsurprisingly, her plan backfired. Literary tradition aside, most people are familiar enough with "Valentine's Day" Cupid to know that his lovestruck subjects are unable to focus on anything (or anyone) other than the object of their desire - an exaggerated reaction used to great dramatic or comedic effect (and sometimes both).
For the purposes of Shirt Two, however, I chose to interpret Cupid's function more in line with Kill Hubris philosophy. Cupid has long struck me as an ironic expression of the importance of selflessness in romantic relationships, and this design stands for the proposition that it is our responsibility to be self-aware enough to know that the world doesn't revolve around us. Further, with self-awareness comes the opportunity to self-correct (figuratively, a self-inflicted Cupid wound); thus the tagline, "To truly love, you have to think of more than yourself. Cupid can help."
On a historical note, the currently-available version of Shirt Two is a reboot of an earlier release that featured the same classical art (which I love) but also bore the brand name (in a font I grew to hate). Shirts One, Two, Three, and Four were all released at the same time and, because the full brand name didn't appear on any of the others, I felt pressure to include it with Cupid. Unfortunately, I chose the font before I was aware of how commonplace it was (irritatingly, almost always alongside bad design).
This is the version that should have been all along.
-Sam
*Buy Shirt Two here.
KILL HUBRIS TRAVELS - MEMPHIS, TN March 13 2015
A few of my favorite sights from recent Memphis trips, in no particular order.
View of both the Hernando de Soto Bridge and the Mississippi River from the rooftop of the Peabody Hotel.
The neon of Beale Street, looking uncharacteristically dim on an overcast afternoon.
Al Green's church, established 5 days after I was born.
Intimate Elvis Costello solo show at Minglewood Hall, closed out with 14 songs across 3 separate encores.
Stax Records, home of Otis Redding and the Staple Singers.
Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, and Howlin' Wolf recorded here.
Slow-smoked pork BBQ Nachos from Central BBQ.
Memphis is highly recommended.
-Sam
DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY - SHIRT NINE March 06 2015
I hold effective use of allusion in high regard. If successful, it rewards those who detect the reference to another work but doesn't detract from the experience of those who may not. Like an Easter egg on a Blu-ray disc. By design, the name "Kill Hubris" offers plenty of Easter-egg-planting opportunities, and Shirt Nine contains several (with a splash of recurring symbolism for good measure).
In general, this design came about because I wanted to experiment with Surrealism - the juxtaposition of the familiar with the bizarre and dreamlike. Rene Magritte's The Son of Man was one of the works that opened my eyes to visual Surrealism and was the more specific inciting inspiration for Shirt Nine.
The films of Tim Burton were also on my mind at the time, particularly Sleepy Hollow. Surprisingly, H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man was not, but I obsessed over this vintage poster at a bookstore in Memphis recently when it reminded me of the similarities, both to The Son of Man and the finished Shirt Nine. Science fiction and Surrealism have much in common.
I've also been a fan of the Rat Pack since I was old enough to appreciate the similarities between my maternal grandfather and Dean Martin. Confident yet affable. Fun. Smooth. Effortlessly cool. (Pockey also loved velour track suits, which may too be hereditary.) Shirt Nine's tailored black suit, undone top button, slim tie, and tie bar are a nod to them... and him.
A bit of KH symbolism also recurs - the balloon representing big-headedness. If you've read up on the Brand Philosophy, you know that I view arrogance as an obstacle - ironically, one we place in our own paths and whose removal is therefore within our control. Having the balloon leashed to the subject by a ribbon is meant to convey that, while our ego sometimes over-inflates our sense of self-importance, its effects on (a) how we view ourselves and (b) our interactions with the world are indeed within our control. In short, true cool doesn't get carried away.
Having the ego leashed is also a play on my good-luck song, "I've Got The World On A String" by Louis Prima. Coincidentally, there's a Rat Pack version as well.
To my great satisfaction, this design turned out exactly as it looked in my head and I'm grateful to Jeremy Biggers for the patience and sure hand that helped bring it to life.
-Sam
PS - Grab one of your own here.
STICKER PACKS REPLENISHED March 01 2015
Elephant mascot and American flag logo stickers have been replenished, among others. Receive a handful with your order of any Kill Hubris product or pick up a Sticker Pack while supplies last.
DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY REVIVED February 23 2015
If you approached me on the street and asked me about Kill Hubris, no doubt I'd have a fair bit to say. But I'm terrible about blogging.
So, as an exercise in self-correction, I'm reviving the Director's Commentary series and putting myself on a weekly blogging regimen. Each week, I'll talk inspirations, evolutions, and processes of notable Kill Hubris product designs - beginning next week with Shirt Nine.
For anyone who missed out or enjoys a refreshed memory, Shirts One and Four were covered some time ago.
Talk soon.
-Sam
INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY - KILL HUBRIS CHAMPION RAGLAN February 09 2015
The rules are simple:
1) Follow Kill Hubris on Instagram (@killhubris); and
2) Like at least one of the contest-announcement posts featuring the Raglan. At least one will be posted per day, beginning today.
All entrants' names will go into a hat and the winner will be drawn and announced on Monday, February 16th. Once announced, the winner will have 24 hours to respond with contact info and size or another name will be drawn.
Good luck and spread the word!
UPDATE (02/16/15) - Pierre Ortega Diaz (@portega0703) was the winner. Congrats Pierre!
-Sam
FAVORITE PRODUCT SHOT OF 2014 January 10 2015
Texture of the Traditional Pennant, captured by Graham Alexander.
-Sam
MERRY CHRISTMAS! December 24 2014
Wishing everyone the merriest of Christmases and meaningful time with loved ones.
-Sam
FALL 2014 LOOKBOOK December 12 2014
You've probably noticed our site makeover by now, but be sure to browse on your phone/tablet too, as it's far more mobile-friendly.
Oh, and, in case you missed it, Kill Hubris' Fall 2014 Lookbook can be found here.
-Sam
KILL HUBRIS CHAMPION RAGLAN NOW AVAILABLE December 06 2014
The Kill Hubris Champion Raglan ($37.50) released at noon Central today.
This tagless baseball tee features 3/4-length sleeves, a woven "Kill Hubris Athletics" label, and a Champion "C" logo applique.
Check out all new KH releases, including the Champion Raglan, here.
-Sam
FALL 2014 RELEASES December 03 2014
Five new products are available in the KH Shop this holiday season, several of which are connected by an Americana theme. The sixth and final Fall 2014 release will be the Champion Raglan, available at noon Central on Saturday, December 6th.
Shirt Eleven is another patriotic rendition of the Kill Hubris logo, this time in the stark, contrasting colors of winter.
Shirt Twelve continues the Americana theme with college-inspired typography.
The Champion Raglan is an Oxford Grey and Navy 3/4-sleeve baseball tee featuring a woven "Kill Hubris Athletics" label and Champion "C" logo applique.
On the Accessories side, the 7" x 21" Traditional Pennant by Oxford Pennant was hand-crafted in Buffalo, NY, from wool felt.
And the Logo Lapel Pin is self-explanatory.
Finally, Shirt Two got a text-free reboot.
-Sam
RESTOCK August 25 2014
Shirts Four, Nine, and Ten have been restocked.
Shirt Ten's restock includes both original colors (Denim Blue and Nautical Red).
-Sam
STAX RECORDS April 30 2014
Heard through the grapevine that David Porter (top right), the former in-house songwriter for legendary Stax Records in Memphis who co-wrote Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'," "Soul Man," "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby," and "I Thank You," with Isaac Hayes (bottom left), picked up Shirt Four this past weekend at Lansky 126.
Don't really know what to do with myself right now.
-Sam
VINTAGE BALLCAP NOW AVAILABLE April 26 2014
The excessively-Instagrammed Vintage Ballcap ($40) released at noon Central today.
Produced for Kill Hubris by Ebbets Field Flannels, each 6-panel, fitted Vintage Ballcap was hand-made in the United States from genuine burgundy wool baseball fabric. Details include:
- Cream felt lettering;
- Standard 3" bill with green satin underbrim; and
- Tonal button, eyelets, and stitching.
See all recently-released products, including the Vintage Ballcap, here.
-Sam
