{"id":16577,"date":"2022-01-01T19:00:16","date_gmt":"2022-01-02T00:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackfashioncanada.ca\/database\/?post_type=cpt_portfolio&p=13685"},"modified":"2026-07-08T19:47:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T23:47:58","slug":"adrian-aitcheson","status":"publish","type":"cpt_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/blackfashioncanada.ca\/database\/profiles\/adrian-aitcheson\/","title":{"rendered":"Adrian Aitcheson"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t

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Jacob Mariion<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Highlights<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Scarborough-born designer Adrian Aitcheson turned his streetwise label Too Black Guys into a pioneering force, creating unforgettable moments like Mary J. Blige\u2019s \u201cReal Love\u201d jersey cameo.<\/li>\r\n \t
He built a career that stretched from basement \u201cTupperware party\u201d sales to major collaborations with OVO, Roots and Canada\u2019s Olympic team.<\/li>\r\n \t
Determined that \u201cbeing the first isn\u2019t enough,\u201d he\u2019s focused on wedging the door open for young creators of colour in fashion.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/span><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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In 1992, Mary J. Blige made a bold statement in her \u201cReal Love\u201d music video when she sported a Too Black Guys (TBG) baseball jersey with \u201cTORONTO\u201d emblazoned on the front. This iconic moment not only paid homage to Toronto\u2019s distinct fashion identity but also thrust Adrian Aitcheson\u2019s brand onto a global stage.<\/p>
Reflecting on this pivotal event, Aitcheson recalls, \u201cWe didn\u2019t orchestrate it as a clever, masterful operation. I believe her stylist purchased the jersey at a store, Triple Five Soul, in New York, where our products were being sold at the time. That\u2019s as much of the story as we\u2019ve pieced together.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Early Life and Career<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Aitcheson grew up in Scarborough, attending Neil McNeil High School and Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute. Like many children of immigrants, his parents envisioned him pursuing a career in academia or law.<\/p>
Initially, he pursued political science before switching to economics, believing it offered a stronger foundation for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment within the community.<\/p>
While Aitcheson didn\u2019t pursue a career in economics, he learned valuable lessons about maximizing income and entrepreneurial freedom.\u00a0He was hooked on starting a business that could unite his community and empower local youth.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mary J. Blige wearing jersey by Too Black Guys<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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THE SOURCE magazine, November 1991.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Adrian helped create the vision behind OVO apparel worn by youth of our culture. For the next generation, especially youth of colour, he has demonstrated success and reimagined previously recognized barriers of race.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In 1990, Aitcheson and business partners Robert Osborne and Linda Amoroso launched Too Black Guys in the basement of Third World Books, a historic hub of Black literature and art. They started hosting informal “Tupperware Parties,” where invited friends and members of the community would gather, socialize, and model clothing from the TBG brand.\u00a0 Their first collection, featuring custom t-shirts with branded labels quickly set them apart.<\/p>
Despite obstacles, Aitcheson persisted, crafting a fashion legacy inspired by Canada. Over time, his portfolio expanded to include collaborations with prominent brands such as Drake\u2019s clothing brand October\u2019s Very Own (OVO), Roots, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 2010 Canadian Olympic team.<\/p>
His design for the Canadian Olympic team\u2019s uniforms incorporated toques, parkas, buffalo plaid and hand-knit sweaters. Aitcheson aimed to encapsulate Canadian fashion\u2019s essence, fostering national pride amongst athletes and citizens. He stresses the importance of authentically representing community values in every project he undertakes.<\/p>
Across all endeavours, Aitcheson is committed to, \u201cuniform-ing his communities,\u201d a principle evident in every business venture and embraced by his collaborators.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Fashion and Diversity<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cA kid from Scarborough wasn\u2019t supposed to be this guy,\u201d reflects Aitcheson, underscoring his unconventional path to success. \u201cThe world wasn\u2019t set up for me to have done the things that I\u2019ve done in Canada.\u201d<\/p>
The lack of representation in Canada\u2019s fashion industry during his youth fueled Aitcheson\u2019s determination to become a role model for youth of colour.<\/p>
Aitcheson credits social media for amplifying diversity in creative industries today. Access to the internet and various platforms empowers individuals of all backgrounds to express creativity and build communities.<\/p>
Establishing a retail store or launching a fashion line like TBG was once prohibitively expensive, but social media has democratized access, enabling instant global reach and connection.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Help us cite these images if you know more about them\u2192<\/a><\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Influence and Legacy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Aitcheson has significantly influenced the Canadian fashion industry. Throughout his career, he has redefined design and broken down barriers that once limited and restricted people of colour working in fashion.<\/p>
Too Black Guys left a lasting effect on how modern streetwear brands operate. \u201cThe hip-hop fashion identity first started with TBG,\u201d states Craig Mannix,\u00a0 Vice President of Black music at Universal Music Canada. He recalls how Aitcheson elevated styles already popular in hip-hop culture. \u201cIt’s not just about ordinary t-shirts or sweatshirts,” he explains. “He was all about sourcing good quality fleece, the type of stitching and cutting his own shirts.\u201d<\/p>
Former OVO logistics coordinator Ralph Noveloso has praise for Aitcheson\u2019s influence on fashion and Canadian youth. \u201cAdrian helped create the vision behind OVO apparel, worn by youth of our culture. For the next generation, especially youth of colour, he has demonstrated success and reimagined previously recognized barriers of race,\u201d he notes.<\/p>
Aitcheson believes that, \u201cBeing the first isn\u2019t enough. You have to wedge the door [open] behind you.\u201d Beyond personal success, his legacy aims to create opportunities for Canadian youth, fostering accessibility, diversity and inclusion for people of colour.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The lack of representation in Canada\u2019s fashion industry during his youth fueled Aitcheson\u2019s determination to become a role model for youth of colour.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Archive of images at BFC:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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8<\/span>Comments<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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