Independent Artist Revolutionizes Your Waist Line With Obscure Belts

Innovation is the one word I would use to describe Obscure Belts’ line of designs. Founded by sculptor, Bryan Schultz, Obscure Belts has become one of the most creative belt buckle lines to come out in recent years. 

From the tweaked out rotating design of the Dial to the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics of the Osiris buckle, Schultz has shown his wide range of inspirations for his art.   

“I have always liked mechanical devices, architecture, scuplture, and drawing,” said Schultz. “I think that constantly observing the world I live in inspires me to create new art.”

Schultz’s ideas are driven by his vision and not by what certain markets are asking for during a certain trend.

“As an artist, I create the belts as my artwork, and I don’t change my vision for anything,” Schultz added. “I think as an artist if you start to change your ideas or think, “what will be more marketable, or what do I think people would buy more of,” you lose yourself, and you will eventually lose the creative drive inside you.”

Schultz decided to wear his artwork after producing a handmade belt out of metal scraps and an old belt strap.

“After wearing my homemade belt to a few parties a few friends really liked it and wanted me to make them one, ” Schultz remarked. “It started from there.”

The Kenosha, Wisc. native started out the business as a “handmade” belt company, but found it difficult to make an entire belt after the first year.

“I work closely with a factory now to make the buckles and we handcut the leather and assemble them ourselves,” Schultz said.

The first big step for the company was the first festival that Schultz purchased a table at in Chicago. That was the first time the general public viewed the men’s belt line.

“It was a 2 day event and after a long first day we were selling out,” said Schultz. “Four of us had to drive back to our workshop and work all night to make more belts.”

“The response was overwhelming.”

The company expanded its venture to release a clothing line, but lost focus of their main product.

“We started to expand into t-shirts and hats, but began to lose focus, which was belts,” Schultz explained. “For now, we will focus 100% on creating belts.”

Schultz plans on touring around the nation to expand the markets where his products are sold.

“We will most likely do festivals around the United States next summer, as we did this summer,” said the artist. “After that, we plan to move up to the big trade shows in Las Vegas and New York.

Obscure will be launching 3 or 4 new buckles in early 2009 and are in the early stages of creating the prototypes.

“Over the next few months I will draw hundreds of ideas for buckles and make fifty to a hundred wooden buckles to study the shapes and function,” stated Schultz. “I believe these new buckles will absolutely blow people away.”

About the Author

Noe Pacheco is the Editor @ Gighive.com

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