All about Three KC, the new Kansas City T-shirt brand Jason Sudeikis wore to Big Slick
Three KC is a new Kansas City clothing company started this year by Brendan Curran. He recently had one of those moments that you dream about your entire life. Something that he made ended up on a huge celebrity, on a giant stage, surrounded by other massive celebrities. Look at that photo up top again, that’s from Big Slick 2019 and Jason Sudeikis is wearing his shirt, while standing next to and singing along with his longtime girlfriend, actor and director Olivia Wilde and megastar Selena Gomez. It was quite a moment, and to top it off, those celebs raised over $2.5 million for Children’s Mercy that night.
Curran tells us that the brand was inspired by the “three kings” of Kansas City: Barbecue, the Royals and the Chiefs. Or as Three KC puts it, “Que,” “Crown” and “Arrow.”
Curran is a high school statistics and digital design teacher who also coaches basketball. He’s also a husband and father to three boys.
1. What inspires you and your work?
I love sports, barbecue and Kansas City. A majority of Kansas Citians have strongs feelings for each of those. My lifelong love of sports uniforms, sneakers, and signs also inspires a lot of what I create.
2. Are makers doers or dreamers?
Doing without dreaming is just doing, which is sometimes necessary. When the doers are also dreamers, it defines creativity.
3. What invention/product do you wish you would have created?
Nike Air. Not the actual Nike brand, but the air bubble. Practical and comfortable. It seems it would have been good financially and also helped me in having all the sneakers I wish I had.
4. What is the worst invention/product still embraced by modern society?
The Coors Light cans with mountains that turn blue when the can is cold. I have had an issue with this for quite some time. If I’m going to drink a beer and want to know if it’s cold, I would be holding the can in my hand which will actually let me know whether or not it’s cold. It’s not the only reason, but a reason I don’t typically drink Coors Light. Thanks for asking, I’ve wanted to get that off my chest.
5. If you could sit down and have a drink with any person in your industry, who would it be and why?
John Bosley of Bozz Prints. He’s out of Iowa but does a lot of great Kansas City designs and seems to have the same affinity for Nike sneakers that I do. I love his artwork, he just makes cool stuff. Simple designs, but great colors and completely Midwest.
6. What do you love most about the Maker Movement happening in Kansas City right now?
As I’ve explored starting my own KC brand, every person I’ve reached out to has been encouraging and helpful. It’s so Kansas City of them. There are a lot of KC makers that seem interested in the entire KC maker community doing well. I love it.
7. Who or what is another maker in Kansas City that you’re impressed and inspired by?
Charlie Hustle seems to be in a class of its own when it comes to Kansas City T-shirts. They were the first brand I was consciously aware of making KC-specific designs that I started to see all over town and have continued to be the gold standard in my opinion. But there are so many great brands right now!
8. What Kansas City creation/icon best reflects our makers’ community?
From a KC T-shirt perspective, Charlie Hustle’s KC Heart shirt seems to be the one that started and inspired a lot of the KC T-shirt brands. It’s a simple, yet really solid shirt that you still see all over town.
9. If you could ask people to do just one thing to support the Maker Movement, what would you ask or tell them?
Buy local! As I have jumped into having my own KC brand, I have found so many others local designers making great stuff! Why buy the big brand names when we have our own local people making great stuff?
Keep up with Three KC on the web: