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Overdone Clothing launches Web site, new fall line

Bobby Goodwin

Sixteen years old.

That's how old Matt Seidel is - president, designer and founder of Overdone Clothing Company, based in Columbus, Ohio.

Seidel launched Overdone's brand new Web site, (http://www.overdonecc.com), Oct. 29, simultaneously debuting his new fall line of tees and announcing the new Overdone sponsored roster, consisting of Breathe Carolina, City Lights, Disco Curtis and LoveSick Radio.

"Basically, the entire company restarted at this launch," Seidel said. "Everything besides the name 'Overdone' is brand new."

Overdone's fall line keeps it simple, featuring just four tees. "Stolen Identity," back by popular demand, was designed by Seidel during the early stages of the company and features the company's old diamond logo. Then there's three new tees: "Collage," "Scramble" and "Our Time Is Now," all done by new Overdone freelance designer Jeff Dinter, aka DesignbyJeff.

In the scene, Dinter's a big deal, having worked with bands like All Time Low and Cobra Starship. Dinter also did the new Overdone Web site and City Lights' MySpace layout (http://www.myspace.com/citylights).

Having both emerged from the Columbus scene in the last couple of years, City Lights and Overdone grew up together.

"Our relationship is more of a friendship than anything else," said City Lights lead singer Oshie Bichar. "It's just an added plus we can work together and help get our music (and) clothing to more and more people."

In fact, the two are working together right now, as City Lights is in the home stretch of their "Flirtin W/ DisasTOUR,"

presented by Overdone, ending Nov 28. In December, City Lights plans on touring with Mayday Parade, There For Tomorrow and The Dangerous Summer while they also begin writing a new album in the next couple months.

According to Bichar, as the city's music scene continues to grow, it's natural that other music related business such as Overdone have popped up - labels, studios, clothing companies, magazines, etc.

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"Columbus is a great home base for any band and an awesome scene to build a fan base because of companies like Overdone," Bichar said.

Bichar said it's been cool to see Seidel's success grow at such a young age.

"It's never too early to start hustling," Bichar said.

As for City Lights' favorite tee from Overdone's new line, they like "Our Time Is Now" the best.

But before Overdone got a makeover, Seidel had the idea to start the clothing company back in January 2008, at just 14 years old.

"I've been through a lot of different phases in my life," Seidel said. "In the months before I started Overdone I was really starting to get into high fashion. So I was like, 'Why don't I fuse fashion and music together and see what I get?' "

In the beginning, Seidel spent a lot of time brainstorming what he eventually wanted Overdone to become.

"You have to be brave," Seidel said. "I've come a long way with my company."

Besides Overdone's most recent release, Seidel had sold two lines of shirts and a hoodie, all of which are now discontinued.

When Seidel first got started, he sold shirts at shows and spread his name through word of mouth, Facebook and MySpace.

"I'm big on promotions," Seidel said. "All I've done is just hustled my thing and I just got noticed."

He got "noticed" and helped out by dudes like Tom Gutches, Attack Attack!'s tour manager and father figure to Seidel in the music scene. While on tour with Cute Is What We Aim For and Breathe Carolina in the spring of 2008, Gutches introduced Seidel to Breathe and they became friends. From there, Overdone, together with the band, talked to their managers.

"We just hooked it up," Seidel said. "(Breathe and Overdone) have got a lot of stuff in the works."

Overdone will also be announcing sponsorships with other well-established bands in the near future.

Seidel also works for Jason McMahon, president of Substream Music Press, a nationwide Alt music magazine out of Delaware, Ohio.

Substream set up a meeting with Seidel in early 2009 to talk about advertising.

"We just hit it off," Seidel said. "I'm actually a marketing intern there now. We have a huge collaborative relationship. We're planning on releasing Overdone / Substream clothing in the future. Substream is also a huge part of my life."

The two companies recently teamed up to do Overdone's back cover ad for October's Issue 17 of Substream, featuring the members of Breathe Carolina in Overdone shirts. The

issue came out the same week as Overdone's launch. Courtney Davis did all the Overdone photography, both for the models on the Web site and the Breathe Carolina shoot.

By the end of spring 2010, Seidel hopes he'll be able to pursue his career full time. He expects to graduate a year early from Thomas Worthington High School, which agreed to give him senior status, his reason for transferring from Bishop Watterson.

Seidel plans to push Overdone's fall line until the company's next release in June 2010. Besides crew neck tees, Seidel said there will be tank tops, V-necks, bracelets and more added to the new summer line.

For now, Seidel has just two employees. Miami University senior Jarvis Woodson is the general manager and 15-year-old Bishop Watterson sophomore Ali Walker does sales and promotions. Coincidentally, Walker's cousin happens to be the bassist from LoveSick Radio. Seidel, who had already planned to sponsor the band before hiring Walker, took her to one of LoveSick Radio's shows and reintroduced the two, who hadn't seen each other in years.

For this summer's upcoming Warped Tour, Seidel plans to have an Overdone tent and travel across the country meeting and hanging out with bands.

"We're going to have band signings at certain times," Seidel said. "We're planning on doing a lot more than just having a regular tent."

After Warped Tour, Seidel's short term goals for Overdone are to focus on coming out with a more diverse line of clothes and working on sponsoring more "club" tours (shows in smaller venues like The Basement in Columbus) in collaboration with Fearless records and other labels.

If Seidel wasn't still in school, he'd be on tour right now selling shirts with the Overdone bands.

"Just look out for me, cause I'll be out there," Seidel said. "My dad's not some millionaire and my sister's not in some huge band. It was me just starting local and branching out into what (Overdone) is today."


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