Lisa Marie Fuog • T-Shirt Artist
Lisa Marie Fuog's T-shirt designs spring from a desire
to reach kids through positive social impact and
expression. She and her partner co-own their company
Riktrwear. Using the mottoes “Aren't you sick & tired of your same old T-shirt?” and “Express
yourself, Respect yourself,” they
have developed four lines of
clothing and accessories: Chicwear,
Piercedwear, Tattoowear and Surfwear.
Passing a girl on the street one day who was wearing derogatory slang
across the front of her T-shirt, Fuog reflected that women and young
girls are still objectified by society and inundated with negative
social messages. Her desire was to create a line of clothing to help
kids express themselves in a positive way with trendy fashions that
were free of destructive social messages.
Inspired by her love of the ocean and the variety of slang kids use,
she creates four-color process T-shirts, caps, sweatshirts and accessories
featuring positive slang terms. (They are not produced in sweatshops.)
Coming here from Illinois via San Diego , she fell in love with the
small town, unhurried pace of Carpinteria and received a degree in
communications at UCSB. She loves water related sports, horseback
riding, tennis and walking her dog Sadi on the bluffs.
After 15 years as a human resources director in corporate America
, she has chosen to make her business a caring place where people's
individuality is encouraged and the quality of their lives and lifestyles
have value.
Fuog belongs to the Zoo Volunteer committee, Volunteer Junior Achievements
of Santa Barbara and Women's Economic Ventures, among other nonprofits.
She is waiting to see if she will be able to adopt a beagle rescued
from Hurricane Katrina.
Fuog can be reached at CCA on Thursdays or at riktr.com.