Though formally founded in 2003 by South Bay surfer and artist, Andrew Sarnecki, HippyTree more accurately began at the beginning of the millennium with a twenty-one year old Sarnecki who, at the time, sported waist-length dreads and a car fully equipped with spray-paint cans, surfboard, and a camera. ‘Hippy,’ the name Sarnecki’s friends fittingly called him, also marked his half-ironic graffiti moniker. With a tag where the “i” in Hippy appeared in the image of a tree, the foundation and original logo of HippyTree was being paved before the vision was even realized.
Along with freight train graffiti, Sarnecki was – and still is to this day – an avid surf photographer. Out of frustration with the bureaucracy of publishing his photos in major surf publications, he began designing and printing his own mini-surf magazines entitled, “South Bay.” He distributed these publications for free to friends and local surf shops. After publishing two South Bay surf booklets and constant inquires regarding further goods, Sarnecki decided to try and sell a South Bay wall calendar together with a t-shirt, tidebook and sticker. He set up an ad hoc business out of his bedroom in Hermosa Beach and released the items under the name HippyTree. Within a matter of months Sarnecki completely sold out of the 1000 calendars and 100 t-shirts. HippyTree was born.
HippyTree today is a surf and climbing based, eco-conscious label that designs, manufactures and distributes superior goods to open-minded individuals. From apparel to provocative print media, HippyTree challenges the industry standard in design and communication by exploring new possibilities in the artist-label-consumer relationship. In addition to providing high quality products, HippyTree believes in generating a meaningful exchange with the community that transcends the current status quo. A multidimensional label that both visually and conceptually confronts all available spaces, from the environment to the mind.
