Where the story begins!
Two guys a girl and a t-shirt idea. That’s how it all started, over a conversation about how there aren’t any t-shirts that highlight the rich culture that comes from Africa. All of us originating from Africa, but growing up in Europe and North America, found a gap not reached by other designers. Being lovers of tees, we wanted to design t-shirts that expressed our historical and cultural landmark, while breaching the gap between our origin and what we currently call home.
The Bernos T-Shirts
These aren’t the dull, low-grade shirts you’ll find in your local stores. They are printed on the world’s finest t-shirts, American Apparel; in Los Angeles, California, in an absolutely sweatshop-free environment.
The Bernos Name
Bernos comes from the Amharic language referring to a one-piece cloak. The heavy wool “bernoose” was standard dress for Arabs who immigrated to North Africa. Many in Northwest Africa wear variations of the original design today. The Ethiopian Bernos is thick, dark and made of wool. It features a tailored point designed in the nineteenth century to accommodate and protect a rifle.
Why bernos?
Well, we chose bernos because wearing the Bernos in Ethiopia was equivalent to wearing a sheriff’s badge in the American west. It was the uniform of the Shemageles (elders), who were intimately involved in the Ethiopian justice system of the era. Shemageles were part of society’s elite, and wearing a Bernos soon became a proof of status. The robe soon inspired the Memhirans tribe and other Ethiopians of high social status. Basically if you wore the bernos, you were the man!
The Bernos Team
Dawit Kahsai: We can’t say enough good things about Dawit; he is a natural entrepreneur who brings the right mix of creative business expertise to Bernos. His role is to oversee and guide promotional initiatives for Bernos. He also appears in our photos and contributes on Bernos Blog.(Washington, DC)
Mekdem Petros: Mekdem heads the day to day operation. Mek handles anything and everything at any given moment. You can reach Mekdem at info@bernos.org. (Washington DC.)
Beshou Gedamu: Beshou is the Bernos’ beast’s beauty. She’s our model and a never-ending source of inspiration. Beshou is more than the “face” of Bernos. She also does amazing work behind the camera and provides support in countless ways. Find her on her website, beautiful mess (Philadelphia)
Nolawi Petros: Nolawi creates the eye-catching and memory-invoking designs of the Bernos T-shirts and runs the Bernos website. You can find a variety of posts from Nolawi on the Bernos Blog. (Washington, DC)
The Bernos Blog
Bernos is more than a stack of great t-shirts. The Bernos Blog is a completely public source of opinion and insight and is written by people from all walks of life. The Bernos Blog is a free speech zone in which anyone can share his or her views and thoughts. We love the idea of a free exchange of ideas, but realize that in today’s litigious world, it’s necessary to have some fine print in place. Here’s ours:
The views expressed at the Bernos Blog don’t necessarily reflect our own sentiments or beliefs. The comments and posts at the blog are the responsibility of those who write them and we don’t guarantee their accuracy or completeness. The Bernos Blog does not offer professional advice and nothing on the site should be construed as professional guidance. Bernos, LLC, disclaims any and all liability alleged to be associated with its content. Now, check out the blog and join the discussion.