Local Clothing Brand Founder Grows Global Business From LI To CA

MT. SINAI, NY—When Alec Simione was growing in Mt. Sinai, he would sit around with his friends, all fellow skateboarders, and dream about creating skateboarding companies. In fourth grade, they created mock websites with their own names, logos and designs. Now, 17 years later, Simione's life looks a lot like those childhood dreams.

His street and skatewear clothing line Critic Clothing has been sold in streetwear shops in New York and California. He ships his unique unisex products all over the world.

Simione tells Patch that he started selling shirts out of the trunk of his car at Inline 1 skate park in Mt. Sinai in 2013, and he's amazed to see how his brand has grown.

"It's certainly a humbling experience, especially sending shirts to countries I've either never heard of or countries I've dreamed of visiting. It's as if a piece of me is all over the world."

He said visiting now-closed skate park Inline 1 in Mt. Sinai when he was young was a "huge influence."

"It was great to have a place where I could share my love for skateboarding and art with others...there was always a skateboard video playing, new board graphics—to have all these different forms of art inn front of me at a such a young age was exciting."

Simione's products have been in several stores, but he says he's most proud of having a section in his alma mater Stony Brook University's book store. An e-commerce model is working for now, he says, but a brick-and-mortar store is on his list of long term goals.

He's since moved to Los Angeles and says living near the storefronts of prominent streetwear brands is inspiring, but he says, "Before I could consider opening there, I'd have to open a store on Long Island."

"It's important to remember where you're from and to try and inspire the next generation of kids in your community."