Howler Brothers is back.
Two years ago, the Texas-based trio behind the Howler Brothers clothing line – which includes a pair of University of Virginia graduates – created a unique take on UVA wear, incorporating the image of a literal leaping wahoo into their “Wahoowa Collection” designs.
“The reaction exceeded our expectations,” said Andy Stepanian, a Howler Brothers founder and 1997 UVA graduate. “In fact, nearly the entire stock of the first collection sold out in only a matter of hours during our kickoff event. It was a bit of a feeding frenzy. We ended up placing a reorder on the hats and T-shirts so the UVA Bookstore could have them on the shelves.”
New pieces added to the “Wahoowa Collection” include long-sleeve T-shirts, vests, hoodies and hats. (Contributed photos)
That first limited run of Howler Brothers UVA gear netted nearly $70,000 in sales and generated Scott Stadium-sized buzz.
“One of the things we do best at Howler Brothers is create small capsule collections that lean into a theme or story just like this,” Stepanian said. “It’s what we do every day, and doing it for UVA is an honor.”
If you missed out, Howler Brothers is preparing to drop new pieces of the Wahoowa Collection ahead of the Norfolk State University football game. The collection will go on sale Friday from 4-6 p.m. during a special event on the grassy area outside of Peabody Hall.
[Narrator speaking]
Howler Brothers returns with a second installment of the Wahoowa Collection for the University of Virginia. This time, the collection goes deep with an array of T-shirts, polos, hoodies, fleece vests and hats featuring exclusive leaping wahoo graphics created by Howler in collaboration with UVA. All of it is ready to roll for this tailgate season in Charlottesville.
Although you might know Howler Brothers as an apparel company from Austin, Texas, the roots of the company run all the way back to UVA, where the founders met and forged a lifelong creative alliance. Now, they channel western vibes, vintage surf culture, music and a melting pot of ideas into unmistakable Howler apparel.
It is an honor to once again create a collection for UVA – a place we love and a vital part of our brand history. Come see the fresh Wahoowa Collection for the University of Virginia now. Go Hoos. Heed the call.
This run will feature three new hats, a golf-style shirt, long- and short-sleeve T-shirts, a fleece vest and a hoodie.
Stepanian said it was a no-brainer to create a second run for UVA.
“I think we knew right away that we should keep this going based on how quickly the first round of the Wahoowa Collection sold out,” he said. “And, of course, we love UVA, so it’s an easy thing to prioritize. The bookstore and UVA give us a lot of freedom on the designs, and they always encourage us to get as creative as we want. We love that.”
