I can’t believe it but here we are with our 27th and final NEXT BIG THING feature! We wanted to save something real special and unique for the end and so today we present you with Ruffeo Hearts Lil’ Snotty’s mad rad neck’in brace. RHLS is Brooklyn design duo and ones-to-watch Mackswell Sherman and Sarah Jones. Learn more about these two inventors gone wild!

Tell us more about your unique item.
The neck’in brace is essentially a fanny pack for your face! Has a pocket for cell, iPod, etc. and it’s made from organic raw denim. Yes, this thing both looks kool and has serious utilablity. It is flashy fun function.

What’s this new biz model you’re working on with other local artists?
It’s called PARACHUTE. It’s a wonderful rubix cube re-arranging and bangin’ the cottage industry to a still ethical yet competitive w/ mainstream industry model. Our mottos are SHOP LOCAL, UPCYCLING & CO-PRODUCTION.

So SHOP LOCAL means working with existing retail venues, but also creating a fresh new relationship with your immediate community. The RHLS submotto is “FRIENDSHIPS = MARKETING SCHEMES.” We wanna know you, we want your inseam dimensions!!! We want you to come into our Redhook location and get your custom pattern made so we can make you the perfect garment for the rest of your life, updating your pattern as you work out and your quads get all exploding…

UPCYCLING… We are making the connections to get that garbage fabric and cut it into pure crystals. We take the fishheads of Willy Wonka (version 1) and transform them into DIVA Shell pealing back banana jokes (Uh, that didn’t make sense… But you can piece together what we’re trying to say.)

CO-PRODUCTION… So there’s all these geniuses in one huge studio space and we workshop and seminar with each other. Calm, collected modest MEGA BRAINS like: Cubist Literature, Junk Prints, Desira Pesta, Ledthread, Misery and co, Sweetest Pea and Moon Tree Prints and a talented daredevil cyclist named Mike who krunks it up in 3D plus he’s the on-site carpenter and therapist. Then Rob waxes pure visionary structure and a mean guitar lick with really pretty singing.

What is the origin of your company’s name?
Ruffeo and Lil’ Snotty were secret code names to conceal our courtship from Sarah’s ex, Macks’ then roommate. They became official in anonymously left loveletters and muffeled messages on answering machines.

What are you all about?
Revolutionizing the clothing industry from the outside looking in and late nights of thinktanking while getting tanked.

What inspires you?
Transforming garbage into gorgeous functional gear, miraculous kindness & support from complete strangers and a little unknown beatmaker/rapper from Seattle named Joe Millionaire.