BCE Apparel, a new fashion line for the “bold, confident and excellent,” features a drum major icon on its clothing, in hopes of “fashionably inspiring people to achieve greatness.”
Owner and founder CJ Nelldell sees the drum major as a symbol of greatness and leadership. The logo is featured on almost all the company’s available products, including T-shirts, hoodies and polo shirts.
“All the inspiration for the designs are centered around greatness, things of the world that represent greatness and leadership,” Nelldell says. “That drum major logo is our Polo horse, if you will. A drum major is a leader; leaders achieve greatness.”
Although not a marching band alum himself, Nelldell played trumpet in middle school. “Learning music when I was an adolescent really saved my life,” he says. “I didn’t grow up in the best community, and that was what I had to look forward to. After that I went into sports, but my love and respect for music and what it did for my life never went away.”
Nelldell hopes that the marching community as well as others inspired by the company’s creed—“Pride, Style, Swagger”—will embrace the clothing line.
“The plan is to make and create a complete brand of fashion that musicians and those with the current or former band affiliation can identify with in the fashion world,” Nelldell says. “But it doesn’t close the brand off to those who aren’t musicians. There’s a vast world of people that wake up every day to strive for excellence in their lives.”
For information or to order clothing, visit www.bceapparel.com.
