Local clothing line goes Hollywood

Although not many people can say they have established relationships with Mike Posner, Big Sean and Gorilla Zoe, Matt Fields, the owner of Bloomington’s Dope Couture, now can.

Located on 224 N. College Ave., Dope Couture carries brands that are “a sarcastic interpretation of an upper class bourgeois style,” said Fields. “The brand is high-class art, fashion and pop culture.”

Although the boutique is fairly new to Bloomington, Fields originally worked out of his bedroom in 2008 with a handful of T-shirts and an online store.

“Essentially, I had made some shirts and gave them out to people who had touched base with boutique owners,” Fields said.

Fields’ clothing line flourished after boutique owners promoted his clothing line.
“From that foundation, we have been able to grow through celebrity and individual support,” Fields said.

Dope Couture’s wholesale business has allowed Fields’ clothing line to be carried in more than 20 boutiques nationwide, such as Kreative Sole in Huntsville, Ala., Motivation Boutique in Ann Arbor, Mich., El Mercado in Los Angeles and Got Sole in Indianapolis.

Since Motivation Boutique partnered with Fields, Dope Couture has been one of the boutique’s top five brands.

Fields said his business is the only street wear clothing boutique in town.

“In my eyes, it’s the coolest thing in Bloomington,” said Brittney Banks, a former intern. “It breathes this amazing energy that everyone should be a part of.”

Banks recalled the first time she set foot in the store.

“He had awesome music playing, and immediately we got to talking,” Banks said. “I told him I wanted to start my own fashion business, and he proposed the idea of me interning.”

Today, Dope Couture’s brand name has been seen on Big Sean’s mix tape, “Finally Famous Volume 3.” Dope Couture and Pharrell Williams’ clothing line were the only two brands to sponsor it.

“To us it feels like a great accomplishment,” Fields said.

Although he plans to eventually expand the boutique outside of Indiana,, Fields said he can’t imagine leaving Bloomington.

“I’m from Indianapolis, but Bloomington is now my home,” Fields said. “The town has been good to us and we have had more connections here than anywhere else.”