Montrose Showroom Features Music-Inspired Clothing, Art And Positive Vibes

Enjoymusic Enjoylife is a literal brand. The entire philosophy of the fashion line that sells attire celebrating music and its positive impact on our lives is summed up in the name. What was a hobby for designer and founder “DJ T,” or more simply “T,” as he prefers to be called, slowly transformed from a passion project to a business.

“There isn’t a brand that celebrates music lovers like Nike does for athletes,” says T. “When you look at music lovers, there isn’t such a thing. Our intention was to create that, but not to be about any one style of music. That’s what got us started years ago. The love of music and wanting to express that in another fashion.”

Though the brand has been in existence for over 15 years now, it’s only recently — three months ago in fact — that EMEL (the acronym for Enjoymusic Enjoylife featured in the brand’s logo) went from an internet-only business to a small storefront at 1625 Westheimer Road. For now, it’s only open on the weekends (noon to 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday), because T works another full time job, but fans have already started to ask him about opening more often. There’s just something about the place that invites a comfortable sort of lingering. It’s easy to strike up a casual conversation here with T or other shoppers, which is predictably oftentimes related to music. It’s a feeling that goes far beyond a normal retail shop.

The good vibes floating around the space have as much to do with the positive, uplifting nature of the messages printed on various styles of men’s and women’s shirts as they do the vibrant artwork on display and the turntable cranking out tunes. T has a calming presence and an infectious enthusiasm, a combination befitting of the founder of a brand with the sole purpose of celebrating music. Though for him, this is much deeper than just business.

“There’s a spiritual component to it,” says T. “You listen to a baby’s heartbeat before they’re born; we are musical beings. It doesn’t matter what part of the world you’re from or what culture, music is present. Particularly in rituals and celebrations. It’s everywhere. We think of music on that level.”

It was that level that inspired some of his t-shirt designs, like the graphic of the earth with “Music Spoken Here” emblazoned on it or the Bob Marley quote, “Open your eyes and look within, are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” But there are also cheekier versions like “I am/therefore/I jam,” and “Music is a sexy drug.” Either way, the shirts are fun and sometimes philosophical, but always, always an extension of the love of music coupled with a love of life.

“Our goal is really to inspire people to live their most joyful life,” says T. “We believe that music is a divine medium. This is merely an expression of that. We’re not really about fashion or clothes, we’re about uplifting you, encouraging you and reminding you that life was intended to be enjoyed.”

To that end, T also created the showroom with a gallery aspect, where musically inspired visual art rotates on a monthly basis. Through the end of this week (October 25), an exhibit of Charles Washington’s artwork is on display. Washington is an environmental artist — using found, recycled objects as his canvas — whose exhibited works depict scenes of jazz and musical aspects on items like the hood of a car or an old door.

“I was in a homeless situation in the late 80s, early 90s,” says Washington. “Using found objects came from necessity and also a desire to create artwork. It actually started with walking down the street and realizing I needed to pay a bill and asked myself, ‘What’s within you?’ and found rocks and painted on them. I went to different office locations and sold them.”

Washington has come a long way as a professional artist, selling countless pieces since, though he appreciates the process and journey that led him here.

“I’m the type of artist who documents parts of my existence,” says Washington.

In that, these two men are similar. For T, music is the theme of his clothing line, but also the universal language of human life. For Washington, it’s a common theme that brings life to much of his art. Lucky for Montrose, both are on display at 1625 Westheimer Road for now.