Emily Li Mandri, founder and designer of Natty Paint, started the company in May 2009 upon graduation from Johns Hopkins University. With a B.A. in Art History and a minor in Entrepreneurship & Management, Li Mandri has combined her interests in art and business to form the fashion label Natty Paint.
Influenced by artists such as Peter Max and Salvador Dalí, and art movements such as Minimalism, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, and Art Deco, Li Mandri has combined her favorite art form-painting, with her interest in sophisticated fashion to create a unique bold line.
Natty Paint, founded in May 2009, is a fashion label based out of Baltimore, Maryland. An amalgam of Baltimore’s burgeoning visual arts and music scenes, Natty Paint combines these art forms and transforms them into a fashion statement. Bright colors, geometric forms, and the interaction between patterns and images all comprise the Natty Paint aesthetic.
The name “Natty Paint” conveys the location, image, and process of the company’s brand. “Natty” refers to the Baltimore based beer “National Bohemian” nicknamed by the locals “Natty Boh.” A fantastic coincidence-”natty” also means fashionable. All the designs are silkscreened individually by hand with paint.
The label is quickly gaining a cult following in Baltimore. Natty Paint has been worn by famed musicians Dan Deacon and The Rapture during their performances.
Natty Paint is comprised of two lines: silkscreened American Apparel t-shirts and higher priced, fashion-forward silkscreened and reworked vintage apparel. All clothing is eco-friendly and sustainably designed using water-based paint, saved vintage, and sweatshop free apparel.
Natty Paint also offers customized designs and prints.