Vow Clothing launched last week with the goal of raising awareness about domestic abuse and violence against women in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Founder Myles Green is donating ten percent of Vow’s sales to the St. John’s Status of Women’s Council (SJSWC) and the St. John’s Women’s Centre.

Green has been meeting with Jenny Wright, Executive Director of SJSWC, to talk about ways to get young men in the province to engage with feminist issues.

“… a lot of men don’t see domestic abuse as a men’s issue. They see it as a women’s issue alone when in fact it’s an issue that has to be addressed by all sexes and genders. We have to all work together to get people to see that,” Green says.

Green sees women doing most of the work to fight sexism in the province both in the media and on his own social feeds. He wants to help build a culture where young men speak out against sexism and support women doing feminist work.

Green collaborated with local artist Natasha Boland to create the company’s signature design. Green described some of the elements he wanted incorporated in the image, scribbling an approximation of his vision on a piece of paper and let Boland finesse and stylize the design.

“I drew a fox and flowers and the word Vow on a piece of loose leaf but I’m a terrible artist so she took it and ran with it. Then I used a computer program to make it t-shirtable,” Green says.

The finished design depicts a fox curled on a bed of grass, surrounded by a wreath of flowers. The word ‘vow’ floats above the sleeping fox.

“The whole idea of the brand is that I want women to feel safe whether they’re in their homes or they’re working. I chose the fox and the flowers because I wanted something that was calm and safe, something that really represented what we stand for,” Green explained.

Green sees the company’s name as a call to action, he wants people of all genders to vow to stand with the women of Newfoundland and Labrador as they fight domestic abuse and violence against women in the province.

Green says he’s excited by the response the brand has been receiving since its launch party at the Backlot in Corner Brook last week. Right now, Vow’s signature design is available on two styles of t-shirts and hoodies that can be purchased through the Vow Clothing Facebook page.

Green will eventually establish an online store that ships clothes to all the Atlantic Provinces. He plans to begin selling different types of garments and featuring work by lots of local artists. As the brand grows, Green hopes to be able to donate profits to local women’s centres all over the province.