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“Designers in residence” is probably the most professional sounding tag anybody has ever given Larry and Georgios. For a couple of kids in black hoodies and paint under their nails, the title doesn’t exactly sound apropos. Then again, a look at their work and client list might have you second-guessing. If you’ve ever poked your head into what was the Epidemik Coalition laboratory after walking through the halls of Portfolio Center, you soon realize that this duo, like their windowless room, generates a view into a talented youth oriented design culture that has burst forth beyond the pale walls of PC.

It’s no wonder The Center for Design Study, in its innate advocacy and nurturing of excellence, would invite Larry and Georgios to work within its magnificent space. Since then, the two have successfully carried over their Epidemik Coalition business and taken on new clients including Megan Huntz Dresses and Coca-Cola. Most importantly, their mantra “Experiment or Die” will live on and continue to inspire.

Since its inception almost three years ago, the EC brand has spread amongst its peers like an infectious disease. No wonder the name was inspired from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. And after only a year in operation, EC has presented at MODA, SCAD, been reviewed in Creative Loafing, and mentioned in the Wall Street Journal. No doubt their methods of guerilla advertising and inebriated networking have proved a strong viral existence in the Atlanta Community.

Understand this: EC is not just about their product. They are designers first and foremost, who proudly represent their brand and The Center for Design Study in everything they do. Their passion is evident in their work, and it is always a personal journey from concept to execution. EC is not some third-party logo seen on every Joe Shmo with a dookie-gold chain in the Atlanta Underground. Larry and Georgios are designers aiming to connect their work with the people.

The EC language is an important aspect of their design and it’s an honest echo of their nature. Looking at their work (and enviously starring at Larry’s Air Jordans) it’s easy to glean that their aesthetic has an urban influence that powerfully communicates to the youth culture they remain so proudly a part of. Coming from different backgrounds, both are able to contribute unique and viable slants into their coalition upshot.

Larry and Georgios may be titled designers in residence, but the love and ownership of their work will always make them resident designers.

–Adrian Dickerson