Monkey Business

Photos by Andrew Schwartz

Without a
business plan, experience in fashion or even children of their own at the time,
Brooklynites Lynn and Harald Husum set out to translate their love of pop
culture and style into a cool clothing line for kids. The idea came to the
couple on a whim after seeing a father and son dining together at a Manhattan restaurant.

“The dad was
wearing an AC/DC t-shirt and the kid had a teddy bear t-shirt. We thought it
would be funny if the shirts were switched, and the kid was wearing the rock
t-shirt,” Lynn recalls. The idea seemed pretty
far-fetched for Lynn, a nurse practitioner at the time, and Harald, a graphic
designer, but the couple began dyeing tiny tees in their own apartment and
before they knew it, their business had outgrown their home. Today, Appaman is
their world and it has evolved into a funky brand that is a favorite of city-dwelling
parents and their kids.

Looking back,
almost everything about Appaman pays homage to the past. The unique name and
monkey logo comes from one of Harald’s cherished childhood toys from his native
Norway. And many of the clothes in the
collection are updated interpretations of classic styles from the 70s and 80s,
such as a B-boy-inspired tracksuit and skinny acid wash jeans for girls.

Today, the Husum
family includes two daughters and they are loving Brooklyn life. Lynn and Harald’s eclectic yet
comfortable design aesthetic can be found not only in the garments they design
but also imprinted throughout the two-bedroom Carroll Gardens apartment they
share with Kaya, 8 and Elie, 5—and a lovable Cockapoo affectionately known as
“Party Hat.” The walls of the bright, open kitchen are adorned with a collage
of family photos and children’s artwork, while the living room shelves are
lined with pieces collected during Lynn and Harald’s backpacking adventures
through Southeast
Asia and Africa. Harald excitedly points to a cow
mask on the shelf. “We bargained for three days in Nepal for this!”

As you make your
way upstairs to the bedrooms, tiny frames filled with photos of Lynn and Harald’s families honor their
diverse backgrounds. But the main attraction of the second level is, without a
doubt, the girls’ bedroom, which Dad proudly designed. The bunk beds, cheerful
pastel walls and bold decals create a whimsical haven for the youngest members
of the design-inclined family.

Unlike many city
families, the Husums declare themselves as living in a one-computer home, which
helps them avoid the temptation of social networking. Instead, the family
prefers spending time together engaging in good old-fashioned fun—watching
movies, playing board games and belting out favorite tunes on their karaoke
machine. They take full advantage of their backyard, hosting barbeques for
friends in the neighborhood.

Though you might
not guess it now, Lynn and Harald’s move to Brooklyn happened by chance. After renting in Manhattan, the pair decided they were ready to buy
their first home equipped with outdoor space. A chance visit with a friend to a
psychic in Brooklyn Heights proved to Lynn that there was life on the other side of
the bridge. She took one look around the neighborhood and immediately fell in
love.

“[Brooklyn] was so much mellower. I had no idea
that it looked like this,” she says. “It was so cute.”

Ten years later,
the couple can’t imagine living anywhere else. They enjoy exploring the
borough’s diverse neighborhoods. “We love Coney Island and the Vietnamese restaurants in Sunset Park. We always take friends to the Promenade
and the Brooklyn Bridge,” Lynn says. “Grimaldi’s is our favorite for
pizza.”

Similarly, the couple
admits that much of Appaman’s success can be credited to a combination of being
in the right place at the right time and a lot of opportune networking. Early
on, Lynn decided to take a night class at FIT that taught marketing to the children’s
wear industry. She studiously gathered industry contacts and honed inexpensive
PR techniques. Her efforts would come in handy when she successfully applied
what she learned to her growing company’s own marketing strategy. As a result,
the line was distributed in 100 stores within the first nine months.

About a year and
a half after their 2003 launch, Appaman received the ultimate tabloid nod when
Angelina Jolie’s son Maddox was photographed in their now-famous bulldog
t-shirt. Since then, stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Gwen Stefani and Sara Jessica
Parker have all outfitted their tots in Appaman gear.

But even though
the brand has become a favorite of A-list celebrity kids, the Husums insist
that they design with their daughters and their friends in mind. In fact, most
of the kids featured in the Appaman catalogs come directly from their
neighborhood. And they refuse to let the market dictate what they consider
fashionable. Instead, the vibe is inspired by images they see in and around Brooklyn. “Kids’ clothing doesn’t necessarily
have to follow trend. I think there is value in something that looks
different,” Lynn says.

“It’s East Coast
design. Our [clothes] are definitely more Public Enemy than Snoop Dogg,” laughs
Harald.

“We have no
business selling surf boards,” Lynn chimes in.

Harald describes
the kid who wears Appaman as confident, playful and loud. “I want the Appaman
kid to have an attitude, but not in a negative way,” he adds. They acknowledge
the difficulty of dressing fussy children in things they don’t want to wear,
and have positioned their brand as one that both parents and little ones can
agree on. As a result, many parents have actually said that their kids won’t
get dressed unless they can find their “monkey clothes.”

Looking at the
Appaman designs, it’s no surprise that Lynn and Harald pull a lot of
inspiration from nostalgic photos and the cutting-edge styles of previous
generations. “A lot of parents have come to us and asked if we can make clothes
in their size!” Lynn laughs.

While most
married couples would find it challenging to go into business together, the
Husums pride themselves on how well they work together as a team. The pair
attributes their entrepreneurial success to having distinct roles and the ability
to keep most of the bickering out of their small office space.

“In general, I
think we do really well together,” Harald says. “We’re able to be creative and
sell our product.”

And that’s all
this couple of Brooklyn designers could ask for.

A Sneak Peak At Appaman’s Spring Collection…Coming
Soon To Appaman.com

1. Hockey Jersey In Oak Leaf, $36