Talented Wolverhampton graduate Richard has designs on the stars
When Richard Campbell sat scribbling designs in the back bedroom of his Wolverhampton home – never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that his doodles would be turned into a baseball cap range by one of the world's biggest clothing brands.
Less than a year after graduating from university, the 24-year-old has been approached by American firm New Era Caps and his own designs produced on baseball caps are ready to hit the streets later this year.
It is a meteoric rise into the fashion world and comes just six months after he started publishing pictures of his work on social media websites last November.
Since then he has also been approached by the clothing line of US hip hop star Pharrell Williams, called Billionaire Boys Club, after his pictures of the singer wowed bosses via Twitter.
Now there are even talks of the artist producing a 'Wolvo' cap paying homage to his hometown.
Richard, from Moseley Old Hall Park in Bushbury, recalls the moment he got into designing clothes.
He said: "I was at the University of Wolverhampton and close to my graduation in 2011 I drew up a t-shirt for me to wear. I was walking around wearing it and someone stopped me and asked where I got it. I said I'd designed it myself and they told me I needed to make a few more and sell them.
"A few months later I was wearing the same T-shirt in Worcester and someone offered to buy it straight from my back for £200. That little recognition has acted as a drive for me to go onto Birmingham University and complete my masters which I did."
Richard, a former Northicote School pupil, began drawing the art work he describes as 'contemporary surrealism' at his parents' home, and has produced images of Marilyn Monroe, Rihanna, Lewis Hamilton, John Lennon and Snow White under his own label called Cam.
He was drawing A4 prints for friends at no cost and was regularly staying awake until 4am working on his designs.
Having publicised his art on Facebook in January of this year Richard wrote to more than 200 clothing companies from around the world to get his work noticed.
He said: "It was only November of last year when I started publicising my work on Facebook if I'm honest I was concerned if I started doing that it may be copied but I needed to take that gamble. I'd only put two pictures up and people started to ask me how much I wanted for the designs.
"I knew I needed to do more to get my work out there so I drew up a list of companies to send my work to.
"In one night alone I wrote to 70 companies but I'd say in total it was more than 200. It was mainly America because it's a vast market it's more practical over there, if clothes are quirky and bright the more it's going to sell over there."
Of New York-based New Era Caps Richard said: "They said 'we really think your work is good' and asked me about my clothing line 'Cam' they then offered to make the hats and wanted me to produce them. I couldn't believe it even now I can't believe it."
And, as a huge Pharrell Williams fan, he is over the moon after launching talks with the singer's camp about his design.
He said: "I did a picture of Pharrell Williams, and I tweeted it to Billionaire Boys Club which is his clothing line and they responded kindly and even retweeted it to more than 23,000 followers.
He is hopeful his designs may be taken on by the singer's fashion house.
