Tommy Breeze ’16 Turned a Thrift-Store Find Into an Art-Driven Apparel Brand

You could say it all started at Yeehaw Aloha, a thrift shop blocks from Whitman College’s campus. There, Art History major Tommy Breeze ’16 was poking around when he spotted the hat that would become a wardrobe staple—and the spark for his future business. 

“It was nothing special, looking back, but it said ‘Prescott National Forest.’ Although I’d never been there, I identified with it,” says Breeze, who grew up in the mountains of Fairfax, California. “Plus, wearing it meant I never had to worry about my hair.” 

Breeze had that classic trucker hat in mind when, in 2018, he decided to design his own nature-inspired patch: a cypress tree silhouetted against the ocean. At first, he thought it would be a one-off project, but when he found out the minimum patch order was 50—and he received 100 by mistake—he decided to look for more buyers. 

Since that first order, his once-solo venture has grown to four full-time employees, a team that has sold more than 50,000 hats to retailers and customers nationwide, including Lady Gaga. 

Tommy Breeze Art and Apparel, based in Marin, California, is rooted in Breeze’s belief in art as a way to connect people to the outdoors. In addition to hats, the brand also produces T-shirts and stickers featuring Breeze’s original artwork inspired by mountain vistas, ocean views and other natural scenes. 

“The idea is to help people channel their happy places,” says Breeze, who considers the Walla Walla Valley—and Whitman in particular—one of his own. From the moment he first stepped on campus as a prospective student, he was struck by the community’s warmth. “It felt like everyone wanted to take me under their wing.”

A pre-orientation outing offered more opportunities to connect—with both the community and the terrain. “Backpacking with fellow incoming students and sophomore trip leaders in the Pacific Northwest was an amazing start to my Whitman experience,” he says.

Breeze credits his success to several factors, including his team’s adaptability and the foundation he developed at Whitman. “I went for an education, but I left as a more complete person,” he says. “Whitman gave me the flexibility to chase what I wanted to do.” 

Today, that freedom drives his business forward, helping people connect with their happy places, one hat at a time.

Wear Your Whitman Pride

You can sport your own limited edition Whitman College hat with a Tommy Breeze patch featuring the Blue Mountains and the Walla Walla Valley’s golden wheat fields. Shop the store. 

Breeze plans to gift a portion of the sales to The Whitman Fund.