The Story Behind the Cone

Purple Cone was born out of a love for our roads and the stories that come out of them. From the long sweepers to the tight twisties that take you to new heights, every road has its own unique personality and emotion that invokes something within us.

Whether on 2, 3 or 4 wheels, these roads provide a literal path of escape. It's not about speed or adrenaline, but the sense of freedom the pathways manifest.

To express this appreciation of the road, we create apparel that tells the story of the road through its unique bends, straights and topography. And we give back by adopting the highways

Printed in limited batches. Made to last. Worn to spark conversation.

We make what we want to wear. And we only make it once. 

Founders

Founded by Alex Avakian and Antranik Kizirian, A&A are forced-to-be road-obsessed with a sharp eye for hidden patterns and visual storytelling. Born and raised in Southern California, they took to the roads of the Santa Monica Mountains as soon as they got their driver's licenses.

Alex's Road to the Roads

I started out exploring Mulholland Hwy in my parents Volvo at 17 years old. Thursday nights were dedicated to filling up the tank, loading up my best burned electronica CDs, and heading out for hours on Encinal, Kanan, Tuna, Piuma, Rockstore and more. 

As I got into my late 20s, 4 wheels changed to 2 as I became obsessed with road cycling. Going up Stunt Road was suddenly a whole different challenge. Las Flores, 7 Minute Hill, and Yerba Buena became weekly fixtures. The roads stayed the same, but I changed. And with that change, the roads had a different story to tell. 

Now, in my 40s, living off of Mulholland Hwy, I still enjoy these mountain roads, mainly on  my road bike. Every now and then I'll hear the rumble of an engine on a canyon run at 11pm. At first my inner NIMBY says, "Hey, people are trying to sleep!" but then I quickly remember, that was me 20 years ago!

Let them enjoy their escape. 

Antranik's Road to the Roads

As soon as I got my license, I would take my father's old Cadillac and start driving toward the mountains to find the highest view-points possible.

This was before the days of Google Maps so I would literally be in the valley, look at a mountain peak or ridge and think, "Huh, I wonder how I could get there?" and proceed to get there with whatever route made geographic sense to eventually see what the view was like from up there.

I would get to these unique spots and see all-encompassing views that allowed me to literally zoom-out on life and see the world as one. I became obsessed with twisty, secluded roads that revealed perspectives of my city and ocean that few ever see. I would take panoramic shots with my film camera and stitch them together in photoshop long before digital cameras made it easy. 

I'd note how the temperature cooled slightly as I would go up in elevation, reducing 1°F for every 1,000 feet, or watch storm clouds rolling in before anyone in the city knew what was about to hit.

Like Alex, as my teenaged testosterone levels dropped off and I didn't wanna race up the canyons as haphazardly, I turned to cycling. I learned intricacies of the roads dear to me on a far deeper level: All of its bumps, elevation changes, ruts and even the trash. Things that you'd never, ever notice in a car, even if you wanted to.

Cycling on those very roads elevated my love of geography and topography in ways that I never expected. Mountain passes, barely noticeable from a car, but unforgettable on a bike, became personal trophies. I learned the lay of the land in ways I never thought possible and these roads we celebrate will always be dear to my heart.

But, enough about us.

Suffice it to say, we love these roads. They are world-class in a multitude of ways: From the rally-drivers to the Tour de France lovers, from the geography nerds to hikers who want to see epic views of our city daisy chained by mountain ranges. We are Purple Cone, and this is our way of giving back to the roads that shaped who we are.