Collectors Corner with Ordanny Olivo

     It goes without saying aloud; the New Era Cap culture is a part of us. It's a daily feature of our lives. It shows the world many things: where we're from, what we love, and conclusively who we are.  Some like to use the phrase "I wear my heart on my sleeve"; I like to think some of us "Wear our hearts on our heads". Regardless of that, the more intriguing thought is that (conversely) we are part of the New Era Cap culture. That little facet of our community is where our guest, Ordanny Olivo, comes in.

     Along with his great appreciation of everything 59Fifty, Ordanny also has a fondness and talent for graphic design. The obvious question here would be if he would somehow be able to combine the two fields. This venture, which can now be seen all over #TeamFitted social media, wound up being what most would consider a highlight in the past year of the cap-culture. With his unique adaptions of the famous 59Fifty size sticker, Ordanny was able to infuse a little bit of each collector with the New Era style. With this, he has put his mark on the fitted world for the better. Take a couple of minutes to learn about Mr. Olivo, and what makes him tick.


TFD: Where are you from?

OO: I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. My family is from Dorado, Puerto Rico.


TFD: What initially drew your interest into the fitted cap culture?

OO: Baseball. I played baseball growing up, and always kept my caps. As I got older, I just started buying them, for the teams I liked. Last year was when I started seeing all the collectors on Instagram; it just blew up from there.


TFD: What was your first cap?

OO: Technically, the first cap I ever owned (that I can remember) was the Chicago White Sox cap. As far as when I started collecting, it was a New York Yankees cap, I got for Christmas.


TFD: How strong is the love for the New Era where you live?

OO: Well, Detroit was voted "Best Sports City", so I would say pretty strong. Pretty much, everywhere you go, you see someone wearing a Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, or Pistons New Era Cap on!


TFD: How many caps do you claim on your collection?

OO: I currently have 68, with 4 on the way!

TFD: You clearly have an affinity and talent for graphic design, through some of the personalized work you've cooked up, for some of the Team Fitted guys. Is that something you do in a professional capacity?

OO: Unfortunately, no. In high school, I took a Photoshop class and learned a lot of the basics. Through the years, I've just learned by trying things and watching videos on YouTube. It is something that I might pursue in the near future, though.

(Above, a design Ordanny created for myself,)

TFD: What sports do you call yourself a real fan of?

OO: Baseball and football. I can sit down and watch any two teams play, and enjoy the game. I just love the two sports. Hockey I watch on occasion.


TFD: What teams do you follow?

OO: There are a few teams. For baseball, first over all others, are the Tigers; my hometown team. I also like the Pirates and the Orioles. For football, it would also be my hometown team; the Lions. I also like the Broncos, Eagles, and Jaguars. Yes, I know the Jaguars suck. Haha. For hockey, my teams would be the Red Wings and the Ducks.


TFD: What is your all-time go-to cap?

OO: That's an easy question. Detroit Tigers Authentic home cap. All navy blue, with the white "D". I can throw that on with anything.


TFD: Are there any "holy grail" caps on your list that you still cannot seem to find?

OO: YES! The Jackie Robinson "42" Brooklyn Dodgers cap, that was released for the "42" movie. That's on the top of my list.


TFD: What size New Era Cap do you wear?

OO: 7 1/8


TFD: The Team Fitted custom sticker logos have become somewhat legendary, on the Team Fitted Facebook page. Which of your adaptations is your favorite?

OO: Yes, they have; they are all amazing in their own way. My favorite one would have to be the Breast Cancer Awareness one. I have an aunt who is a recent survivor of Breast Cancer. I'm amazed at the outcome of that sticker!

TFD: Are there any markets of sport or pop culture, which New Era has not yet tapped into, that you wish would one day become an on-cap collaboration?

OO: For me, personally, I would have to say NASCAR. I'm a huge fan. New Era does have some NASCAR caps, but they are not in the 59Fifty style.


TFD: If you could design your own fitted, what would it look like?

OO: It would definitely have one of my logos on it. I have a few unreleased ones. It would be a Diamond Era; all black, with the front white. The logo would be black and white; simple. It would also have a white New Era flag on the side.


TFD: If the readers of this would like to follow you and your creative work, where should they look on social media?

OO: On Facebook, you can find me under "Ordanny Olivo. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person with that name, so it's an easy find. For Instagram and Twitter, my handle is @0rdanny; the first character is a zero ("0").

   
     Thank you, Ordanny. You're a great part of our growing fitted cap culture. We look forward to your great work in the near future. Keep it up!


-Matt Aballi
Twitter: @MattAballi
Instagram: matt_aballi