OUR STORY
THE BRAND
Commercial fishermen are some of the hardest-working, creative, and down-to-earth people. The Alaskan commercial fishing community deserves a brand made specially for them. Art we can actually see ourselves in, inside jokes, and clothing that reps the pride of our work.
In Alaska, a lot of brands focus on tourists as the main audience (nothing wrong with that) but the dirty, grungy, and ugly side of Alaska is rarely represented in our art. Commercial fishing isn’t pretty and that reality deserves to be shown and celebrated.
THE ARTIST
I’m Melia, the owner of Ak Dirtbag! I created Ak Dirtbag during fishing season in Bristol Bay. I brought a sketch pad on the boat and would draw constantly during closures. I wanted to create designs that spoke directly to the experience and culture of being a commercial fisherman.
I was born and raised in Sterling, Alaska. I grew up subsistence fishing with my family on the Kenai River, Kachemak Bay, and Pasagshak. Being an Alaskan kid, fishing and processing has always been a way of life. I now live Anchorage to continue building and growing Ak Dirtbag locally.