Adrien Saporiti ’02
Written September 2012
Among the entrepreneurs who are making their mark on Nashville is Adrien Saporiti, who has quite literally made his mark on the city. He has created three bold murals—identical in design—that unabashedly declare “I BELIEVE IN NASHVILLE.” The murals are a cross between a feel-good plug for the city (could there be a more positive message?), a street art phenomenon (among the many who have taken pictures of his murals was a couple who used one as the backdrop for their wedding photos), and a brand awareness campaign for his company, DCXV (dcxvclothing.com).
DCXV’s t-shirts and posters are the antithesis of the conventional mass-produced souvenirs for tourists. Hand printed in the Music City, DCXV’s designs appeal to natives and those who come to appreciate Nashville beyond the superficial level. Popular designs include shirt-sized reproductions of the mural and depictions of the Nashville skyline and the famous pink elephant of Charlotte Avenue. "DCXV is Nashville for Nashville,” says Adrien. Even the company’s name (the local telephone area code in roman numerals) pays homage to the city.
In true Nashvillian style, Adrian is a singer-songwriter in addition to being an entrepreneur and graphic artist. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, he has recently finished recording an EP.
With a father in the music industry and a mother who is a painter, it is perhaps not surprising that Adrien’s creative talents are interdisciplinary. He thinks that Harding may have played a role as well by “allowing and in some cases encouraging” him to pursue multiple interests. A middle school tennis player and saxophonist in the band, he has fond memories of art classes with Carol Chambers and music classes with Ms. Rogers, as well as performing for such events as the Grandparents Chocolate.
For a time after graduating from Berklee, Adrien continued to pursue music while also working for Apple. It was October of 2011 when he began to develop his business in earnest. While he still works out of his house and garage, Adrian employs others to keep up with the demand for his shirts and has recently signed the lease on a shop in East Nashville on Porter Road. His goal now is to grow DCXV from a small company into a recognizable brand that may branch out into other products. Having his mural featured in a photo spread about Nashville in GQ magazine this summer was a good start. Says Adrien, "I want DCXV to be a brand that is synonymous with Nashville."
Back
DCXV’s t-shirts and posters are the antithesis of the conventional mass-produced souvenirs for tourists. Hand printed in the Music City, DCXV’s designs appeal to natives and those who come to appreciate Nashville beyond the superficial level. Popular designs include shirt-sized reproductions of the mural and depictions of the Nashville skyline and the famous pink elephant of Charlotte Avenue. "DCXV is Nashville for Nashville,” says Adrien. Even the company’s name (the local telephone area code in roman numerals) pays homage to the city.
In true Nashvillian style, Adrian is a singer-songwriter in addition to being an entrepreneur and graphic artist. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, he has recently finished recording an EP.
With a father in the music industry and a mother who is a painter, it is perhaps not surprising that Adrien’s creative talents are interdisciplinary. He thinks that Harding may have played a role as well by “allowing and in some cases encouraging” him to pursue multiple interests. A middle school tennis player and saxophonist in the band, he has fond memories of art classes with Carol Chambers and music classes with Ms. Rogers, as well as performing for such events as the Grandparents Chocolate.
For a time after graduating from Berklee, Adrien continued to pursue music while also working for Apple. It was October of 2011 when he began to develop his business in earnest. While he still works out of his house and garage, Adrian employs others to keep up with the demand for his shirts and has recently signed the lease on a shop in East Nashville on Porter Road. His goal now is to grow DCXV from a small company into a recognizable brand that may branch out into other products. Having his mural featured in a photo spread about Nashville in GQ magazine this summer was a good start. Says Adrien, "I want DCXV to be a brand that is synonymous with Nashville."
Inspiring The Mind • Nurturing The Spirit