Behind the Design: Gone Flying
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The Gone Flying tee was the first design we put in the store, and it's still the one that best explains what Reflex Apparel is about.
The Phrase
"Gone Flying" is the informal sign that pilots sometimes leave on a hangar door or a sticky note. It means exactly what it says. No further explanation needed. It doesn't need a backstory. It's also a mindset. The people who actually fly don't spend a lot of time explaining why they do it. They just go. The phrase captures that without romanticizing it.
The Vintage Treatment
We wanted the graphic to feel like it had history: something that could have been on a flight jacket in the 1940s or a hangar wall in the 1970s. The worn-in, slightly faded print style on a garment-dyed blank gets there without feeling like a costume. It's vintage without being a reproduction.
Why a Tee
Pilot gear tends toward function: flight suits, polo shirts, headsets, bags. The in-between moments (weekends at the airport, post-flight breakfast, the drive home) don't have great options. We wanted to make something for those moments. Something you'd actually wear outside the cockpit that still says something about who you are.
What's Next
The Gone Flying design is the first in a broader collection spanning different interests and ideas. If you have a design idea you'd like to see, reach out on the Contact page. We actually read those.