Mutiny’s reach across and beyond the Valley

With its increasing popularity, Deon Webb Jr. landed his brand in the Monroeville Mall at The Collab clothing launching Mutiny’s official website.

By KYLE NELSON
McKeesport Community Newsroom

Entrepreneurs make waves across several industries. One McKeesport entrepreneur is receiving a lot of attention for his brand and contributions in the clothing industry.

Deon Webb Jr. is the founder and CEO of Mutiny. His company has been in business since 2021 and has gained a following not only within the Mon Valley and Pittsburgh area but beyond. Mutiny has advertised and sold a variety of apparel ranging from shirts to complete outfits, the most popular one being the Classic Windbreaker, available in a variety of colors.

“In 2021, I decided it’s time to bring my vision to life. People had always appreciated my style, and I used that creativity to build Mutiny into something real,” Webb said.

Mutiny’s apparel can be viewed and purchased at the company’s official website online at www.mutinywrldwide. com.

When it came to developing a vision for Mutiny, producing clothes didn’t come first for Webb when transitioning from McKeesport Area High School to college.

Webb enrolled at Youngstown State with the goal of pursuing a degree in law and then transferred to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to be closer to home. However, he still was trying to find his way.

While enrolled at IUP, Webb enrolled in a graphic design course, where he created the logo for Mutiny as part of one of his assignments for the course.

“Once I made the logo, I took it home afterward and asked my cousins if this logo would look good on clothes, and they all said yes,” Webb said After receiving positive feedback from relatives about his logo, Webb held on to it for a few years before coming up with the name for his brand. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Webb worked a regular day job and set aside the money that he earned in preparation to help his vision come to life.

“I took my time with this stuff. I wasn’t rushing myself with this. I was working and stacking my money,” Webb said.

Before the process of cementing the foundation of his clothing business, Webb had to learn a lot on his own to bring the necessary pieces together for Mutiny. He initially didn’t share his vision with anybody to avoid receiving negative feedback and opinions about why it didn’t potentially seem doable.

Webb studied some of the greats in the clothing industry, and he credits entrepreneurs such as Dapper Dan, Virgil Abloh and Dame Dash for showing that creativity and persistence can turn an idea into a movement.

As Webb’s vision for Mutiny progressed, it made him realize that he wouldn’t have to work a regular job for much longer.

After Mutiny took off in 2021, Webb received local support for his brand with purchases made by residents in the McKeesport area. The style and influence of Webb’s clothing brand began reaching individuals young and old.

“Everything I created with Mutiny came with no outside help. My city was by my side every step of the way. I built this brand from the ground up using my own vision, time, dedication, and seeing local support, Webb said. “People rocking the pieces, spreading the word and believing in the brand had made all the difference.”

With its increasing popularity, Webb ended up landing his brand in the Monroeville Mall at The Collab clothing store for a couple of years and launching Mutiny’s official website.

Webb has also incorporated his experiences from playing sports in his youth into his clothing by using color and designs inspired by professional teams along with teams of local high schools and youth teams such as the McKeesport Little Tigers and Duquesne City Dukes.

“Mutiny isn’t just a brand, it’s a reflection of the city that raised me, and the community that pushed me to keep going.” Webb stated.

The Mutiny brand’s exposure continues to expand, reaching and exceeding the boundaries of the state with Webb having participated as a vendor at the Global Connections Pop Up Shop that was held in Richmond, Virginia in July.

Sales were ultimately successful with consumers in attendance at the event. The energy and interest from the crowd surpassed Webb’s expectations. He was initially nervous at first prior to participating.

Webb left with the mission for Mutiny being an overall success, and things continued to progress in a positive direction for the brand.

The company is on the verge of releasing new clothes and materials for purchase soon. Webb has always possessed the notion to have trust in the process for Mutiny’s growth, along with trusting his own sense of style to elevate his brand to reach a wide range of consumers.

Webb said he wants to be a good role model for young people in the McKeesport area who also want to have successful careers.

“I definitely want to be the one that the youth look up to and be an example of success from our city where it’s mostly negative,” he said. “I want to show them that you don’t have to be an athlete or a rapper to be successful in life. Coming from where we come from, I know it seems like it’s hard, but you can do it. That’s ultimately what I want the youth to know.”

Kyle Nelson of White Oak is a sports photographer who can be found documenting every McKeesport Area High School Tigers football and basketball game. He is also an information specialist at the Carnegie Free Library of McKeesport. He is member of Tube City Writers – a program of the McKeesport Community Newsroom.